Link to the contest: https://steemit.com/hive-108800/@solperez/concurso-de-arte-y-escritura-124-y-ganadores-de-la-edicion-123-art-and-writing-contest-124-y-ganadores-de-la-edicion-123

My first thought when looking at this painting, without reading its title or history, was that it depicted some phenomenon in the universe. I wasn’t far off, as the painting portrays a lecture about the solar system. It was created in the 18th century, which coincidentally is also when the heliocentric theory was finally confirmed by Robert Hooke. We can speculate, therefore, that this is a lecture updating the gathered audience about the latest knowledge of the cosmos.

What fascinates me is how, in certain ways, it mirrors how learning and acquiring new knowledge works today. Let me explain. Think about the lessons we attended in school. There’s a teacher leading a class for a group of students—this is represented by the man in the center of the painting. To his left is a person taking notes. To me, this is the image of a diligent student, someone who needs to have everything written down. This person is the most engaged, asking questions and actively participating.

In the classroom, there are also people who aren’t particularly interested. They just want to get through the lesson and go home—this would be the man sitting in the hat.

Now, look at the children in the painting. To me, they seem genuinely fascinated by the new information. They’re excited about learning something new, representing the type of people who love discovering interesting facts.

On the right side of the painting sits a man with his hand on his forehead. He’s clearly overwhelmed by the new information. He reminds me of someone who feels daunted by how much they still have to learn in order to pass.

Finally, there’s one last figure, who, in my opinion, is the least distinct and most neutral. This is undoubtedly the typical listener. To me, this person represents the majority of us—calmly observing, absorbing knowledge without much outward expression.

Thanks to the @jiva34 for invitation.
I invite @ayu18 @jalpaee @leosmart
Greetings!