Micrographic Masterpieces at Museo Galileo: The Infinite Small

The Museo Galileo in Florence presents 'Mirabilia Graphica', an exhibition centered on the microscopic art of Ignazio Francesco Muligno, a 17th-century calligrapher and micrographer. The focal work is a Madonna and Child formed by thousands of minuscule words, readable only with a microscope—an instrument invented by Galileo. The piece reproduces Pietro da Cortona's 1643 painting of the Madonna and Child with Saint Martina, now in the Louvre. Muligno transcribed the entire Officium Beatae Mariae Virginis into a 30×20 cm space, with an inscription urging viewers to read it 'cum mycroscopion'. The exhibition also includes three other calligrams by Muligno, the Apiarium by Federico Cesi, Melissographia by Matthäus Greuter, a 18th-century edition of the Officium, optical instruments from the 17th and 18th centuries, and engravings. A touch screen allows high-definition exploration. Curated by Filippo Camerota, the show runs until October 18, 2026, with free activities supported by Fondazione CR Firenze.