Video: Seven Canvases for Henrietta Leavitt’s Sky

Italian artist Ilaria Margutti uses embroidery to capture the brilliance of Henrietta Leavitt, who was hired by Harvard University as a 'human computer' in the early twentieth century. She made ground-breaking discoveries as part of Edward Charles Pickering's all-women team employed to classify the stars. In short, Leavitt's research made it possible to calculate a star's distance from the Earth. Using an age-old technique Margutti creates 'Seven Canvases for Henrietta Leavitt’s Sky' known as The Swan Variables, on display as part the exhibition 'Women of the Sky', organised by Florence's National Central Library and Museo Galileo. Witness Margutti's creative process in this video.

Video by: @museogalileofirenze