An Astrology Lover’s Guide to the Brooklyn Museum Collection

If you’re looking for a sign to visit the Brooklyn Museum, this is it!

Sometimes it’s hard to decide where to start, which is why we’ve consulted the astrological powers that be. Read on to divine which stars of our collection resonate with your star sign. According to your horoscope, you’re due for an artistic encounter.

ARIES

Napoleon Leading the Army over the Alps, Contemporary Art

You’re confident—and so are we! Confident that Kehinde Wiley’s Napoleon Leading the Army over the Alps will resonate with you, that is. It’s one of Wiley’s most iconic works, part of his Rumors of War series, which interrogates power, colonialism, and empire and boldly centers those who have been marginalized. Much like the Aries, this painting is courageous and expressive, and it leads us in a new direction.

TAURUS

LOVE RULES, Contemporary Art

When you walk into the Brooklyn Museum, Hank Willis Thomas’s LOVE RULES is one of the first things you’ll see. It’s reliable. It’s grounding. It tells it like it is. Just like you! Plus, every Taurus is ruled by Venus . . . the lover ; )

GEMINI

The Twins, Contemporary Art

For obvious reasons, Petah Coyne’s The Twins was the first work we divined for you, Gemini. Created with chicken-wire fencing, wire, steel, cloth, hay, and other materials, this playful and curious piece contains multitudes—as do you!

Beware: this piece is a little tricky to find in the Museum . . . but we thought that made it all the more appropriate.

CANCER

Fire Screen and Tools, Decorative Arts and Design

Cancers, you’ll cozy on up to Tom Otterness’s Fire Screen and Tools. As a natural nester, you are the heart of the home . . . or should we say hearth of the home?

LEO

Bust of the Goddess Sakhmet, Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art

You know how to command a room, Leo! You’ve got a natural gravitational pull, not unlike the ancient Egyptian goddess Sakhmet, whose name means “The Powerful One.” You like that, don’t you?

VIRGO

Head from a Female Sphinx, Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art

As a perfectionist, you might not immediately connect with this piece . . . until you learn that it’s from a female sphinx! She represents the king’s ability to vanquish enemies. We can also tell that this work was repaired in the 18th century; her restorative journey, like your own, is very much a quest for beauty.

LIBRA

Cartonnage and Remains of Gautseshenu, Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art

As examined in our ancient Egyptian funerary gallery, cartonnage, or painted linen and plaster, protected human remains. Symbols on the cartonnage helped the deceased reach the afterlife. This example provides a rather inclusive Who’s Who of Egyptian gods—perfect for the sociable, peacekeeping Libra.

If you look closely, you can see a scene on the chest that depicts a heart being weighed against the feather of truth. For a Libra, it’s all about balance.

SCORPIO

Figure of a Scorpion, Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art

This figure of a scorpion clocks in at only 3.5 inches long, belying the Scorpio’s power. Small but mighty, this piece is believed to have once been placed in a temple. To be totally honest, we don’t know the significance of this ancient Egyptian sculpture—it eludes us like the secretive Scorpio.

SAGITTARIUS

Peacock-Shape Incense Burner, Arts of the Islamic World

Fire sign, meet incense burner! As a Sagittarius, you are bold, enthusiastic, and expressive—much like the peacock. This piece is sure to ignite something in your creative soul.

CAPRICORN

Vasudhara, Asian Art

Vasudhara is a Buddhist goddess of wealth and abundance. In her upper left hand, she holds a book. With her upper right hand, she makes a gesture, abhaya mudra, meaning “do not fear.” With her lower right hand, she signals varada mudra, a wish-granting gesture. Her lower left hand is believed to have once held corn. The auspicious Vasudhara probably speaks to you, the hardworking, responsible, and ambitious Capri(corn).

AQUARIUS

Water Dropper in the Shape of a Peach, Asian Art

An Aquarius values two things above all else: intelligence and individuality. This porcelain water dropper encapsulates both. Throughout eastern Asia, water droppers like this one are common among traditional artists, writers, and scholars, who create their own ink by adding drops of water to dry pigment. In Korea, historical water droppers are often playful and imaginative, featuring symbols of good luck and longevity—a distinctive, erudite way to personalize a desk.

PISCES

Wine Jar with Fish and Aquatic Plants, Asian Art

Fish!

Just kidding—that’s not the only reason this wine jar is the perfect pick for a Pisces. It’s also because this piece—designed for domestic use—combines artistry with care. When said aloud, the Mandarin names for the four fish it represents form a pun meaning “honest and incorruptible.” It’s a demonstration of the owner’s cleverness, a conversation piece, and the center of attention. Does this sound like someone we know?