 But the genius of the work is the lonely bearded figure on the side, behind a cannon and beside an armillary sphere, detached from the lofty bombast.The portrait matches the portrait by Susterman of Galileo, who sits on the sidelines, behind a symbol of his contribution to the science of ballistics.Perhaps he awaits Time, who points to him, to defeat ignorance, and rescue him from the ignominy he suffered at the hands of the Roman Inquisition.