The original ‘Faust in his Study’ was painted by Rembrandt circa 1652. It shows a scholar transfixed by an orb of light that holds a secret code. In Gray’s version, all the knowledge of life and experience teems through this incredibly detailed work, intertwining symbols of death, love and human endeavor alongside what lies beyond our world. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/43Chdsg7qTVLdSmbGsHl7wz/alasdair-gray-at-80-seven-artworks)