Giovanni Pomodoro (XVI Century)
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History of Mechanism and Machine Science 30 Michela Cigola Editor Distinguished Figures in Descriptive Geometry and Its Applications for Mechanism Science From the Middle Ages to the 17th Century
Transcript of Giovanni Pomodoro (XVI Century)
History of Mechanism and Machine Science 30
Michela Cigola Editor
Distinguished Figures in Descriptive Geometry and Its Applications for Mechanism ScienceFrom the Middle Ages to the 17th Century
History of Mechanism and Machine Science
Volume 30
Series editor
Marco Ceccarelli, Cassino, Italy
Aims and Scope of the Series
This book series aims to establish a well defined forum for Monographs andProceedings on the History of Mechanism and Machine Science (MMS). The seriespublishes works that give an overview of the historical developments, from theearliest times up to and including the recent past, of MMS in all its technicalaspects.
This technical approach is an essential characteristic of the series. By discussingtechnical details and formulations and even reformulating those in terms of modernformalisms the possibility is created not only to track the historical technicaldevelopments but also to use past experiences in technical teaching and researchtoday. In order to do so, the emphasis must be on technical aspects rather than apurely historical focus, although the latter has its place too.
Furthermore, the series will consider the republication of out-of-print older workswith English translation and comments.
The book series is intended to collect technical views on historical developmentsof the broad field of MMS in a unique frame that can be seen in its totality as anEncyclopaedia of the History of MMS but with the additional purpose of archivingand teaching the History of MMS. Therefore the book series is intended not only forresearchers of the History of Engineering but also for professionals and studentswho are interested in obtaining a clear perspective of the past for their futuretechnical works. The books will be written in general by engineers but not only forengineers.
Prospective authors and editors can contact the series editor, Professor M.Ceccarelli, about future publications within the series at:
LARM: Laboratory of Robotics and MechatronicsDiMSAT—University of CassinoVia Di Biasio 43, 03043 Cassino (Fr)Italyemail: [email protected]
More information about this series at http://www.springer.com/series/7481
Michela CigolaEditor
Distinguished Figuresin Descriptive Geometryand Its Applicationsfor Mechanism ScienceFrom the Middle Ages to the 17th Century
123
EditorMichela CigolaDepartment of Civil and MechanicalEngineering
University of Cassino and South LatiumCassinoItaly
ISSN 1875-3442 ISSN 1875-3426 (electronic)History of Mechanism and Machine ScienceISBN 978-3-319-20196-2 ISBN 978-3-319-20197-9 (eBook)DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-20197-9
Library of Congress Control Number: 2015944151
Springer Cham Heidelberg New York Dordrecht London© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2016This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or partof the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations,recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmissionor information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilarmethodology now known or hereafter developed.The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in thispublication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt fromthe relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use.The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in thisbook are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor theauthors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein orfor any errors or omissions that may have been made.
Printed on acid-free paper
Springer International Publishing AG Switzerland is part of Springer Science+Business Media(www.springer.com)
Series Editor’s Preface
I am very happy, for the following reason, to present this impressive book in ourseries. It is a first book of a series of stories about notables who have contributed todevelopments of Mechanisms and Machine Science (MMS) from the field ofDescriptive Geometry. It is important to recognize the merits of these people and togive proper credit for their achievements that are still of modern interest andapplication. Thus, let us hope to have more of these contributions that are aimed atbuilding an encyclopaedia of who-is-who in the wide areas of MMS, in combi-nation with the other series of ‘Distinguished Figures in MMS’. This book is abrilliant example of the multidisciplinary content and interest in MMS.
In addition, as one looks at the outstanding names that appear in this book, areader will find already famous scientists presented with novel perspectives on theiractivities, even highlighting aspects that elsewhere might be considered of minorimportance. But those contributions and efforts were significant for the evolution ofMMS, both in theory and practice, with influential impact even in technologicaldevelopments. Similarly, some of these notables are presented for the first time inMMS frames, bringing specific attention to outlining their achievements that stillhave possibilities for modern implementation.
I am sure readers will not only find satisfaction in reading this book but willreceive inspiration and hope for more historical evaluations and technicalevolutions.
Thus, I congratulate the editor and authors of this book for the very interestingresults and I wish enjoyment to all its readers.
Cassino Marco CeccarelliMarch 2015 Chief Editor of Series on History of MMS
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Contents
Descriptive Geometry and Mechanism Science from Antiquityto the 17th Century: An Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1Michela Cigola
Gerbert of Aurillac (c. 940–1003) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33Carlo Bianchini and Luca J. Senatore
Francesco Feliciano De Scolari (1470–1542) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53Arturo Gallozzi
Niccolò Tartaglia (1500c.–1557) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77Alfonso Ippolito and Cristiana Bartolomei
Federico Commandino (1509–1575) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99Ornella Zerlenga
Egnazio Danti (1536–1586). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129Mario Centofanti
Guidobaldo Del Monte (1545–1607) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153Barbara Aterini
Giovan Battista Aleotti (1546–1636) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181Fabrizio I. Apollonio
Giovanni Pomodoro (XVI Century) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201Stefano Brusaporci
Jacques Ozanam (1640–1718). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223Cristina Càndito
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Giovanni Pomodoro (XVI Century)
Stefano Brusaporci
Abstract Giovanni Pomodoro was a mathematician, astronomer and land-surveyor,and an experienced instruments builder, who lived in the XVI century. His figure andhis name cannot be split off from his only known work: the treatise “GeometriaPrattica” [Practical Geometry], published posthumously in 1599. The treatise has aconstant practical aim and in all probability in this aspect lies the fame and fortune ofthe work through the centuries: It is “modern”, shaped as a “handbook”, more thanas an exhaustive “treatise”, and it favoured the diffusion of scientific notions andsolutions between clients and common people, according to the process of knowl-edge diffusion that would be implemented between the XVI and the XVII centuries.In particular it is thanks to the numerous tavolas dedicated to the “surveyor’s cross”that the work has always been a reference in the study of historical surveyingmethods and tools.
Introduction
The “Geometria Prattica” is the main source of information on Pomodoro, inparticular contained in the Foreword and in the Introduction, respectively written byPomodoro’s brother Pietro and by Giovanni Scala. The scarcity of biographicalinformation on Pomodoro is a counterpoint to the fame of his work.
The work had six editions, all published in Rome: 1599, 1603 (reprint of theprevious one with a new frontispiece); 1624, 1667, 1691 (reprint of 1667 edition),1772 (Fig. 1).
S. Brusaporci (&)Department of Civil, Construction-Architectural and Environmental Engineering,University of L’Aquila, via G. Gronchi 18, 67100 L’Aquila, Italye-mail: [email protected]
© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2016M. Cigola (ed.), Distinguished Figures in Descriptive Geometryand Its Applications for Mechanism Science, History of Mechanismand Machine Science 30, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-20197-9_9
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Pomodoro’s work is colloquial, of course for reasons dictated by the “GeometriaPrattica” way of composition, with Scala’s explanations to Pomodoro’s tavolas.And this didactic model seems to be similar to the one already used by Serlio(1475–1554?) and by Palladio (1508–1580).
The culture of the Renaissance expands outside of the universities, preciselythanks to the treatises. Academies prosper, favouring the diffusion of knowledge,with their societies not restricted only to scientists. The Academies, more than theUniversities, become the core of intellectual life, a place of expression anddevelopment of the “dialogue” between minds. There is a process of erudition’sdiffusion—and even of “dilution”, and in this context the “Geometria Prattica”operates in consonance. In fact, it is the first handbook in the history of surveying:according to an “aristocratic” point of view, it produces a “vulgarization” of thenotions, but for example fully in trend with a line that has founded fortune—“mutatis mutandis”—in the series of small size volumes of Greek, Latin andItalian classics, disseminated in the early sixteenth century. This is in accordancewith the new climate of the Post-Reformation, to which the policy of the Republicof Venice had consciously adhered to stabilize its role as a continental power:Post-Reformation «able to weld the culture of the dominant classes to the one of thelower ones, to realize the most complete process of ideological homogenization thatthe Church had ever made» (Cozzi 1987, 25).
Bibliography
Pomodoro’s Work Publications
Pomodoro G (1599) “Geometria prattica tratta dagl’Elementi d’Euclide et altri auttori da GiouanniPomodoro venetiano mathematico eccellentissimo descritta et dichiarata da Giouanni Scalamathematico. Nella quale si uede in 50 tauole di rame scolpito tutto quello che ad un buongiometra s’appartiene di sapere et porre in uso. Opera non meno uttile che necessaria, a’misuratori di terreni, di fabriche, et altri simmili, ma’ in’oltre ancora a, geografi, cosmografi,architetti ciuili, et milittari, a’ bombardieri, soldati privati, a’ capitani, mastri di campo, et a’qual si voglia altra persona virtuosa”, Stefano Paolini, Roma
Pomodoro G (1599) “Geometria prattica dichiarata da Giouanni Scala sopra le tauole dell’ecc.tematthematico Giouanni Pomodoro tratte d’Euclide et altri authori. Opera per Generali da guerraCapitani Architetti Bombardieri e Ingegneri Cosmografi nonché per odinari professori dimisure”, Stefano Paolini, Roma. [reprint 1603 with new frontispiece]
Pomodoro G (1624) “La geometria prattica di Gio. Pomodoro venetiano cauata da gl’Elementid’Euclide, e d’altri famosi autori, con l’espositione di Gio. Scala matematico. in cinquantatauole, scolpite in rame, dalle quali con facilità possono apprendere tutte le cose, che al buongeometra appartengono. Opera necessaria àMisuratori, ad Architetti, à Geografi, à Cosmografi,à Bombardieri, à Ingegneri, à Soldati, & à Capitani d’Eserciti”, Giovanni Angelo Ruffinelli,Roma, [printing office “Andrea Fei stampator ducale”, Bracciano 1623]
Pomodoro G (1667) “La geometria prattica di Gio. Pomodoro venetiano cauata da gl’elementid’Euclide, e d’altri famosi autori, con l’espositione di Gio. Scala matematico. Ridotta incinquanta tauole, scolpite in rame, dalle quali con facilita si possono apprendere tutte le cose,che al buon geometra appartengono. Opera necessaria à Misuratori, ad Architetti, à Geografi, à
Giovanni Pomodoro (XVI Century) 219
Cosmografi, à Bombardieri, à Ingegneri, à Soldati, & à Capitani d’Eserciti”, Gio. Batta deRossi milanese in piazza Nauona, Roma [in printing office of “Moneta”, Roma 1667]
Pomodoro G (1667) “La geometria prattica di Gio. Pomodoro venetiano cauata da gl’elementid’Euclide, e d’altri famori autori, con l’espositione di Gio. Scala matematico. Ridotta incinquanta tauole, scolpite in rame dalle quali con facilità si possono apprendere tutte le coseche al buon geometra appartengono. Opera necessaria à Misuratori, ad Architetti, à Geografi, àCosmografi, à Bombardieri, à Ingegneri, à Soldati, & à Capitani d’Eserciti”, Matteo GregorioRossi romano in piazza Nauona, Roma [reprint 1691 in printing office of “ Moneta”]
Pomodoro G (1772) “Geometria pratica di Giovanni Pomodoro veneziano ridotta in tavolecinquantuno con le spiegazioni di Giovanni Scala matematico”, Carlo Losi, Roma 1772 [inprinting office of “Generoso Salomoni”]
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