8 June 1778 Monday
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32 y.o. Francesco Piranesi 1 August 1790
Raccolta de'Tempj antichi, Vol. II.
Transverse section of the Pantheon
The present plate demonstrates two cross-sections of the Temple, one involving door A, and the other the Tribune. B. against it these sections do not differ from each other, that in the site mentioned, and therefore they are shown in a single table, with dividing the door and the Tribune in half. C. Upper order which was composed of very fine marbles, of which at present there is nothing other than the frame. D. and the masters of the arches E. F. Windows, which handed down the light in the Tribune below. G. False windows, which formed niches. H. Section of corresponding rooms above the Tribune. I. Doors that match above the shelf of the frame. K. from which rooms communicated in them L. Profile of the travertine base, which went around the Temple, which today is covered by the modern plan of Rome. M. Profile of the thickness of the foundation which was discovered on the occasion of accommodating the modern sewers, made in various sites of the Temple, to purge the plane in its various slopes from the floods of the Tiber N. Ancient sewer, which received rainwater, which fell from the eye of the dome. O. Taglio, demonstrating the construction of the brickwork of which the walls and the dome are formed. P. Pisto earthenware plastering, which covered the whole dome, which was covered with bronze plates and today with lead plates Q. Eye of the dome whose shelf. R. is covered with bronze plates. S. Frame of gilded bronze which adorns said oculus. T. Braces of bronze, which were removed in the last restauration.
Cav. Francesco Piranesi drawn and engraved
8 June 1812 Monday
Morning fair, wind SWerly, temperature at 7 73°, at 11 83°. There has been a rumbling of distant thunder all this morning. One gust passed us on the E, and there[?] is gathering in the N and seems coming directly but very slowly towards us. Wind from SW .... push it aside, but most probably it will bring N wind with it--very sultry. The second gust was sent to the east of us, as was also a third; about 3 PM blew[?] a 4th immediately following drew a wind to the N and it's now, 1/2 past 3 just beginning to drop from a 4th gust from NW. About noon today a swarm of bees .... from my red hive of 5 boxes. We got them hived about 3 PM in two boxes, very kindly. All the showers[?] have been borne to the E of us--intruding for town this afternoon. I have hoped to see the dust f... before I set off, but we had only a small sprinkle. There is a cloud approaching our zenith that may give us a little more and when this shall have passed I mean to set off for town. About 6 I set off; black clouds gathered in the N- and tho we drove fast, broke upon us in a tremendous gust before we reached the turnpike gate N1[?]. We drove under the shed of the Black Horse Tavern Kensington and were retained till after dark. We found here Sarah J. Longstreth and Co. Got safe to town about 9. My son Samuel left town yesterday on journey to the Westward.
8 June 1999
Re: the more real Piranesi-effect
As to the Campo Marzio and the metabolic, see Eros et Thanatos Ichnographia Campi Martii.
Re: the more real Piranesi-effect
Piranesi did not 'reconstruct' the Campo Marzio, rather Piranesi 'reenacted' the Campo Marzio. Of the 40 odd engraved plates that make up the illustrative portion of the CM publication, no. 2 is the 'Scenographia', literally the empty stage set waiting for the reenACTment to be played upon it.
Piranesi's main theme within the reenactment is 'inversion', specifically ancient Rome's inversion from pagan capital to Christian capital. The last engraved plate of the CM holds three perspectives, one of which illustrates two theaters, double theaters each an inversion of the other--the history of ancient Rome at a glance.
8 June 2013
v80 collage 007
8 June 2023 Thursday
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