Dwarsdoorsnede van de koepel van de Santa Maria del Fiore te Florence 1733 - 1755

Curator: This detailed engraving offers a cross-sectional view of the cupola of the Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence. It’s titled "Dwarsdoorsnede van de koepel van de Santa Maria del Fiore te Florence," and was created by Bernardo Sansone Sgrilli between 1733 and 1755. The medium here is engraving on paper. Editor: My first impression is one of awe; there’s something about the geometric precision combined with the sheer scale suggested by this cross-section. It feels almost like a map of the heavens rendered in earthly materials. Curator: Indeed. Observe the dominance of line; Sgrilli’s precise draftsmanship defines the architectural elements. The balanced composition—the clear articulation of space and the layering of form—emphasizes structure and order, key tenets of neoclassicism. The absence of color amplifies the emphasis on pure form. Editor: Yet, within that seemingly austere framework, I see potent symbolism. The dome itself is a near-universal symbol of the cosmos, of the heavens embracing the earthly realm. The lantern at the top—almost crown-like—represents enlightenment, the divine light filtering down into the cathedral, the city, the world. Curator: You highlight crucial semiotic relationships. But let us also consider the intrinsic design: The use of concentric circles reinforces a sense of visual harmony, leading the eye upward, emphasizing height and monumentality. And the proportional relationships between the drum, dome, and lantern invite reflections on ideal architectural form. Editor: Agreed, and beyond pure architectural design, the visible internal structure alludes to human ingenuity, aspiration and ingenuity reaching for the divine. Those spiraling staircases hint at journeys, physical and spiritual. One has a potent, almost Vertigo-esque sense of both ascension and… inevitable return to the material world. Curator: Sgrilli successfully synthesized engineering with artistic sensibility to produce something more than technical representation. A meticulous composition revealing the essence of space and form. Editor: Ultimately, Sgrilli's engraving becomes a diagram of both engineering and faith: the human intellect reaching toward something transcendent through its most tangible creations.