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

Curator: This detailed cross-section rendering depicts the Santa Maria del Fiore, that is, the Duomo of Florence. The rendering comes to us courtesy of Bernardo Sansone Sgrilli, dating it to between 1733 and 1755. It is a drawing, later engraved, an architectural study. Editor: It has such an ethereal quality, despite being a technical drawing. The delicate lines create a certain reverence, as if Sgrilli sought to capture the cathedral’s very soul through this exercise of geometry. Curator: The beauty arises, I think, from the rigor of line itself, and how those lines describe form. Notice how Sgrilli renders the layers of the dome, the precise geometry and structural logic of the construction itself. Editor: It makes you consider the labour inherent in conceiving and realizing such a structure. What types of tools, both conceptual and practical, were necessary to build Brunelleschi's Dome and further, for Sgrilli to then diagram the cathedral to such precise effect? The material culture implicit in the drawing’s making is fascinating. Curator: It transcends pure functionality through its very refinement of line. The hatching, for example, gives the interior space depth and a textural richness; the drawing ceases to be a mere diagram. We perceive spatial relationships. Editor: Beyond just spatial relationships, I am led to consider material properties as well: the weight of the masonry, the interplay between the exterior stone and the interior air… Even though it’s an image, I get a palpable sense of material forces at work, shaped through human ingenuity. Curator: In the way that Sgrilli chose to represent the space, do you find that there is a narrative here? It's interesting how he balanced functionality with representation. Editor: A dialectic between technique and intention perhaps… The way Sgrilli depicts the cathedral—stripped bare to its foundational elements—ultimately underscores the immensity of the endeavor to build such a place. I'm struck by how the work, even in its simplicity, hints at something magnificent. Curator: I'm left admiring the elegant application of geometric principle; I hope others enjoy unpacking it as well. Editor: I couldn't agree more; an unexpectedly moving image that gives deep insight to historical architectural production.