GuarinoGuarino Guarini,Guarini, PhilosopherPhilosopher ofof BaroqueBaroque GrandGrand FormForm Baroque Grand Form • Mimesis of the Cosmos = ‘grand form’ (Fr. Heer) GGuuaarrininoo GGuuaarrinini,i, CC.. RR.. Priest in Order of Theatines • b. Modena, 1624 • educ. as Theatine in Rome • lived in Paris, 1661- 1666 • called to Turin in 1666 to design SS. Sindone • d. Milan, 1683 Problem of Modern Humanism - hermeneutica sacra vs. profana • Sacralisation of the secular • Secularisation of the sacred (J. A. Mazzeo) Guarini as Scholar

• Philosopher • Placita Philosophica (Paris, 1665)

• Mathematician • Euclides adauctus (Turin, 1671) • Astronomer Leges Temporum (Turin, 1671)

• Architettura civile (1737) • Architect Fortificatione (1676) Guarini as Mathematician • Universal Mathematics (NOT mathesis universalis?) • Proportional projection depending on harmonics/canonics • Rotundity as principle of reality (=geodesia) Structure of Architettura civile Treatise

• Five-part division • Tratt. I • Tratt. II • Tratt. III • Tratt.IV • Tratt.V What is the meaning of this? Hierarchical Order of Treatise and Cosmos • clear division in treatment of mathematics, from universal, celestial, sublunary/mundane • corresponding divisions in cosmology as indicated above • vision of Bettini known to Guarini, from ineffable point to lowest order of corruption, decay, mediated by projection and metamorphosis Mario Bettini S. J. Meaning of the Treatise Tr. I. Intro. To Geometry • The Sublime Point (God) (idea) Tr. II. The Line • Angelic beings – pure light Tr. III. The Plane • Rotundity of the Ichnography (Vitruvius) Ptolemaic Cosmos Projection towards corporeity – the Orders, vaulting Tr. IV. Orthografia • Corporeity of the gettata – stereotomy Sublunary World Tr. V.Geodesics - • Corruption - division dissolution Guarini’s Grand Form – Cosmic Mimesis

The hierarchical/cosmic order manifested in his philosophy and in his mathematics

is reflected directly

in his architecture Royal Chapel of the Most Holy Shroud Perspectival Ladder for Dome arches

Parabola as Emblem of Intellect & Ang. Illum. The Rise of Instrumentality

In the Architettura Guarini introduces the concept of the geometrisation of architecture, the consideration of elements being constitutive of a ‘language’, his only indication of being influenced by probably the Albertian concept of a painting ‘language’ and comparable to the work of contemporary Fr. Milliet de Challes S.J. and later Ch. d’Aviler’s geometrisation of the Orders. Guarini d’Aviler F. di Robilant

B. A. Vittone