Between architecture, science and technology: the Accademia della Vachia in Florence, 1661-1662 Hermann Schlimme The intercourse between building practice and et di chi ha Risoluto. It describes the activities natural philosophy – and especially mechanical of a discussion circle that existed from 1661 to science – has found new interest among schol- 1662 in Florence, a city which at that time was ars in recent times1. One aim of their research a major centre in the development of natural has been to overcome the division that exists science. In the present book, the academy will between the history of mechanics on the one be referred to as the Accademia della Vachia3. hand (which has traditionally been treated as Its members included the mathematician and part of the history of science) and the history of architect Cosimo Noferi, who pursued many of building technology, on the other hand, which is the topics discussed by the academicians in his generally subsumed in the history of architec- Travagliata Architettura (which has only re- ture. Indeed, in early modern times, no con- cently been published4); the mathematician stant or institutional link is evident between Domenico Fontani; Francesco Barzini and Gio- these two realms. Technology and building con- vanni Andrea Albizzini, who were professors struction were not official disciplines at the uni- for astronomy and philosophy respectively; Ja- versities; and the well-known 17th-century copo Ramponi and Giuliano Ciaccheri, building Italian professional associations and institu- engineers from the Parte Guelfa; and the sculp- tions tended to stress their own identity. One is tor and Accademico del Disegno Jacopo Foggi- familiar with scientifically oriented organiza- ni. The historical significance of the Accademia tions like the Accademia dei Lincei in Rome della Vachia, however, lies less in the impor- (1603–51, with long interruptions) and the Ac- tance of its individual members than in the fact cademia del Cimento in Florence (1657–67), that it was a forum where people of different where experiments were carried out in an ef- professional backgrounds collaborated. Some fort to comprehend the laws of nature. Con- of the members were followers of Galileo. The struction technology was institutionalized in manuscript contains evidence that links the craft guilds and also in the Parte Guelfa, the academy with Medici circles5. The academi- most important building authority in grand- cians met on Sundays as a rule, or at least this ducal Tuscany. Architects, painters and sculp- can be proved for the period from 30 October tors, on the other hand, had broken away from 1661 to 4 March 16626 (cf. table in appendix trade organizations. In Florence from the late listing all the problems). Every week, the acad- 16th century onwards, for example, they were emicians would set each other between one and organized in the Accademia del Disegno. Paral- three tasks or “problems”. Solutions were pre- lel to the creation and development of profes- pared for the following week, when they would sional associations and institutions, interaction be discussed. The manuscript contains 52 of was common between specific fields of expert- these tasks with all the solutions that were pro- ise and certainly of no less significance. En- posed. The academicians occupied themselves counters between disciplines often took place with mathematical problems (especially ones removed from the institutional context, howev- involving sections of cones and perspective er, and in many cases in private, as a result of geometry); with the construction of machinery which they are not so well documented. Never- and instruments of measurement; with techni- theless, numerous sources reveal the culture of cal issues relating to the erection of large-scale discussion at that time as an important field of sculptures; and with many areas of construc- study2. One point of reference in this respect is tion, from roofs, conversion work and fortifica- a hitherto unpublished manuscript in the Bi- tions to hydraulic, theatre and bridge struc- blioteca Nazionale di Firenze bearing the title tures. The academicians analysed the various La Risoluzione di più Problemi stati proposti branches of craft knowledge and sought to ex- nel Accademia del Sig. Abate Ottavio della tend technical learning, incorporating findings Vachia L’anno 1662 con i Nomi di chi propose from the natural sciences. The manuscript con- 61 tains rare source material, but the Accademia The manuscript Fondo Nazionale II_46: treatises on geometry and civil and military ar- same time, he recognizes the ingenuity of some della Vachia described therein is almost com- present state of research chitecture, was a pupil of our philosopher of the solutions to the geometric problems, but pletely forgotten today – unjustly so. For that The manuscript Fondo Nazionale II_46 com- [Galileo]. He was involved in an academy con- without going into detail. On page 118, Giovan- reason, it has been made the subject of this prises 159 pages of irregular format and of dif- cerned with geometry and to which various nozzi promises an essay on the academy (“Ne work; and in the second part of the book, a full ferent qualities of paper. The documents were compatriots belonged [citizens of the Grand darò un saggio”), but no such work was ever transcription is provided of the hitherto un- partially folded and bound in a cardboard cover Duchy of Tuscany]. The meetings were held in published. It is remarkable that even Maylen- published manuscript, with reproductions of 33 × 23 cm in size. The records of the academy 1660 at the house of Abbot della Vacchia, a Flo- der11, the standard authority on Italian acade- all the images it contains. In addition, commen- had evidently been compiled, therefore, to form rentine patrician. The members were the mies, does not allude to the Accademia della taries illuminate various aspects of the histori- a single manuscript. Internal information, such above-mentioned Noferi, Giuseppe Balatri, Ia- Vachia. In 1960, Michelangelo Muraro men- cal context. as dates and the summaries of individual tasks, copo Foggini, Orazio Vanni, Domenico Masini, tioned the manuscript and cited Nelli. Muraro, The present essay introduces the academy, its had also been added. One may assume that this Domenico Fontana, Gio. Battista and Paolo An- however, is much more interested in Noferi as a activities and members. It also provides a de- document was put together soon after the tonio Magnali, Domenico [sic] Barzini, Iacopo draughtsman and possibly as a painter, al- scription of the manuscript and the current events it describes, either by an academician or Ramponi, Filippo Morosi, Doctor Giovanni An- though he also gives an overview of Noferi’s state of research. Cosimo Noferi, a mathemati- by a person in close contact with the academy. drea Albizzini, and the experienced engineer work in the field of mathematics and technology. cian and architect who was strongly influenced by Galileo, played a decisive role as spiritus The manuscript contains 51 full-page illustra- Giuliano Ciaccheri. Problems from the realms In this context, he makes brief reference to the rector of the Accademia della Vachia. His biog- tions, many with a colour wash. A large number of geometry and architecture were posed in the Accademia della Vachia and shows three of raphy and his significance for the academy will, of them are by Cosimo Noferi. Furthermore, academy, and they were resolved by one acade- Noferi’s drawings without commenting on them 12 therefore, be outlined and evaluated. Examples there are well over 100 depictions incorporated mician. I have the files of the academy in my li- (problems 26, 31 and 42) . Other references to of the tasks that were posed will be presented in the written texts. All the illustrations – both brary [i.e. the manuscript, which is the theme of the academy can be found in notes to various and the working methods of the academy full-page and those in the texts – are repro- this essay]”8. texts and in manuals, without the name being analysed. In some cases, the constructional is- duced in the manuscript edition in this book. Nelli was mistaken in three respects: Francesco explicitly mentioned. In his work on the engi- sues raised by the academicians had a real The manuscript comes from the Nelli Collec- (not Domenico) Barzini was a member of the neer Bartolomeo Vanni (1662-1732), Luigi background and were related to projects like tion, in other words, from the private library of academy; Giuliano Ciaccheri, who later made a Zangheri refers to Giuliano Ciaccheri in a note, the building of the Ponte di Mezzo in Pisa or Giovanni Battista Clemente Nelli (1725-1793). career for himself as an engineer, was only 17 quoting the shelf mark of the manuscript under the Florentine palaces of the Corsini and Nelli’s father, Giovanni Battista Nelli (1661- years old at the time; and the problems were, as discussion here without actually naming the Medici-Riccardi. When a new roof was to be 1725), was master builder (architect) to the a rule, solved by a number of academicians, not academy13. Ciaccheri “studied at the school run constructed for San Giovannino in Florence, cathedral in Florence and a connoisseur of an- just by one. Nevertheless, Nelli’s statement is by pupils of Galileo”. With this statement in his the academicians publicly tested a newly devel- cient architecture. From him, the younger Nelli of enormous interest. He confirms the link be- article on Ciaccheri in the Dizionario Biografi- oped form of construction. The outcome of this inherited 1,000 architectural drawings and the tween the Accademia della Vachia and its guid- co degli Italiani (DBI), Zangheri is also clearly can still be seen today. A short report on the collection of manuscripts that his father had ac- ing light, Galileo; and he informs us about the referring to the Accademia della Vachia without trials has survived as well.