Figure 38:

                     Alberti: De re aedificatoria (written 1450/60)

                     on models (exemplaria, exempla)

 

Leon Battista Alberti. De re aedificatoria libri X. Ed. by Angelo Poliziano. Florentiae: Nicolaus Laurentii Alamani 1485; reprint München: Prestel 1975.

online on the „Archimedes Project“ by the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science, Berlin

http://archimedes2.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/archimedes_templates

 

pagination with respect to:

Hans-Karl Luecke: Alberti-Index. 4 vols. Hamburg: Prestel 1975-79.

Archimedes Project = Luecke x 2 - (2 or 3)

 

English translation by James Leoni of the Italian translation by Cosimo Bartoli, Firenze 1550: (The) Ten Books of Architecture. Reprint of the edition of London 1755; London: Alec Tiranti 1955 and 1965; New York: Transatlantic Arts 1966; New York: Dover 1986.

http://archimedes2.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/archimedes_templates

(caution: other pagination)

 

Italian translation by Cosimo Bartoli: L’architettura di Leonbattista Alberti. Firenze: Lorenzo Torrentino 1550.

 

Passages with exempl-

Five more passages in: Alberti on models (moduli)

 

 

Liber III

 

p. 71

 

Fundamentis describendis meminisse oportet prima parietum exordia et soccos quos etiam fundamenta nuncupant habenda esse quota parte sui ampliora quam sit futurus paries: eorum imitatione qui alpibus ætrurie per niues ambulant: Nam hi quidem pedibus adigunt cribros funiculis in eum ipsum usum contextis: quorum amplitudine uestigia minus immergantur.

Anguli ipsi quo pacto annotentur esset non facile examussim prosequi uerbis solis. quod sit eorum captandorum ratio ex mathematicis ducta: et linearum exemplo (p. 63: essempio di linee) indigeat: res ab instituto aliena: de qua alibi in commentariis rerum mathematicarum transegimus. Tentabo tamen atque enitar quantum hic conferat ita loqui: ut qui ingenio ualeas facile intelligas multa unde totam rem postea ex te consequaris.

 

p. 42

 

In marking out your Foundations, you are to remember, that the first Ground-work of your Wall, and the Soccles, which are called Foundations too, must be a determinate Proportion broader than the Wall that is to be erected upon it ; in Imitation of those who walk over the Snow in the Alps of Tuscany, who wear upon their Feet Hurdles made of Twigs and small Ropes, plaited together for that very Purpose, the Broadness of which keeps them from sinking in the Snow.

How to dispose the Angles, is not easy to teach clearly wich Words alone ; because the Method of drawing them, is borrowed from the Mathematicks, and stands in Need of the Example of Lines, a Thing foreign to our Design here, and which we have treated of in another Place, in our Mathematical Commentaries. However, I will endeavour, as far as is necessary here, to speak of them in such a Manner, that if you have any Share of Ingenuity, you may easily comprehend many Things, by Means of which you may afterwards make yourself Marter of all the rest.

 

 

p. 72

 

Nos uero doctos et peritos omnes incolas et uicinos architectos consulendos putamus: Qui quidem & ueterum ædificiorum exemplo (p. 65: con lo esempio delli edifitii antichi): et ponendorum in dies usu recte istius: ædifices: regionis solum quale sit & quid ualeat facile didicisse potuere. Dantur tamen argumenta de soli firmitate prætentanda & congnoscenda.

 

p.43

 

But it is my Opinion, that the best Way is to take Counsel with discreet and experienced Men of the Country, and with the neighbouring Architects; who, both from the Example of old Structures, and from their daily Practice in acual Buildling, must be the best Judges of the Nature of the Soil and what Weight it is able to bear.

 

 

Liber IIII

 

p. 111-112

 

Probe igitur ad rem admonent qui res mortalium ipsius etiam Iouis in gremio tutas nequicquam futuras fabulentur.  Iuuet idcirco illud Platonis imitare rogaretur ubinam essent præclaram illam quam sibi effinxisset ciuitatem inuenturi: non inquit agimus istuc: sed cuiusmodi fore omnium optimam statuisse deceat peruestigamus: tu eam cæteris præferendam ducito: quæ ab istius similitudine minus aberrarit.  Sic et quasi exemplaria (p. 101: quasi che adducendo esempi) afferentes eam perscribamus urbem: quam omni parte futuram commodam doctissimi arbitrentur: in cæteris tempori et rerum necessitati obsequentes: Illud Socratis tenebimus: ut quæ ita per se constet ut nisi in peius queat immutari: esse hanc putemus optimam.

 

p. 67-68

 

Those therefore are entirely in the Right, who teach us, though in Fables, that human Affairs are never perfectly secure though laid in the Lap of Jupiter himself. Upon which Occasion we may not improperly make use of the same Answer that Plato made when he was ask'd where that perfect Commonwealth was to be found, which he had made so fine a Description of; that, says he, was not the Thing I troubled myself about; all I studied was how to frame the best that possibly could be, and that which deviates least from a Resemblance of this, ought to be preferred above all the rest. So our Design is to describe and illustrate by Examples such a City as the wisest Men judge to be in all Respects, the most convenient; and in other Respects accommodating ourselves to Time and Necessity, we shall follow.the Opinion of Socrates, that whatever cannot be alter'd but for the worse, is really best.

 

 

p. 129

 

Adde quod interdum trahenda per pontem sunt uastissima fortassis pondera colossorum obeliscorum et eiusmodi: utque scauro limitarem lapidem trahenti euenit: redemptores publici damna infecta metuant ea re pons et lineamento et omni opere ad perpetuitatem erit accomodandus contra carrorum incussiones crebras atque molestissimas deberi pontibus integros lapides prægrandes: inducit ratio facile ut assentiamur incudis exemplo (p. 117: con lo esempio della ancudine). Nam si grandis et perinde grauis illa quidem sit: malleorum incussationes facile sustinet. sed si leuior: ictibus resultat et commouetur.

 

p. 78

 

Besides, as sometimes you may be obliged to draw immense Weights over them, such as a Colossus, an Obelisk or the like ; you should provide against the Inconvenience which happened to Scaurus, who when he was removing that great Boundary Stone, alarmed all the publick Officers, upon Account of the Mischief that might ensue. For these Reasons, a Bridge both in its Design, and in its whole Execution, should be well fitted to bear the continual and violent Jars which it is to receive from Carriages. That Bridges ought to be built of very large and stout Stones, is very manifest by the Example of an Anvil, which, if is large and heavy, stands the Blows of the Hammer unmoved ; but if it is light, rebounds and trembles at every Stroke.

 

 

Liber V

 

p. 179

 

Alibi quod menstruum: alibi quod anuum: alibi quod ad usus debetur quotidianos: quæ singula sub conclaui ubi esse non poterunt curandum est maxime ut sint sub conspectu: eo id magis quo in rariore futura sunt usu. Nam quæ res quotidie uidetur ea plane minus metuet furem.

Tenuiorum ædificationes quarum servi facultates ex locupletiorum lautitie sibi exempla (p. 158: debbono assomigliarsi alle delicatezze) uendicabunt: quæ imitentur: hac adhibita moderatione ut emolumenti rationes post habuisse nunquam uelint uoluptati. Ergo istorum uilla non multo minus prospiciet boui et gregi quam uxori.

 

p. 109

 

There should be different Places for those Things that are not wanted above once a Month, or perhaps once a Year, and for those that are in Use every Day. Every one of which, though they cannot be always kept lockt up in Store-rooms, ought however to be kept in some Place where they may be constantly in Sight; and especially such Things as are seldomest in Use; because those Things which are most in Sight, are least in Danger of Thieves.

The Habitations of middling People ought to resemble the Delicacy of those of the richer Sort, in Proportion to their Circumstances; still imitating them wich such Moderation, as not to run into a greater Expence than they can well support. The Country Houses for these, therefore, should be contrived with little less Regard to their Flocks and Herds, than to their Wives.

 

 

Liber VI

 

p.181

Namque dolebam quidem tam multa tamque praeclarissima scriptorum monumenta interisse temporum hominum que iniuria: ut uix unum ex tanto naufragio Vitruuium superstitem haberemus scriptorem proculdubio instructissimum: sed ita affectum tempestate atque lacerum ut multis locis multa desint et multis plurima desideres. Accedebat quod ista tradidisset non culta sic enim loquebatur ut latini græcum uideri uoluisse: græci locutum latine uaticinentur. Res aut ipsa i sese porrigenda neque latinum neque græcum fuisse testetur: ut par sit non scripsisse hunc nobis quod ita scripserit ut non intelligamus.

Restabant uetera rerum exempla (p. 160: restauanci gli esempi delle cose antiche) templis theatrisque mandata: ex quibus tamquam ex optimis professoribus multa discerentur: eadem non sine lachrymis uidebam in dies deleri.

 

p. 111

 

It grieved me that so many great and noble Instructions of ancient.Authors

Should be lost by the Injury of Time, so that scarce any but Vitruvius has escaped this general Wreck: A Writer indeed of univers al Knowledge, but so maimed by Age, that in many Places there are great Chasms, and many Things imperfect in others. Besides this, his Style is absolutely void of alll Ornaments, and he wrote in such a Manner, that to the Latins he seems to write Greek, and to the Greeks, Latin: But indeed it is plain from the Book itself, that he wrote neither Greek nor Latin, and he might almost as well have never wrote at all, at least with Regard to us, since we cannot understand him.

There remained many Examples of the ancient Works, Temples and Theatres, from whence, as from the most skilful Masters, a great deal was to be learned; but these I saw, and with Tears I saw it, mouldering äway daily.

 

 

p. 188

 

Quid demum non plus dico cloacis faciundis pulchritudine carere non potuerunt: ornamentis usque adeo delectati sunt: ut uel eam solam ob gratiam uires imperii profunde re pulcherrimum duxerint: ædificando scilicet ut haberent cui apte ornamenta adiungerent.

Itaque superiorum exemplis (p. 165: li essempi de passati) et peritorum monitis et frequenti usu admirabilium operum efficiundorum absolutissima cognitio extat: ex cognitione præcepta probatissima deprompta sunt: quæ qui uelint quod uelle omnes debemus non ineptissimi esse ædificando prorsus neglexisse nulla ex parte debeant.

 

p. 115

 

In short, I need say no more than that they could not bear to have even their common Drains void of Beauty, and were so delighted with Magnificence and Ornament, that they thought it no Profusion to spend the Wealth of the State in Buildings that were hardly designed for any thing else.

By the Examples therefore of the Ancients, and the Precepts of great Masters, and constant Practice, a thorough Knowledge is to be gained of the Method of raising such magnificent Structures ; from this Knowledge sound Rules are to be drawn, which are by no means to be neglected by those who have not a Mind to make themselves ridiculous by building, as I suppose nobody has.

 

 

Liber VIII

 

p. 277

 

Nunc quoniam ueterum sepulchra probentur: uideo alibi sacella alibi pyramides alibi columnas alibi aliud ut moles et eiusmodi positas: de his nobis singulis dicendum censeo: ac prius de sacellis.

Velim sacella istæc sint ueluti pusilla templorum exemplaria (p. 271: Vorrei che queste cappellette fussino come piccoli modelli di Tempii). Neque recusabo si adiunxeris lineamenta a uariis quibusuis ædificiorum generibus collecta: modo ea quidem ad gratiam faciant atque etiam ad perennitatem.

 

p. 166

 

Now since the Sepulchres of the Ancients are generally approved, and we find them in different Places built sometimes after the Manner of little Chapels, sometimes in Pyramids, sometimes Columns, and in several other Forms, as Moles and the like, we shall say something of each of these: And first of Chapels.

These little Chapels should be like so many little Models of Temples; nor is it at all improper to add the Ornaments and Designs of any other Sort of.Building, provided they be equally well adapted both for .Beauty and Duration.

 

 

Liber IX

 

p. 325-326

 

A peritissimis ueterum admonemur et alibi diximus esse ueluti animal ædificium in quo finiundo naturam imitari opus sit. Peruestigemus igitur quid ita sit incorporibus a natura productis cur alia pulchriora alia minus pulchra aut etiam deformia dicantur.

In promptu est ex his quæ in pulchrorum numero censeantur non eiusmodi cuncta esse ut inter se protinus nihil differant: quando uel ea re maxime qua non conueniunt eadem ipsa re inesse quippiam aut impressum aut insuffusum sentimus. Cur quæ dissimillima sint tamen una esse admodum uenusta profiteamur.

Vtar exemplo (p. 336: Sarà ...). Puellam aliquis teneritudi ne gracilem cupiet. Ille apud comicum cæteris puellis anteponebat uirginem illam quod esset illa quidem habilior et suci plena.

 

p. 194

 

The most expert Artists among the Ancients, as we have observed elsewhere, were of Opinion, that an Edifice was like an Animal, so that in the Formation of it we ought to imitate Nature. Let us therefore enquire how it happens.that in the Bodies produced by Nature herself some are accounted more, others less beautiful, or even deformed. It is manifest, that in those which are efseemed beautiful, the Parts or Members are not constantly all the same, so as not to differ in any Respect: But we find, that even in those Parts wherein they vary most, there is something inherent and implanted which though they differ extremely from each other, makes each of them beautiful.

I will make use of an Example to illustrate my Meaning. Some admire a Woman for being extremely slender and fine shaped; the young. Gentleman in Terence prefered a Girl that was plump and fleshy …

 

 

p. 332

 

Ternatim aut uniuersos corporis diametros ut sic loquar coadiugabimus numeris his: qui aut cum ipsis armoniis innati sunt: aut sumpti aliunde certa et recta ratione sunt. In armoniis insunt numeri ex quorum correspondentiis proportiones earum complentur uti in dupla tripla quadrupla. Nam dupla quidem ex simplici habetur sexquialtera: cui adiuncta quoque sit sexquitertia exemplo (p. 342: essempio) huiusmodi. Esto sit duplæ numerus minimus duo. Ex hoc produco per sexquialteram ternarium: ex ternario inde per sexquitertiam habebitur quaternarius: qui idem numerus ad binarium duplus est.

 

p. 198

 

We may join together or compound all the three Lines of any Body whatsoever, by Means of these several Number, which are either innate with Harmony itself, or produced from other Proportions in a certain and regular Method. We find in Harmony those Numbers from whose mutual Relation we may form their several Proportions, as in the Duple; the Triple and the Quadruple. For Instance, the Duple is formed of the simple Sesquialtera, with the Addition of the Sesquitertia, in the following Method. Let the least Number of the Duple be two; the Sesquialtera of this is three, and the Sesquitertia of this Number three is four, which is just the Double of two before-mentioned.

 

 

p. 335

 

Tertia mediocritas quæ musica dicitur paulo est quam arithmetrica laboriosior: numeris tamen bellissime diffinitur. In hac proportio quæ minimi est terminorum positorum ad maximum ista eadem proportione se habeant oportet distantiæ hinc a minimo ad medium: istinc a medio ad maximum terminorum exemplo istiusmodi (p. 347: et eccone lo esempio. Sia per esempio). Esto sint positi numeri: minor triginta: maior uero sexaginta: hi quidem istic sese habent ex dupla: capio igitur numeros: qui minores esse in dupla non possunt: hi sunt hinc unus: hinc uero contra duo: iungo eos fiunt tres.

 

p. 200

 

The third Mean, which is called the Musical, is somewhat more difficult to work than the Arithmetical; but, however, may be very well performed by Numbers. In this the Proportion between the least Term and the greatest, must be the same as the Distance between the least and the Mean, and between the Mean and the greatest, as in the following Example. Of the two given Numbers, let the least be thirty, and the greatest sixty, which is just the Double of the other. I take such Numbers as cannot be less to be double, and these are one, for the least, and two, for the greatest, which added together make.three.