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

Editor: This is Bernardo Sansone Sgrilli's "Cross-section of the Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence," created sometime between 1733 and 1755, using drawing and printmaking techniques on paper, including engraving. The intricacy is captivating, but the abundance of minute lines almost makes it feel like an abstract piece at first glance. What aspects of its composition do you find most compelling? Curator: Indeed. Note the calculated placement of each line, precisely delineating the architectural space. Sgrilli utilizes line not merely for representation, but to create a network of visual relationships. Consider how the geometric shapes – the octagons and rectangles – interlock and intersect, producing a dialogue between forms. It is an analytical exercise manifested through artistic skill. How does the starkness of the lines affect your understanding? Editor: It definitely highlights the mathematical precision inherent in Renaissance architecture, reducing the physical grandeur of the cathedral into a set of carefully measured relationships. It almost feels like an equation. Curator: Precisely. It compels us to consider the architectural object as a product of rational thought, rendered visible through geometrical form. Think of the interplay between the positive space – the voids within the structure – and the negative space defined by the lines themselves. Are we not perceiving an idea more than a tangible construction? Editor: I think so, the details invite close inspection. I am left to appreciate its architectural genius. Thank you. Curator: A valuable piece demonstrating formal analysis, which leads to appreciation.