Semi Circumferenter 1787 - 1790

Editor: Here we have John Potter's "Semi Circumferenter," created around 1787 to 1790. It seems to be a drawing or print. Its rigid geometric forms certainly give it a kind of mechanical precision... almost feels like a blueprint rather than art. What strikes you when you look at this piece? Curator: It is rigid, you are correct, like a skeleton's gaze fixed on accuracy, and yes it has more the feeling of a drawing or a print but there's something incredibly poetic about precision, don't you think? The "Semi Circumferenter" transcends its purely utilitarian function. For me it captures that moment when art, science and the hand meet to create both knowledge and beauty. Imagine Potter hunched over, carefully engraving each line and numeral! How does that make you feel, thinking about its creation like that? Editor: That’s a nice way of framing it— the beauty of utility! I guess I see that, but part of me still struggles to call it ‘art.’ Maybe I am just biased toward paintings or sculpture. Curator: That's fair enough, isn't it? Maybe beauty lies in recognizing that even the most functional objects can whisper stories about those who designed and crafted them. Is beauty the artist's only pursuit? Editor: Good point. I hadn’t really considered it like that. So, beyond its function, is there a particular story this piece tells you? Curator: For me it’s the birth of modern surveying techniques, hand-in-hand with human ingenuity! And to think this humble device aided in shaping landscapes and our understanding of space… It's a testament to human curiosity if nothing else. What's your final takeaway, looking at this old friend here? Editor: That art is so much more than just painting technique – that it can be function, history and human ingenuity combined. That’s actually really beautiful, thank you!