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De Re M ilitari , by Roberto Valturio. During the Renaissance the design of machines developed into art. Several treatises appeared during that period, the so called “machine books.”
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During the Renaissance the design of machines developed into art. Several treatises appeared during that period, the so called “machine books.” • Although still deeply rooted in the technical tradition of antiquity and the middle ages, these books explored a wide variety of technical solutions, some realizable, some just dreams • The de re militari, by Roberto Valturio, is just one example
Slide 1, 2, 3 • Italian Roberto Valturio is chiefly known for his treatise on warfare, De re militari • The De re militari (about warfare) is a compendium of the latest techniques and devices for scaling walls, catapulting missiles, ramming fortifications, and torturing enemies • Printed by man identified as “Johannes Nicolai de Verona,” may have been “Giovanni Alvise” who printed the ArsMoriendi • Patron was SigismondoPandolfoMalatesta • He distributed a number of manuscript copies to rulers such as Louis the 6th, Francesco Sforza, and Lorenzo de Medici
Remain 3 • This military treatise was completed around 1460 • In 1472, the book appeared in print in a Latin edition, which was followed in 1483 by an Italian version
3, 4 • As the second illustrated book to be printed in Italy, the De re militari has characteristics of a transitional work. • The use of signature marks to aid in assembly of the book is still lacking • No pagination • Woodcuts were printed separately from the text • As in many books from the first decades of printing, a role was still envisioned for the miniaturists and rubricators who had long been employed in the production of manuscripts— • initial letters and headings were not printed but were meant to be added by hand • (3) some of the capital letters have been painted in red and blue • (4) larger illuminated initials mark major divisions within the book.
5, 6 • De re militari exists in both manuscript and printed form • Twenty-two handwritten copies survive (manuscripts) • Printed 12 yrs later • Manuscript book is written in semi-Gothic script but has marginal corrections in a roman hand • Because these corrections were incorporated by the printer, it seems that the manuscript version was corrected by the author • Then, it was used as a layout by the blockcutters, and as a guide for page design and makeup • Illustrations in manuscript are freely drawn • Woodblocks were finer lines, less shading
Illustrations 7,8 • Illustrations were inherent part of de re militari • Probably the work of the architect, medalist, and miniaturist Matteo de’ Pasti • Illustrations of the manuscripts are freely drawn in brown pen and ink, with brown and other washes applied (7) • Woodblock illustrations are more rigorous and correct in their depiction of perspective, space, and human anatomy (8)
Design • Text and illustrations often share the same page • Text is set in a tight column with wide outer margins, and the freely shaped images spread across the pages in dynamic asymmetrical layouts. • Text and illustrations do not have set areas, vary from page to page
Context • Light contour style of woodblock illustration used here initiated the fine-line style that became popular in Italian graphic design during the later decades of the fifteenth century. • What is more important about this book, is less the novelty of the machines, but that their images were distributed so widely. • Represents the spread of technological innovation with unprecedented swiftness • Emphasized technical accuracy in art: accurate perspective and proportion were necessary to convey the machines • Leonardo da Vinci knew the Italian edition well and drew inspiration from it for some of his drawings of military technology.
