Perspectives of Monumenta bellica in the treatise of Andrea Pozzo

The contribution continues (in the German version) a well-known treatise by a famous author, Andrea Pozzo: a treatise for painters and architects, which effectively teaches how to draw architecture in perspective, printed in year 1693, but in all respects similar to other editions, even posthumous ones (Pozzo, 1758). The chapter on the Monumenta Bellica punctually expresses Pozzo’s thoughts on the perspectives of the Fortresses: “Avvertirò però il lettore, che non è la mia intenzione di insegnar la fortificazione, per non esser mia sfera, ma […] a richiesta degli Amici […] Spero però di far cosa grata non solo ad essi, ma ancora agl’Ingegneri, i quali con questo artificio potranno mostrare a’ suoi Capitani le rocche inimiche[…]”. As is well known, although applied in artistic practice, perspective was traditionally a mathematical science. Inserted by Clavius (1538 - 1612) into the studies of Jesuit schools, it was followed by illustrious mathematicians of the Society, such as Athanasius Kircher (the latter also followed by Pozzo in his theories of color). In this contribution, the drawings of fortresses reproduced in the treatise are compared with matrices engraved by Theodore Verkruys (kept at the National Institute for Graphics in Rome), recognized and attributed to Pozzo. Research into the possible milieu of reference is ongoing. In his treatise, Father Pozzo ‘mediates’ between the two approaches (the more rigorous and the more creative) in the drawing of fortresses: “Mi son preso però licenza di uscire dalle misure, particolarmente nell’altezze de’ loro profili, acciocchè comparissero più alzate da terra […]; altrimenti a stare sul rigore sarebbero comparse in prospettiva poco più che geometriche”.