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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Unpacking Ruins: architecture from antiquity. Online exhibition
Description
An account of the resource
12 September - 28 November 2002 ~ de Beer Gallery
Central Library, University of Otago
Through the last five hundred years, ancient ruins have been uncovered, rediscovered and reinterpreted. They have provoked architectural inspiration. They have been studied to develop and support theories on how to build and how to value building. They have prompted reflection upon the end of Empire and upon the demise of civilization. In turn, they have provoked thoughts of future civilizations rising.
This exhibition of books and prints of the last four centuries traces changes in the way the West has related to the architecture of antiquity. Works displayed are from the collections of the University of Otago Library. Through text and illustrations the exhibition ponders how the material of the past has variously been unpacked and repackaged.
To unpack - to undo or open, to bring something out of storage.
Ruins, the weathered fragments speak of loss. They tell of the buildings that once were, of the people who made them, and of the cultures from which they arose. They tell of destruction, abandonment and decay. When viewing the larger volumes displayed in this exhibition one cannot help but feel a profound sense of absence. One may be filled with a longing for the past, or could be drawn to reflect upon the inevitably of the future. However, absence and loss are not the intended focus of the exhibition. Rather it is to chronicle how people have attempted to make sense of the ruins, how they have represented them, and how they have used them to understand the times in which they lived.
These volumes, selected from the Special Collections at the University of Otago Library reveal how ruins and fragments of antiquity have been variously cited over the last five hundred years. The 16th century edition of Vitruvius is evidence of the Renaissance search for an authentic voice from antiquity. Works from the century following present theoretical arguments and the search for architectural perfection, with surviving buildings, ruins and texts being compared and debated. Similar analysis has continued long after these works appeared. It is also apt to compare them with the text by Le Corbusier who returned to his youthful perceptions in Greece, Turkey and Italy for inspiration, example and origin.
Travel guides reveal how existing remains became part of the visual vocabulary of the 17th and 18th centuries. Authoritative accounts by British architect-travelers of ruins in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East were published as large folios between 1750 and 1850. The works of Wood and Dawkins in the Levant, of Stuart and Revett in Athens, of Adam in Dalmatia and of Cameron in Italy, follow the scientific archaeological approach of the Frenchman Desgodets. However these journeys were romantic and at times, fanciful, explorations as well. In the published volumes, travelers presented the surviving fragments and reconstituted them into reinvented larger works. In doing so, they changed the Western understanding of architecture and its day-to-day practice.
In considering the fall of empires in the late 18th century, it was inevitable that the survey of ruins would prompt reflection on the future of the West. In 1774 Horace Walpole wrote to Horace Mann,
"The next Augustan age will dawn on the other side of the Atlantic. There will perhaps be a Thucylides at Boston, a Xenophon at New York, and in time a Virgil at Mexico, and a Newton at Peru. At last some curious traveller from Lima, will visit England, and give a description of the ruins of St Paul's, like editions of Baalbec and Palmyra."
It is not surprising that sixty years later, at a time when the colonisation of New Zealand was actively debated in the Houses of Parliament, Macaulay would speculate upon a future New Zealander surveying the ruins of London. Doré's romantic image of the Mäori, draped in Renaissance gown and sketching, recalls illustrations of Wood and Stuart in the East, and it confirms the city in the line of great imperial centres. However the figure seated on the ruins of London Bridge may have seemed oddly chilling to the Victorian viewers.
The cutaway view of the Bank of England drawn by Joseph Gandy (in the vitrine outside the gallery) may have prompted a similar response. It presents the completed structure opened, clean, and viewed from the eye of God. The sunlit ruin appears timeless.
As well as being an emblem of transience, ruins signal persistence over time. It is this sense of permanence, or at least of a very slow decay, that perhaps provokes a continuing fascination and a pleasure that some recent writers have found in the them.
This exhibition has been curated by Robin Skinner of the School of Architecture, Victoria University Wellington. He was assisted by Elizabeth Tinker, Catherine Robertson and Sarah Jones of the Reference Department of the University of Otago Library.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Aedificiorvm et rvinarvm Romae ex antiqvis atqve hodiernis monimentis liber primus
Alternative Title
An alternative name for the resource. The distinction between titles and alternative titles is application-specific.
Aedificiorvm et rvinarvm Romae ex antiqvis atqve hodiernis monimentis liber primus [-secundus] / summo cum studio incisus, ac delineatus a Jo. Maggio Romano ; egregio viro Ioanni van Santhen Flandro ultraiectensi Smi. D. N. Pauli V. architecto ingeniosiss[i]mo ; Ioseph de Rubeis Mediolanensis ob beneuolentiam et propensi animi ergo D. D. 1618.
Subject
The topic of the resource
Title pages
Engraving, Italian
Illustrated books
Rome (Italy)
Inscriptions
Description
An account of the resource
This book on the buildings and ruins of Rome by the 17th century artist and engraver, Giovanni Maggi, is typical of the works by which the ruins of antiquity became known outside Italy through that century. The remnant of the Temple of Jupiter Stator (Castor and Pollux) in the Roman Forum, shown here with its prominent and accessible columns and entablature, was the frequent subject of measured drawings by the visiting architects of the 18th century. The amphitheatre was at the Campus Martius. Maggi is now better known for an impressive twelve sheet perspectival map of Rome that was published after his death in 1725. A copy of an early 20th century reprint of Iconographia della citta di Roma is held in the Library's Special Collections.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Maggi, Giovanni
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
[s.n.]: Romae
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
1618
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Illustrations
Engravings
Text
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Itc 1618 M [De Beer Special Collections]
Antiquity
Architecture
Rome (Italy)
Ruins
Special Collections
-
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Maths, Politics & Concrete: The Legacy of the Classical World. Online exhibition
Description
An account of the resource
The classicist Richard Hingley wrote ‘the Classical past retains a highly significant relationship to the present’. It is true that no cultural tradition develops in a vacuum and we are all influenced by those who have gone before us. The exhibition Maths, Politics and Concrete: The Legacy of the Classical World aims to highlight some of the influences that the ancient Greeks and Romans have had on western civilisation. Mathematics, democracy, medicine, literature, philosophy, law, architecture and engineering are just some of the areas where western cultural heritage owes much to classical Greece and Rome.
With the reintroduction of many ancient texts to Renaissance Europe, Classical Studies enjoyed a resurgence in the 14th century and consequently, in the 18th and 19th centuries it became central to, what was thought to be, a ‘good’ education. The latter part of the 20th century saw a decline in classical studies as part of mainstream education. Now, however, more than ever before, we have more resources and technology available that enable us to study and appreciate the ancient world of the Greeks and Romans and remind ourselves of some of our cultural roots.
From Homer’s Odyssey and the nascent secular intellectualism of the early Greek philosophers, to the recipe for concrete and the perfection of archway construction, the Classical World has left a legacy which we now take for granted. The exhibition features works by, among others, Ovid, Apollonius, Archimedes, Xenophon and Marcus Aurelius – names not necessarily familiar to all but ones which have definitely shaped the past and are still very important today. Please enjoy yourself as you view volumes from Special Collections and take time to discover how the ancient world has impacted on yours.
*Every effort has been made to contact copyright owners of the images displayed in this online exhibition. If any issues arise from their display, please contact Special Collections, University of Otago, special.collections@otago.ac.nz
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Various collectors
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Abstract
A summary of the resource.
The Romans were engineering innovators and over time they perfected the construction of the arch. By making use of arches in architecture they were not only able to save on building materials but they were able to construct buildings with wide open interior spaces. The Colosseum in Rome, completed in 80 AD, could seat between 50,000-80,000 spectators. It consisted of four floors with the first three storeys containing 80 arches each. The arches, made of uprights of limestone and archways of lightweight moulded concrete, added strength to the walls and ceilings of each floor. The Colosseum is still the largest amphitheatre in the world.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Bernardo Gamucci
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
[Venice: Giovanni Varisco & Compagni]
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1569
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
de Beer Itb 1569 G
Title
A name given to the resource
Le Antichità della Città di Roma
Ancient Rome
Architecture
Colisseum
Rome (Italy)
-
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A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Mappa della campagna Romana del 1547
Alternative Title
An alternative name for the resource. The distinction between titles and alternative titles is application-specific.
La campagna Romana al tempo di Paolo III: mappa della campagna Romana del 1547
Description
An account of the resource
1 map in 6 sections ; 73 x 81 cm. sections each 36 x 26 cm. + explanatory book (115 p. ; 40 cm.)
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Volpaia, Eufrosino della, 16th cent.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Roma
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
1547
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Ashby, Thomas, 1874-1931
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
Le piante maggiori di Roma dei sec. XVI e XVII, riprodotta in fototipia a cura della Biblioteca Vaticana
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Maps
Language
A language of the resource
lat
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Image
Maps
Bird's-eye view prints
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Special Collections Maps: G 6713.R6 1547 (1914)
s1788_0
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Rome (Italy)
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
Sixteenth century
Image
Maps
Maps of Rome
Rome (Italy)
Sixteenth century
Still Image
-
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A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Nova vrbis Romae descriptio Antonius Lafrerij
Alternative Title
An alternative name for the resource. The distinction between titles and alternative titles is application-specific.
Roma prima di Sisto V.
Pianta di Roma del 1577
Description
An account of the resource
1 map in 12 sections ; 90 x 101 cm., sections each 28 x 36 cm. + explanatory book (70 p. ; 40 cm.)
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Du Perac, Etienne, d. 1684
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Roma
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
1577
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Lafréry, Antoine, 1512-1577
Ehrle, Franz, 1845-1934
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
Contributo alla storia del commercio delle stampe a Roma nel secolo 16o e 17o.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Maps
Language
A language of the resource
lat
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Image
Maps
Bird's-eye view prints
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Special Collections Maps: G 6714.R7 1577 (1908)
s1790
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Rome (Italy)
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
Sixteenth century
Image
Maps
Maps of Rome
Rome (Italy)
Sixteenth century
Still Image
-
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The metadata element set that was included in the `files_images` table in previous versions of Omeka. These elements are common to all image files.
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A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Pianta di Roma del 1625
Alternative Title
An alternative name for the resource. The distinction between titles and alternative titles is application-specific.
Iconographia della citta di Roma delineata e scolpita in legno a tempo di Pavolo V. publicata per la prima volta da Carlo Losi in quest anno MDCCLXXIV.
Roma al tempo di Urbano
Description
An account of the resource
1 map in 12 sections ; 79 x 150 cm., sections each 25 x 37 cm. + explanatory book (31 p. ; 38 cm.)
Scale indeterminable.
In case with title: La pianta di Roma del 1625
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Maggi, Giovanni, 1566-1618
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Roma
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
1625
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Ehrle, Franz, 1845-1934
Maupin, Paul, fl. 1600
Access Rights
Information about who can access the resource or an indication of its security status. Access Rights may include information regarding access or restrictions based on privacy, security, or other policies.
Losi, Carlo, 16th cent
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
Piante maggiori di Roma dei sec. XVI e XVII ; n. 4.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Maps
Language
A language of the resource
lat
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Image
Maps
Bird's-eye view prints
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Special Collections Maps: G 6714.R7 1625 (1915)
s1792_00
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Rome (Italy)
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
Seventeenth century
Image
Maps
Maps of Rome
Rome (Italy)
Seventeenth century
Still Image
-
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The metadata element set that was included in the `files_images` table in previous versions of Omeka. These elements are common to all image files.
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Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Pianta di Roma del 1676
Nuova pianta et alzata della citta di Roma con tutte le strade piazza et edificii de tempii palazzi giardini et altre fabriche antiche et moderne come si trovano al presente nel pontificato di N. S. Papa Innocentio XI : con le loro dichiarationi nomi et indice copiosissimo disegniata et intagliata
Alternative Title
An alternative name for the resource. The distinction between titles and alternative titles is application-specific.
Roma al tempo di Clemente X
Description
An account of the resource
1 map in 12 sections ; 148 x 145 cm., sections each 37 x 48 cm. + explanatory book (10 p. ; 43 cm.)
Scala di mille passi che fanno in miglio Italiano.
In case with title: La pianta di Roma del 1676.
Facsimile reprint of 1676 edition.
Inset: Indice del palazzi di Roma. Indice delle chiese di Roma.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Falda, Giovanni Battista, ca. 1640-1678
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Roma
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
1676
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Ehrle, Franz, 1845-1934
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
Piante maggiori di Roma dei sec. XVI e XVII ; n. 5.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Maps
Language
A language of the resource
lat
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Image
Maps
Bird's-eye view prints
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Special Collections Maps: G 6714.R7 1676 (1931)
s1793_00
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Rome (Italy)
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
Seventeenth century
Image
Maps
Maps of Rome
Rome (Italy)
Seventeenth century
Still Image
-
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The metadata element set that was included in the `files_images` table in previous versions of Omeka. These elements are common to all image files.
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A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Roma al tempo di Benedetto XIV la pianta di Roma.
Pianta di Roma di Giambattista Nolli del 1748.
Description
An account of the resource
1 map in 12 sections ; 139 x 166 cm., sections each 35 x 56 cm. + explanatory book (35 p., [2] leaves of plates : ill. ; 43 cm.
Scale indeterminable.
Reprint of 1748 map.
Title from explanatory book.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Nolli, Giambattista, ca. 1692-1756
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Citta del Vatioana
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
1748
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Ehrle, Franz, 1845-1934
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
Piante di Roma dei sec. XVI e XVII, riprodotte in fototipia a cura della Biblioteca Vaticana ; n. 6.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Maps
Language
A language of the resource
lat
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Image
Maps
Bird's-eye view prints
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Special Collections Maps: G 6714.R7 1748 (1932)
s1794_00
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Rome (Italy)
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
Eighteenth century
Eighteenth century
Image
Maps
Maps of Rome
Rome (Italy)
Still Image
-
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The metadata element set that was included in the `files_images` table in previous versions of Omeka. These elements are common to all image files.
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28936
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A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Recens prout hodie iacet almae vrbis Romae cum omnibus viis aedificiisque prospectus acuratissime delineatus
Alternative Title
An alternative name for the resource. The distinction between titles and alternative titles is application-specific.
Roma al tempo di Clemente VIII
Pianta di Roma del 1606 (1593)
Description
An account of the resource
1 map in 12 sections ; 105 x 243 cm., sections each 51 x 40 cm. + explanatory book (12 p. ; 44 cm.)
Facsimile reprint on 1606 ed.
On case title: La pianta di Roma del 1606 (1593).
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Tempesta, Antonio, 1555-1630
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Citta del Vaticana
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
1606
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Ehrle, Franz, 1845-1934
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
Piante maggiori di Roma dei sec. XVI e XVII in fototipia a cura della Biblioteo Vaticana ; n. 3.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Maps
Language
A language of the resource
lat
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Image
Maps
Bird's-eye view prints
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Special Collections Maps: G 6714.R7 1606 (1932)
s1791_00
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Rome (Italy)
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
Seventeenth century
Image
Maps
Maps of Rome
Rome (Italy)
Seventeenth century
Still Image
-
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The metadata element set that was included in the `files_images` table in previous versions of Omeka. These elements are common to all image files.
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Unpacking Ruins: architecture from antiquity. Online exhibition
Description
An account of the resource
12 September - 28 November 2002 ~ de Beer Gallery
Central Library, University of Otago
Through the last five hundred years, ancient ruins have been uncovered, rediscovered and reinterpreted. They have provoked architectural inspiration. They have been studied to develop and support theories on how to build and how to value building. They have prompted reflection upon the end of Empire and upon the demise of civilization. In turn, they have provoked thoughts of future civilizations rising.
This exhibition of books and prints of the last four centuries traces changes in the way the West has related to the architecture of antiquity. Works displayed are from the collections of the University of Otago Library. Through text and illustrations the exhibition ponders how the material of the past has variously been unpacked and repackaged.
To unpack - to undo or open, to bring something out of storage.
Ruins, the weathered fragments speak of loss. They tell of the buildings that once were, of the people who made them, and of the cultures from which they arose. They tell of destruction, abandonment and decay. When viewing the larger volumes displayed in this exhibition one cannot help but feel a profound sense of absence. One may be filled with a longing for the past, or could be drawn to reflect upon the inevitably of the future. However, absence and loss are not the intended focus of the exhibition. Rather it is to chronicle how people have attempted to make sense of the ruins, how they have represented them, and how they have used them to understand the times in which they lived.
These volumes, selected from the Special Collections at the University of Otago Library reveal how ruins and fragments of antiquity have been variously cited over the last five hundred years. The 16th century edition of Vitruvius is evidence of the Renaissance search for an authentic voice from antiquity. Works from the century following present theoretical arguments and the search for architectural perfection, with surviving buildings, ruins and texts being compared and debated. Similar analysis has continued long after these works appeared. It is also apt to compare them with the text by Le Corbusier who returned to his youthful perceptions in Greece, Turkey and Italy for inspiration, example and origin.
Travel guides reveal how existing remains became part of the visual vocabulary of the 17th and 18th centuries. Authoritative accounts by British architect-travelers of ruins in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East were published as large folios between 1750 and 1850. The works of Wood and Dawkins in the Levant, of Stuart and Revett in Athens, of Adam in Dalmatia and of Cameron in Italy, follow the scientific archaeological approach of the Frenchman Desgodets. However these journeys were romantic and at times, fanciful, explorations as well. In the published volumes, travelers presented the surviving fragments and reconstituted them into reinvented larger works. In doing so, they changed the Western understanding of architecture and its day-to-day practice.
In considering the fall of empires in the late 18th century, it was inevitable that the survey of ruins would prompt reflection on the future of the West. In 1774 Horace Walpole wrote to Horace Mann,
"The next Augustan age will dawn on the other side of the Atlantic. There will perhaps be a Thucylides at Boston, a Xenophon at New York, and in time a Virgil at Mexico, and a Newton at Peru. At last some curious traveller from Lima, will visit England, and give a description of the ruins of St Paul's, like editions of Baalbec and Palmyra."
It is not surprising that sixty years later, at a time when the colonisation of New Zealand was actively debated in the Houses of Parliament, Macaulay would speculate upon a future New Zealander surveying the ruins of London. Doré's romantic image of the Mäori, draped in Renaissance gown and sketching, recalls illustrations of Wood and Stuart in the East, and it confirms the city in the line of great imperial centres. However the figure seated on the ruins of London Bridge may have seemed oddly chilling to the Victorian viewers.
The cutaway view of the Bank of England drawn by Joseph Gandy (in the vitrine outside the gallery) may have prompted a similar response. It presents the completed structure opened, clean, and viewed from the eye of God. The sunlit ruin appears timeless.
As well as being an emblem of transience, ruins signal persistence over time. It is this sense of permanence, or at least of a very slow decay, that perhaps provokes a continuing fascination and a pleasure that some recent writers have found in the them.
This exhibition has been curated by Robin Skinner of the School of Architecture, Victoria University Wellington. He was assisted by Elizabeth Tinker, Catherine Robertson and Sarah Jones of the Reference Department of the University of Otago Library.
Document
A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text.
Dublin Core
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Title
A name given to the resource
Roma aeterna Petri Schenkii
Alternative Title
An alternative name for the resource. The distinction between titles and alternative titles is application-specific.
Roma aeterna Petri Schenkii; sive, Ipsius aedificiorum Romanorum integrorum collapsorumque conspectus duplex
Subject
The topic of the resource
Architecture
Title pages
Illustrated books
Rome (Italy)
Description
An account of the resource
This publication by Amsterdam publisher and engraver Peter Schenk is typical of those that were appearing at the turn of the 18th century. The page shown depicts the ruins of the aqueduct the Aqua Marcia. It conveyed water to both the baths of Diocletian and to those of Caracalla.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Schenk, Peter
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
s.n.: Amstelodami
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
1705
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Hume, Abraham
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Engravings
Illustrations
Text
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Lc 1705 S [de Beer Special Collections]
Antiquity
Architecture
Rome (Italy)
Special Collections
-
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Omeka Image File
The metadata element set that was included in the `files_images` table in previous versions of Omeka. These elements are common to all image files.
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15593
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16126
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Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials.
Dublin Core
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Title
A name given to the resource
Roma al tempo di Guilio III : la pianta di Roma di Leonardo Bufalini del 1551
Description
An account of the resource
1 map in 24 sections + explanatory book (61 p.) ; in case.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Bufalini, Leonardo, 16th cent
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Roma
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
1551
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Ehrle, Franz, 1845-1934
Biblioteca apostolica vaticana
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
Le piante maggiori di Roma dei sec. XVI e XVII, riprodotte in fotopitipia a cura della Biblioteca Vaticana
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
Maps
Language
A language of the resource
lat
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Image
Maps
Bird's-eye view prints
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Special Collections Maps: G 6714.R7 1551 (1911)
s1789_00
Spatial Coverage
Spatial characteristics of the resource.
Rome (Italy)
Temporal Coverage
Temporal characteristics of the resource.
Sixteenth century
Image
Maps
Maps of Rome
Rome (Italy)
Sixteenth century
Still Image
-
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Omeka Image File
The metadata element set that was included in the `files_images` table in previous versions of Omeka. These elements are common to all image files.
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433
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Dublin Core
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Title
A name given to the resource
Unpacking Ruins: architecture from antiquity. Online exhibition
Description
An account of the resource
12 September - 28 November 2002 ~ de Beer Gallery
Central Library, University of Otago
Through the last five hundred years, ancient ruins have been uncovered, rediscovered and reinterpreted. They have provoked architectural inspiration. They have been studied to develop and support theories on how to build and how to value building. They have prompted reflection upon the end of Empire and upon the demise of civilization. In turn, they have provoked thoughts of future civilizations rising.
This exhibition of books and prints of the last four centuries traces changes in the way the West has related to the architecture of antiquity. Works displayed are from the collections of the University of Otago Library. Through text and illustrations the exhibition ponders how the material of the past has variously been unpacked and repackaged.
To unpack - to undo or open, to bring something out of storage.
Ruins, the weathered fragments speak of loss. They tell of the buildings that once were, of the people who made them, and of the cultures from which they arose. They tell of destruction, abandonment and decay. When viewing the larger volumes displayed in this exhibition one cannot help but feel a profound sense of absence. One may be filled with a longing for the past, or could be drawn to reflect upon the inevitably of the future. However, absence and loss are not the intended focus of the exhibition. Rather it is to chronicle how people have attempted to make sense of the ruins, how they have represented them, and how they have used them to understand the times in which they lived.
These volumes, selected from the Special Collections at the University of Otago Library reveal how ruins and fragments of antiquity have been variously cited over the last five hundred years. The 16th century edition of Vitruvius is evidence of the Renaissance search for an authentic voice from antiquity. Works from the century following present theoretical arguments and the search for architectural perfection, with surviving buildings, ruins and texts being compared and debated. Similar analysis has continued long after these works appeared. It is also apt to compare them with the text by Le Corbusier who returned to his youthful perceptions in Greece, Turkey and Italy for inspiration, example and origin.
Travel guides reveal how existing remains became part of the visual vocabulary of the 17th and 18th centuries. Authoritative accounts by British architect-travelers of ruins in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East were published as large folios between 1750 and 1850. The works of Wood and Dawkins in the Levant, of Stuart and Revett in Athens, of Adam in Dalmatia and of Cameron in Italy, follow the scientific archaeological approach of the Frenchman Desgodets. However these journeys were romantic and at times, fanciful, explorations as well. In the published volumes, travelers presented the surviving fragments and reconstituted them into reinvented larger works. In doing so, they changed the Western understanding of architecture and its day-to-day practice.
In considering the fall of empires in the late 18th century, it was inevitable that the survey of ruins would prompt reflection on the future of the West. In 1774 Horace Walpole wrote to Horace Mann,
"The next Augustan age will dawn on the other side of the Atlantic. There will perhaps be a Thucylides at Boston, a Xenophon at New York, and in time a Virgil at Mexico, and a Newton at Peru. At last some curious traveller from Lima, will visit England, and give a description of the ruins of St Paul's, like editions of Baalbec and Palmyra."
It is not surprising that sixty years later, at a time when the colonisation of New Zealand was actively debated in the Houses of Parliament, Macaulay would speculate upon a future New Zealander surveying the ruins of London. Doré's romantic image of the Mäori, draped in Renaissance gown and sketching, recalls illustrations of Wood and Stuart in the East, and it confirms the city in the line of great imperial centres. However the figure seated on the ruins of London Bridge may have seemed oddly chilling to the Victorian viewers.
The cutaway view of the Bank of England drawn by Joseph Gandy (in the vitrine outside the gallery) may have prompted a similar response. It presents the completed structure opened, clean, and viewed from the eye of God. The sunlit ruin appears timeless.
As well as being an emblem of transience, ruins signal persistence over time. It is this sense of permanence, or at least of a very slow decay, that perhaps provokes a continuing fascination and a pleasure that some recent writers have found in the them.
This exhibition has been curated by Robin Skinner of the School of Architecture, Victoria University Wellington. He was assisted by Elizabeth Tinker, Catherine Robertson and Sarah Jones of the Reference Department of the University of Otago Library.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Romae antiquae notitia: or, the antiquities of Rome
Alternative Title
An alternative name for the resource. The distinction between titles and alternative titles is application-specific.
Romæ antiquæ notitia: or, the antiquities of Rome. In two parts
A short history of the rise, progress, and decay of the commonwealth. II. A description of the city: ... To which are prefixed two essays
Subject
The topic of the resource
Rome (Italy)
Color printing
Description
An account of the resource
First published in 1696, this short history by the Anglican churchman and scholar, Basil Kennett, recounts the rise, progress, and decay of Ancient Rome eighty years before Gibbon's Decline and fall …. A popular publication, it was reprinted no fewer than seventeen times in the one hundred and twenty five years following its first appearance.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Kennett, Basil
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
printed for J. and R. Tonson, J. and T. Pote, C. Bathurst, B. Dod, J. Rivington [and 10 others]: London
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
1763
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Pote, Joseph
Pote, Thomas
J. and R. Tonson
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Illustrations
Text
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
Eb 1763 K [De Beer Special Collections]
Antiquity
Rome (Italy)
Special Collections
-
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Omeka Image File
The metadata element set that was included in the `files_images` table in previous versions of Omeka. These elements are common to all image files.
Width
1904
Height
2412
Bit Depth
8
Channels
3
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
From Pigskin to Paper: The Art and Craft of Bookbinding. Online exhibition
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Various collectors
Abstract
A summary of the resource.
The book that has the earliest English binding in New Zealand was printed in Venice in July 1481. Its binding is dark-brown calfskin over wooden boards. The spine has four raised bands, with a late 19th century red label attached. There are remnants of two catches and clasps. The end-leaves are vellum and paper. Within a central block design the blind stamped punches of birds, animals, and floral designs are arranged singly in horizontal rows. There are blind-stamped fillets. Somehow, this book ended up in Oxford, England, where about 1482 it gained its covers from a 15th century bookbinder called the Rood and Hunt Binder. Not only does the text (a Commentary on the Bible) carry the earliest English binding in New Zealand, but it carries within its pages fragments of indulgences printed by William Caxton, England’s first printer, c1480.
Wooden boards, raised bands, end-leaves, vellum, blind-stamped, and fillets are all part of the language of the bookbinder. An exhibition entitled From Pigskin to Paper: The Art and Craft of Bookbinding will begin at Special Collections, University of Otago Library on 20 December 2012. The exhibition aims to decode the jargon used by bookbinders, and showcase the creative ‘art and craft’ skills evident in all aspects of the binding process, from forwarding (construction) to finishing (decoration). To highlight the processes, a wide cross-section of binding styles will be exhibited, from the 1481 Rood and Hunt binding and 16th century European samples, to publisher’s case-bindings and those styled art nouveau. Books bound by local Dunedin binders will also feature. The exhibition runs to 22 March 2013.
There is an increasing amount of scholarly work done on the binders who create the outer garments that contain (and protect) the text-block. There is also more intensive work done examining the structural components of bindings, especially by conservators. Whether they are hand-bound calfskin, pigskin, or vellum examples from the hand-press period (and thereby unique objects), or machine-made mass-produced ones from the early 19th century, bindings do provide information on the book trade, how books were sold, how they were to be used, what were the prevailing fashions, what tools the binder owned, and in cases, the owner’s taste and standing. Indeed, as book historian David Pearson claims: ‘all historic bindings are potentially interesting, however fine (or not) they look’.
Each major library in New Zealand has its fair share of decorative, fine bindings, with the name of the binder often stamped inside: Zaehnsdorf; Sangorski & Sutcliffe; Cockerell. There are also those books known to be bound by famous binders such as Samuel Mearne, Roger Payne, or Charles Lewis. Of course, the vast majority of bindings are simple, plain, and functional, and carry no signature or famous name. If not a recognisable publisher’s house-style, most of them remain anonymous representatives, silent witnesses to the past.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Trattato delle cose piu memorabili di Roma tanto antiche come modern
Abstract
A summary of the resource.
These three books show a few ways in which past owners marked the bindings of their books. The 18th century guide book to Rome (right) has ‘Antoine Delphin’ stamped in gold and the date, 1740. A 19th century ‘Holland House’ armorial bookplate is pasted on the front endpaper with a pencil note of ‘Paris 1835’, which was presumably when this book, certainly bound in France, left for England. The names Joannis Smyth (1691); Martin Gaven (1760); John Caldwell (1820); and George Smyth (1842) are inscribed on the title-page of the Bible in the middle. None of these names match the initials ‘H C’ blind-stamped on the original calf cover. The battered, re-backed binding of Dauncey’s The History of His Sacred Majesty Charles the II carries a crown and the initials ‘CR’. The use of Royal arms was not uncommon as a decorative device; their presence did not normally indicate royal ownership.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Giovanni Pietro Pinaroli
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
[Rome]: Nella Stamperia di S. Michele a Ripa; si vendono da G. L. Barbiellini
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1725
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
de Beer Itb 1725 P
Guide book
Rome (Italy)