Architectura picta. Prime ipotesi per la realizzazione di un database sull'architettura raffigurata in antico
In: Quaderni dell'Istituto di Storia dell'Architettura: 73-74, 2021
Architectura Picta. Towards a database of Roman-era depictions of architecture: a preliminary draft
The study of ancient building representations was mostly developed along two lines of research: one dealt with early modern painting, Renaissance drawings in particular, the second one was connected to the study of a specific monument to compare historical records and artistic representations of the same building. Single elements were examined to better understand building techniques or specific activities like ancient gardening. However, there was no attempt to create a comprehensive catalogue that could match up architectures and architectural features as they were represented through different media and on a variety of materials such as frescoes on walls, paintings on terracotta vases, detailed marble reliefs and metal coins with plainer designs. The proposed research aims to enhance the understanding of ancient architecture through the creation of a comprehensive catalogue. This will allow a large cross-comparison between similar subjects regardless of the precise identification of the represented building with a real one, open to the contribution of different cultural institutions and extended to scholars from various disciplines (architecture, art, archaeology, geology, literature, etc.).