Guarino Guarini,Guarino Guarini,Philosopher of BaroquePhilosopher of Baroque

Grand FormGrand Form

Baroque Grand Form• Mimesis of the Cosmos = ‘grand form’ (Fr.

Heer)

GuarinoGuarino Guarini, C. R.Guarini, C. R.Priest in Order of TheatinesPriest in Order of Theatines

• b. Modena, 1624• educ. as Theatine in

Rome• lived in Paris, 1661-

1666• called to Turin in 1666

to design SS. Sindone• d. Milan, 1683

Problem of Modern Humanism - hermeneutica sacra vs. profana

• Sacralisation of the secular• Secularisation of the sacred (J. A. Mazzeo)

Guarini as Scholar

• Philosopher

• Mathematician

• Astronomer

• Architect

• Placita Philosophica(Paris, 1665)

• Euclides adauctus(Turin, 1671)Leges Temporum(Turin, 1671)

• Architettura civile (1737)Fortificatione (1676)

Guarini as Mathematician• Universal Mathematics(NOT mathesis

universalis?)• Proportional projection depending onharmonics/canonics• Rotundity as principleof reality (=geodesia)

Structure ofArchitettura civile Treatise

• Five-part division• Tratt. I• Tratt. II• Tratt. III• Tratt.IV• Tratt.VWhat is the meaning of

this?

Hierarchical Order of Treatise andCosmos

• clear division in treatment of mathematics,from universal, celestial, sublunary/mundane

• corresponding divisions in cosmology asindicated above

• vision of Bettini known to Guarini, fromineffable point to lowest order of corruption,decay, mediated by projection andmetamorphosis

Mario Bettini S. J.

Meaning of the TreatiseTr. I. Intro. To Geometry

Tr. II. The Line

Tr. III. The PlaneIchnography (Vitruvius)Projection towards corporeity –

the Orders, vaulting

Tr. IV. Orthografiagettata – stereotomy

Tr. V.Geodesics -division

• The Sublime Point(God) (idea)

• Angelic beings – purelight

• Rotundity of thePtolemaic Cosmos

• Corporeity of theSublunary World

• Corruption -dissolution

Guarini’s Grand Form –Cosmic Mimesis

The hierarchical/cosmic order manifested

in his philosophy and in his mathematics

is reflected directly

in his architecture

Royal Chapel of the

Most Holy Shroud

Perspectival Ladderfor Dome arches

Parabola as Emblem ofIntellect & Ang. Illum.

The Rise of InstrumentalityIn the Architettura Guarini introduces the

concept of the geometrisation of architecture,the consideration of elements beingconstitutive of a ‘language’, his only indicationof being influenced by probably the Albertianconcept of a painting ‘language’ andcomparable to the work of contemporary Fr.Milliet de Challes S.J. and later Ch. d’Aviler’sgeometrisation of the Orders.

Guarini

d’Aviler

F. di Robilant

B. A. Vittone