Seventeenth century inventions and drawings

in the Francesco Lana’s works

Emilio Chirone, Luca Dassa
Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Department – University of Brescia
Via Branze 38, 25123 Brescia (Italy)
emilio.chirone@ing.unibs.it, luca.dassa@ing.unibs.it

Abstract
In Europe, the commonly named “scientific revolution” reached its maximum
development in 17th century, with the complete overtaking of one of the most heavy
heritages of the classic age, the separation between theory and practice.
In this context, it is necessary to underline the connection between graphic description
and mechanics development: in the 16th century Tartaglia formerly bore witness to the
fundamental role of the drawing, on one side an instrument for evaluating and
developing projects, on the other a tool for modelling and studying physical
phenomena.
Galileo and his apprentices, protagonists of the subsequent development of the
theoretical studies, completed their written dissertations with very precise and clear
drawings, in comparison with the drawings in the older scientific texts.
The technical drawings of the 19th century are still far away, but it is interesting to find
drawings with technical value, in representing devices and machines, also in the
treatises of the 17th century scientists.
In this paper the attention is paid to padre Francesco Lana, a researcher of the half of
the 17th century, well known among the aeronautics precursors but also involved in
many other scientific activities.
The design of a flying ship has directly placed him at the source of the human flight,
thanks to the theoretical description of the aerostatics fundamentals. But in his work it
is possible to find many other topics: small devices with practical applications (clocks,
odometers), scientific devices (microscopes, telescopes, thermoscopes ...), calculus
procedures and observation of the natural sciences. Other interesting topics in the
communication field are suggestions for a ciphered writing, writing ways for blind
people, ways to communicate from a distance, discussions on some drawing aspects.
Briefly if it is possible to find in his works images and descriptions of objects developed
in the future, this paper contributes by way of images to deepen the knowledge about
this scientist and the technique of his age.
Keywords: history of technology, history of the technical drawing, Francesco Lana

INTRODUCTION applications are more and more

The 17th century is characterized by the
complete success of the commonly named
“scientific revolution”, even if it is possible to
already find in the previous century some
exempla of the overtaking of one of the
most heavy heritages of the classic age, the
separation between theoretical elaborations
and practical applications. [1]
In this period, as previously shown by
Tartaglia in the 16th century, the technical
characterized by the need of a proper
mathematical support, while the same
applications were previously founded only
on traditions and empirical observations. [2]
In this context, since the relation between
graphical drawing and mechanics
development in the 16th century is clear, it is
necessary to underline the basilar
contribution of the drawing, such as an
instrument for evaluating and developing a
project and such as a tool for modelling and
studying physical phenomena. [3]
The subsequent development of theoretical
studies, performed by Galileo and his
apprentices, presents, besides written
dissertations, drawings characterized by
precision and clarity, that it is impossible to
find in the pictures of previous scientific
texts.
The way to arrive at the technical drawings
of the 19th century will be long, but it is
interesting to still observe the drawings
from treatises of the 17th century, with some
technical value. In this paper the attention
will be paid to Francesco Lana, a
researcher who lived around the half 17th
century, known in the world among the
aeronautics precursors, but industrious in
many fields of the applied science.
Fig. 1. Francesco Lana among the precursors
of the human flight
1. FRANCESCO LANA
With regard to Tartaglia, some historians
are polemic about his scientific study and
his engineering applications, placing him
with difficulty among the main parts of the
technique history. The analysis is less
laborious if they consider Francesco Lana.
Fig. 2. On the left, a picture of Francesco Lana; on the right, the tile pages of his major works
As previously said, he has a very important
place among the flight precursors thanks to
his design of a flying ship and the
theoretical foundation of the aerostatics
(see Fig. 1, where in a stamp concerning
the exaltation of the human flight Lana is
associated to Leonardo and Otto Lilienthal)
But in his publications it is possible to find
also small devices with practical
applications (clocks, odometer), scientific
devices (microscopes, telescopes,
thermoscopes ...), calculus procedures and
observation of the natural sciences. Other
Lana’s works can be very interesting for the
researchers in communication or graphics
field: suggestions for a ciphered writing,
writing ways for blind people, methods to
communicate from a distance, discussions
on some drawing aspects
Before analyzing his works, it is opportune
to briefly describe his life. Francesco Lana
Terzi (or de Terzi) was born in Brescia in
1631, after almost one century after
Tartaglia but in the same town. Since he is
a noble, he can attend the Collegio dei
Nobili (Noble College), led by the Jesuits:
when he is 16 years old, he decides to
enter the Society of Jesus and goes to
study in Rome.
This is the beginning of an intense activity
in the study and in research about different
fields of the human knowledge. He visits
and lives in many Italian towns and then
comes back to Brescia, where he devotes
himself to an intense activity in teaching,
observing and deepening the sciences and
the mathematics until the death (1687).
In 1670 he published his most well know
work: the “Prodromo, overo saggio di
alcune invenzioni nuove premesso all'Arte
Maestra”. In 1671 he became a member of
the London Royal Society. In 1686,
inspired by that society, he established the
“Accademia dei Filesotici”: in the Acta of
this Italian society he collected the results
of numerous physical, electrical and
magnetic tests. In 1684-1686 he published
the first two volumes of Magisterium
naturae et artis; the third volume was
published posthumous.
2. LANA AND THE SCIENCE
OF THE 17TH CENTURY
The period spent in Rome contributes to his
growth not only spiritual but also scientific.
At that time the science was in progress,
with some innovative aspects, but also with
relapses into the imaginary tradition (see
the work of the Lana’s master Athanasius
Kircher and his almost contemporary
Kaspar Schott, two members of the Society
of Jesus).
In fact it is significant to find in the Schott’s
works a Magia universalis naturae et artis,
together with a Mechanica Hydraulico-
Pneumatica and a Technica curiosa, where
he describes, besides some experiments
on vacuum and on air pressure, spectacular
baroque fountains, futuristic boats, diving
suits for the exploration of the sea depths,
also devices for the perpetual motion,
strange mechanisms measuring the time,
mysteries hidden into the Jewish alphabet.
The common features of this primordial
science are the curiosity, the desire for the
knowledge growth, the research of the
prodigious and the imaginary aspects of the
world, as it is possible to observe in two
Fig. 3. On the left, the Kircher’s pantometer, on the right an image from the Scott’s Physica Curiosa
opposite images: in Fig. 3 on the left there
is the pantometer, an instrument for
measuring the distances and the heights –
Kircher used it to measure the Vesuvio
crater – and on the right there are some
imaginary creatures, fancifully depicted in
different drawings from the olden ages.
In the Lana’s works the imaginary aspects
take a backseat, while his principal interests
are the mechanics and the physics, based
on mathematical analysis and experimental
validations, in order to obtain practical
knowledge and useful devices. It is
reductive to linger on this aspects since the
Lana’s work, a very ample treatise about
the physics and the mathematics sciences,
conforms to the culture of his age and to
the polemic – typical among the Jesuits [5]
– against Galileo and his mechanics vision.
It is important to remind that the
Magisterium had to collect in an
encyclopaedic work in 9 volumes (he had
the time to write only 3 volumes before his
death), the results of the twenty-year
experimental research and to completely
arrange his knowledge, characterized by a
rational and organic harmony between
theoretical science and practical science,
the Arte Maestra, using Lana’s definition.
[6]
Because of the work dimension, Lana
decided, 15 years before the first volume, to
publish the Prodromo, a partial anticipation
of the practical contents of the major work.
Since this volume was written in Italian, it
was addressed to a limited public, while the
Magisterium was written in Latin and
addressed to a public composed by
international scientists: this goal was
reached, if one considers that the first
volumes were at once positively reviewed in
France and Germany.
The analysis of the contents has to be
performed by the science historians, while
this paper only shows and describes some
devices and machines by way of Lana’s
drawings.
3. MACHINES AND INSTRU-
MENTS
In the Prodromo, the author shows some
inventions and practical applications: it is odd
to find, after 23 chapters about various topics
and 8 chapters about optical devices, 4
chapters about the painting and drawing art.
The 6th chapter, where Lana talks about the
manufacturing of a ship able to walk
suspended in air, has made him famous and
contains the famous image present in many
publications about the human flight.
In the original image, it is possible to see not
only the ship suspended by four hollow
spheres (the vacuum into the spheres makes
them lighter than the air and allows them to
glide, in accord with the Archimede’s
principle) but also the procedure to obtain the
vacuum into the spheres. (Fig. 4)
With the point of view of an engineer, he
develops calculations to evaluate the required
suspending force and doesn’t neglect the
objections that the other scientist will rise
about the possible crushing of the empty
spheres by the atmospheric pressure. He is
also worried about the possibility to transform
his flying boat in a terrible mass weapon, able
Fig. 4. The flying ship
to destroy entire towns.
Other inventions described in the Prodromo
are noteworthy, intentionally neglecting the
study on perpetual motion, the research of the
philosopher’s stone and the research of a
universal medicament (topics frequently
discussed in scientific treatises not only in that
age but also in the previous and in the
following centuries). This paper doesn’t touch
on either the communication aspects of the
Lana’s research, such as the way to cipher a
writing, the way to communicate from a
distance, the language for the deaf-mutes, the
way to teach the blind people to write and to
read (two centuries before Braille).
In Fig. 5 it is possible to see a device making
continuous the functioning of a sandglass.
Lana writes that the sandglass has a big
disadvantage: very often the researchers,
involved in the study, don’t notice that the
sand is finished and don’t turn it in time or in
another way they have to spend a lot of time
to control the sandglass. The suggested
solution is the following: the sandglass, linked
to a shaft, can be moved around the shaft
axis by two weights. A friction catch on the top
side with the task to prevent the rotation is
maintained in position by way of a
counterbalance calibrated in such a way as to
be null when all the sand is in the bottom
chamber of the sandglass. At this moment the
rotation turns upside down the sandglass
lower part and the sandglass is locked by the
counterbalance, and so on. A gear coaxial
with the shaft shows the revolution number,
i.e. the passed time.
The Fig. 6 shows a kind of hygrometer where
the fluctuations in length of the horizontal
Fig. 5. Sandglass with automatic overturning
ropes, due to humidity fluctuations, cause the
rotation of the pulleys (each pulley is moved
by a weight): the phenomena can be traced
by way of an index on the pulley or by way of
an hummer acting on a small bell.
(since the oil into the reservoir burns out in
order to feed the flame, the cork ball cock
descends and the wire linked to the ball cock
gives rise to the rotation of the pulley coaxial
with the time indicator)

Fig. 6. Humidity indicator

Fig. 8. Microscopes
Concerning the optics and the devices for
optical applications, the dissertation delivered
upon telescopes and microscopes clearly
shows his way to approach their problems
and their use (remind that these instruments
were relatively new). After an ample treatment
about the optical properties and the use of the
telescopes, Lana deals with the problem of
manufacturing lens with proper precision and
completes the descriptions with drawings of
the needed instruments. (Fig. 7)

Fig. 7. Tools for manufacturing lens

In Fig. 8 it is possible to see three kinds of
telescopes, even if the first two are simple
lens modified with the goal to be simpler to
use. The third foresees a system with two
lens (and a third to turn the image, if
necessary) with the possibility to select the
distance between lens and eyepiece by way
of a relative motion of the two cardboard
pipes.
Other small devices useful for the daily life (as
reported by the author) are shown in Fig. 9:
from the top to the bottom it is possible to see
a device for rationalizing the sowing, a version
of the path recorder (odometer), already
described by Vitruvio, an oil light with clock Fig. 9. Devices for daily life
The already mentioned four chapters about
practical rules for painting and drawing
have a particular place into the Prodromo,
evidence not only of Lana’s eclecticism but
also of the wide interest of the physical
sciences in that age. In these chapters
there are precepts and advises in placing
objects to be depicted, in choosing the
ratios to be respected, in drawing and in
choosing the colours. The discovery in
Mexico of a Spanish translation of the 18th
century shows the interest excited by this
part of Lana’s work. [7]
Fig. 10. spring cannon
The Magisterium obviously expands the
Prodromo and adds ample theoretical
discussions and numerous practical
applications with drawings, with an
impressive variety in the contents.
Some inventions are quite curious, such as
the spring cannon in Fig. 10, used in a
similar version until the 1st World War.
Notice in the right bottom the idea to use a
telescope such as a foresight for firearms.
Fig. 11. manual blade wheels
Fig. 12 shows manual boat engine, Fig. 13
shows an adjusting device for clocks (with
reference to the Huygens work).
Fig. 12. Adjusting device for clock
4. FINAL REMARKS
Is it possible to place these remarks in the
history of the technical drawing?
The definition of “technical drawing” is not
very clear. [8]
If “technical drawing” is the portrayal
addressed to the documentation, the
drawing itself can concern the design, the
information and can support the scientific
knowledge and inquiry.
In this case it is possible to place in
“technical drawing” class the pictures often
agreeable but not very functional and the
following codifications, produced by the
need to have a clear and fast
communication in developing the industrial
products (presumably the stages of the way
covered today in using the new
communication methods).
The discussion could be concern the term
“drawing”, on one side the portrayal of
something existing and to be depicted, on
the other the portrayal of something existing
only in the designer mind: on one side on
objective paper, that everyone can made
observing the object, on the other side a
subjective object indissolubly linked to his
inventor.
If the drawing is defined “technical”, it
acquires the following meaning: a portrayal
on a 2-dimensional plane of objects to be
manufactured or already manufactured.
It should be possible to distinguish between
“History of the machine Drawing” and
“History of the Technical Drawing”.
The History of the Mechanical Drawing is
related to the portrayal of the design, to the
 Fig. 13. Two pages of the Magisterium Naturae et Artis
functioning of the machines and
mechanisms; the History of the Technical
Drawing pays attention to the graphical
language use in technical and industrial
context.
In the History of the Machine Drawings the
drawings are documents showing shapes,
structures and details with the goal to clarify
the ability, the functioning, the innovative
value of the depicted objects, but always
with respect to the specific age.
The History of the Technical Drawing
studies the images, evaluating their
portrayal ability, with respect to the previous
aspects and following the evolution of
methods, techniques, instruments and
drawing rules.
This introduction to the Lana’s drawings
can be placed in the History of the Machine
Drawing but it should be possible to review
the same works deepening the aspects
concerning the graphical language.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We address our special thanks to Prof.
Pierluigi Pizzamiglio, the Director of
Biblioteca di Storia delle Scienze “Carlo
Viganò” (Università Cattolica di Brescia),
who has made available the material and
has supported the paper drafting.
REFERENCES
[1] B.Gille, “L’evolution de la civilisation
technique”, in “ Histoire generale des
techniques “ , a cura di M.Daumas, P.U.F.,
Paris, 1964
[2] E.Chirone,: " Tecnologia e disegno ad
inizio ‘500 nelle opere di Niccolò Tartaglia”,
Actas XX Congreso Internacional
INGEGRAF, (Valencia, 4-6 Jun. 2008)
[3] E. Chirone, D. Cambiaghi, “Meccanica
e Macchine nella rappresentazione grafica
fra Medioevo e Rivoluzione Industriale”, Atti
del Convegno Internazionale XVI ADM-XIX
INGEGRAPH (Perugia, 6-8 giugno 2007)
[4] Francesco Lana Terzi S.J, “Scritti
scientifici”, originali riprodotti su CD a cura
di P. Pizzamiglio, Biblioteca di Storia delle
Scienze “Carlo Viganò”, Brescia, 1999
[5] U. Baldini, “L’attività scientifica nel
primo Settecento”, in “Scienza e Tecnica,
Annali della Storia di’Italia 3”, Torino,
Einaudi, 1982
[6] P.Pizzamiglio, ”Il “Magisterium Naturae
et Artis” tra autore e lettori”, Atti del
Convegno “Francesco Lana Terzi (1631-
1687): la scuola gesuitica e la scienza
moderna” (Brescia, 8 ottobre 1987)
[7] P.Mues Ort , “El Arte Maestra:
traduccion novohispana de un tratado
pitorico italiano”, in “Estudios en torno al
arte”, 1, 2006, Museo de la Basilica de
Guadalupe, Mexico
[8] W.Lefevre, ed., “Picturing Machines,
1400-1700”, M.I.T., 2004