References to Pictures

Abstract

In Book I.i.4 Vitruvius says that an architect ought to have some skill in draughtsmanship better to be able to depict the desired form of the edifice. (A286) In Book I.ii.2 he explains what he means by orthography: a vertical drawing of the façade, indicating to some extent the composition of the façade of the future building. (A287) In Book I.vi.12 Vitruvius illustrates by means of two drawings or schemata, as the Greek have it, at the end of his book the laying-out of streets within the town-walls with a view to avoiding harmful winds; one drawing shows where some of the winds come from while the other one explains how one can avoid harmful draughts by building blocks and streets in a direction which deviates from the wind-direction; by means of letters, which are also placed in the drawings, he refers, in his written explanation, to particular points. (A288) In connection with the swelling halfway the column shaft, called entasis by the Greek, he refers in Book III.iii.13 to a schematic drawing at the end of the book furnished with a marginal note explaining how a flowing and proper entasis can be attained. (A289) In describing Ionian capitals he refers in Book III.v.8 to another schematic drawing and a marginal note explaining how the volutes ought to be properly circled with a pair of compasses. (A290) These drawings have not been preserved.