AUTOGRAPH LETTERS AND MANUSCRIPTS
VENICE: LIBRO DELL ACQUE. MANUSCRIPT ON PAPER. [Venice, circa 1610]
细节
VENICE: LIBRO DELL ACQUE. MANUSCRIPT ON PAPER. [Venice, circa 1610]
2°, 415 x 285mm, written in brown ink in a fine current bookhand by one scribe, ruled throughout, sepia-and-wash title and 73 leaves, including 6 DOUBLE PAGE MAPS IN WATERCOLOURS, with 12 additional blank leaves. [Watermarks very similar to Heywood 863]. Contemporary gilt-tooled limp vellum over paper boards
PROVENANCE: Presumably produced for the Offico delle Acque of the city of Venice.
CONTENTS: Title, showing four tritons in water, a female triton raising the city of Venice out of the sea and holds it aloft.
folios 1-2. Introduction by Cristoforo Sabbadino, engineer and 'proto' with the Officio delle Acque, written about 1555
folios 3-4. Coloured detailed map of Venice and its region, Come sta il paese al presente, at a scale of 3000 Veneziani (3 cm) by Jo.Andrea
folios 5-8a. Arricordo dato per me Christofforo Sabadino ... per il levar il r0 delle fiumari & della Laguna. With detailed computations
folios 8b-15a Discorso fatto sopra l'aricordo mio, a di 30.Agosto 1552
folios 16-17. Double-page coloured map, covering the same area as that on ff 3-4. Secondo l'aricordo dicta me Christoforo Sabadin
folios 18-27b. 'Cominciaro hora a risponder alla oppositioni. Le qualo fanno li antenori ...'. Containing depositions made by Domenigo dall'Abbaco da Padua, 1555, Paula da Castello, Turiacomi di Alberti, Zuane Carrera, all with 'responsi'
folios 28-29. Double-page coloured map covering the same area as above, Secondo l'aricordo de Mastro Zuane Carera
folios 30-35a. Response by Paulo di Castello, Domenego dall'Abbaco & Zuan Jacomo di Alberti, 1555
folios 36-37. Two coloured maps of Venice, both identically showing the Lido and the surrounding area with its rivers, but with different schemes for the river Brenta
folios 38-39. Double-page coloured map, identical area to that on ff3-4 Secondo l'oppinione dicta M0 Paulo da Castello e mo Domenico dalla Bacho a m0 Zan Iaco di Alberti
folios 40-60. 'Trattandoli delle cose della Laguna'. Reply by Sabadino to reports by Marco and Alvise Cornaro produced by the Officio delle Acqui
folios 61-62. Coloured double-page map of the same region as on ff 3-4, Secondo l'oppinion del Marco Alvise Cornaro da Padoua
folios 63-65a. Arricordo apprisentato nell' Collegio solenno per mco mo Alvisio Cornaro l'anno 1557
folios 65b-73. Riposta fatta per me Christofforo Sabadino alla quarta et ultima scrittura di Marco Alvise Cornaro fatta separata dalle altro tre primi et apprisentatione all' Officio delle Acque.
BACKGROUND TO THE ABOVE: As early as 1460, the Consiglio dei Dice decided to arrange for the execution of maps and plans to help control the network of waterways in the region of Venice. But its was only in the 16th century that three offices were created to supervise these projects. They were the 'Sevi alla Acque' in 1501, the 'Magistrato alle Acque' in 1505, followed by the 'Collegio alle Acque'. These offices were to co-ordinate and control the precarious balance between salt and fresh water and safeguard the Laguna. Therefore work began between 1507 and 1534 to direct the course of the rivers Brenta and Conche to the Laguna of Chioggia through the canal of Montalbano. In 1536 commenced also the building of fortifications 'Do Castelli' at the mouth of the Lido. The survival of Venice depended on the diversion of the course of rivers, but there was a conflict of interest between the 'Stato da Mar' and the 'Stato di Terra'. The two main protagonists, both engineers, had each a different solution to the problem. The first was Cristoforo Sabbadino, who oppposed the agricultural interest in favour of the city, and wanted to extend the lagoon and use it to its fullest capacity, partly to defend the city against attack, but mainly as the 'sora comun' was rising due to sedimentation in the lagoon, with a project that would also affect rural irrigation of the province. The other was Alvise Cornaro, who proposed closure of the ports of Chioggia, Malamocco and Sant'Erasmo and the creation of a 'canal circonadario' surrounding the Lagoon. Other technicians involved in these projects during the 16th century included Nicolò dal Cortivo, Paulo da Castello, Nicolò and Giacomo Alberti, all employed by the Collegio alle Acque.
For these purposes a number of plans were drawn, all based on Benedetto Bordone's printed map of Venice of 1528. These manuscript maps recorded scientifically and minutely the details of the various proposals for canals, changes in water levels and diversion of rivers and other changes in the hydrography of the region between Venice, Padua and Treviso, particularly as they affected the delta of the Brenta.
In 1540-52 the rivers Bacciglione and Brenta were diverted to Brondolo outside the Laguna, but there remained the problem of other rivers running into the Northern and Central part of the Lagoon. Advice was sought from Sabbadino, but also from Zuane Carera, who was in charge of the Officio delle Acque, as well as Domenico de l'Abacco da Padova, Paulo da Castello, Zuan Jacomo d'Alberti, Piero di Guberni, the official in charge of public works, and Alvise Cornaro. Carera particularly studied the contours of the land and composed a table of water levels between Musoni and Sioncello.
Sabbadino shows in his map, how he proposed to divert the Musone from Mirano to the North East into a new riverbed, which would also receive the waters of the Marzenego, Dese, Zero and Sile and would enter the sea from the North of the Laguna near 'Lio Mazor' and the town of Caligo. Drainage channels with the canals would allow drainage of the lagoon, and dams between and the lagoon and the Silo would facilitate river communication with Treviso. The old riverbed of the Musone up to Mirano and the Brenta, would be adapted with a 'carro' to take boats directly through to Padua. The tables show that Cornaro and Sabadino were in agreement on the use of old riverbeds to extend the Laguna towards the land, which seemed an ideal solution to extend the city and make use of the movement of the tides. The port of the Lido would be closed off by two long palisades to eliminate sand banks at its mouth, and another barrier would be built at Chioggia to prevent sea water entering the fresh water of the lagoon.
Carrera's project involved the diversion of the river Dese to the South so that it would run into the valley of the Mille Campi, and the river Musone to the bridge of the Brenta on a new course to flow into the Laguna at Torcello. Marco and Alvise Cornaro planned to divert the river Dese from Marocco, South to Fogalana (probably to irrigate the newly reclaimed lands), have the Brenta 'Nova' with the Bacchiglione run into the canal of Montalban, as in the early years of the 16th century. Sabbadino's final aim was to reclaim Chioggia, its port becoming a river estuary, as well as Torcello, also reclaimed, and creating a tongue of land which to the North reaches the new small laguna of Venice.
These engineering problems were not resolved until the 17th century, hence the need to make available all the data and controversies, even after the death of Sabbadino and the other protagonists. THIS VOLUME IS A REMARKABLE DOCUMENT OF VENETIAN ENGINEERING DURING THE RENAISSANCE.
LITERATURE: Barbara Mazza, "Politica lagunare di Venezia nel cinquecento e interventi sul territorio: Note di cartographia", in Architettura e Utopia nella Venezia del Cinquecento, Venice, Palazzo Ducale, 1980. The article describes (no.137) a similar but less extensive early 17th century copy of Sabbadino's controversies.
2°, 415 x 285mm, written in brown ink in a fine current bookhand by one scribe, ruled throughout, sepia-and-wash title and 73 leaves, including 6 DOUBLE PAGE MAPS IN WATERCOLOURS, with 12 additional blank leaves. [Watermarks very similar to Heywood 863]. Contemporary gilt-tooled limp vellum over paper boards
PROVENANCE: Presumably produced for the Offico delle Acque of the city of Venice.
CONTENTS: Title, showing four tritons in water, a female triton raising the city of Venice out of the sea and holds it aloft.
folios 1-2. Introduction by Cristoforo Sabbadino, engineer and 'proto' with the Officio delle Acque, written about 1555
folios 3-4. Coloured detailed map of Venice and its region, Come sta il paese al presente, at a scale of 3000 Veneziani (3 cm) by Jo.Andrea
folios 5-8a. Arricordo dato per me Christofforo Sabadino ... per il levar il r0 delle fiumari & della Laguna. With detailed computations
folios 8b-15a Discorso fatto sopra l'aricordo mio, a di 30.Agosto 1552
folios 16-17. Double-page coloured map, covering the same area as that on ff 3-4. Secondo l'aricordo dicta me Christoforo Sabadin
folios 18-27b. 'Cominciaro hora a risponder alla oppositioni. Le qualo fanno li antenori ...'. Containing depositions made by Domenigo dall'Abbaco da Padua, 1555, Paula da Castello, Turiacomi di Alberti, Zuane Carrera, all with 'responsi'
folios 28-29. Double-page coloured map covering the same area as above, Secondo l'aricordo de Mastro Zuane Carera
folios 30-35a. Response by Paulo di Castello, Domenego dall'Abbaco & Zuan Jacomo di Alberti, 1555
folios 36-37. Two coloured maps of Venice, both identically showing the Lido and the surrounding area with its rivers, but with different schemes for the river Brenta
folios 38-39. Double-page coloured map, identical area to that on ff3-4 Secondo l'oppinione dicta M0 Paulo da Castello e mo Domenico dalla Bacho a m0 Zan Iaco di Alberti
folios 40-60. 'Trattandoli delle cose della Laguna'. Reply by Sabadino to reports by Marco and Alvise Cornaro produced by the Officio delle Acqui
folios 61-62. Coloured double-page map of the same region as on ff 3-4, Secondo l'oppinion del Marco Alvise Cornaro da Padoua
folios 63-65a. Arricordo apprisentato nell' Collegio solenno per mco mo Alvisio Cornaro l'anno 1557
folios 65b-73. Riposta fatta per me Christofforo Sabadino alla quarta et ultima scrittura di Marco Alvise Cornaro fatta separata dalle altro tre primi et apprisentatione all' Officio delle Acque.
BACKGROUND TO THE ABOVE: As early as 1460, the Consiglio dei Dice decided to arrange for the execution of maps and plans to help control the network of waterways in the region of Venice. But its was only in the 16th century that three offices were created to supervise these projects. They were the 'Sevi alla Acque' in 1501, the 'Magistrato alle Acque' in 1505, followed by the 'Collegio alle Acque'. These offices were to co-ordinate and control the precarious balance between salt and fresh water and safeguard the Laguna. Therefore work began between 1507 and 1534 to direct the course of the rivers Brenta and Conche to the Laguna of Chioggia through the canal of Montalbano. In 1536 commenced also the building of fortifications 'Do Castelli' at the mouth of the Lido. The survival of Venice depended on the diversion of the course of rivers, but there was a conflict of interest between the 'Stato da Mar' and the 'Stato di Terra'. The two main protagonists, both engineers, had each a different solution to the problem. The first was Cristoforo Sabbadino, who oppposed the agricultural interest in favour of the city, and wanted to extend the lagoon and use it to its fullest capacity, partly to defend the city against attack, but mainly as the 'sora comun' was rising due to sedimentation in the lagoon, with a project that would also affect rural irrigation of the province. The other was Alvise Cornaro, who proposed closure of the ports of Chioggia, Malamocco and Sant'Erasmo and the creation of a 'canal circonadario' surrounding the Lagoon. Other technicians involved in these projects during the 16th century included Nicolò dal Cortivo, Paulo da Castello, Nicolò and Giacomo Alberti, all employed by the Collegio alle Acque.
For these purposes a number of plans were drawn, all based on Benedetto Bordone's printed map of Venice of 1528. These manuscript maps recorded scientifically and minutely the details of the various proposals for canals, changes in water levels and diversion of rivers and other changes in the hydrography of the region between Venice, Padua and Treviso, particularly as they affected the delta of the Brenta.
In 1540-52 the rivers Bacciglione and Brenta were diverted to Brondolo outside the Laguna, but there remained the problem of other rivers running into the Northern and Central part of the Lagoon. Advice was sought from Sabbadino, but also from Zuane Carera, who was in charge of the Officio delle Acque, as well as Domenico de l'Abacco da Padova, Paulo da Castello, Zuan Jacomo d'Alberti, Piero di Guberni, the official in charge of public works, and Alvise Cornaro. Carera particularly studied the contours of the land and composed a table of water levels between Musoni and Sioncello.
Sabbadino shows in his map, how he proposed to divert the Musone from Mirano to the North East into a new riverbed, which would also receive the waters of the Marzenego, Dese, Zero and Sile and would enter the sea from the North of the Laguna near 'Lio Mazor' and the town of Caligo. Drainage channels with the canals would allow drainage of the lagoon, and dams between and the lagoon and the Silo would facilitate river communication with Treviso. The old riverbed of the Musone up to Mirano and the Brenta, would be adapted with a 'carro' to take boats directly through to Padua. The tables show that Cornaro and Sabadino were in agreement on the use of old riverbeds to extend the Laguna towards the land, which seemed an ideal solution to extend the city and make use of the movement of the tides. The port of the Lido would be closed off by two long palisades to eliminate sand banks at its mouth, and another barrier would be built at Chioggia to prevent sea water entering the fresh water of the lagoon.
Carrera's project involved the diversion of the river Dese to the South so that it would run into the valley of the Mille Campi, and the river Musone to the bridge of the Brenta on a new course to flow into the Laguna at Torcello. Marco and Alvise Cornaro planned to divert the river Dese from Marocco, South to Fogalana (probably to irrigate the newly reclaimed lands), have the Brenta 'Nova' with the Bacchiglione run into the canal of Montalban, as in the early years of the 16th century. Sabbadino's final aim was to reclaim Chioggia, its port becoming a river estuary, as well as Torcello, also reclaimed, and creating a tongue of land which to the North reaches the new small laguna of Venice.
These engineering problems were not resolved until the 17th century, hence the need to make available all the data and controversies, even after the death of Sabbadino and the other protagonists. THIS VOLUME IS A REMARKABLE DOCUMENT OF VENETIAN ENGINEERING DURING THE RENAISSANCE.
LITERATURE: Barbara Mazza, "Politica lagunare di Venezia nel cinquecento e interventi sul territorio: Note di cartographia", in Architettura e Utopia nella Venezia del Cinquecento, Venice, Palazzo Ducale, 1980. The article describes (no.137) a similar but less extensive early 17th century copy of Sabbadino's controversies.