Tag: James Tice

Nolli, Lanciani, and the Spatial History of Rome

Presenter: Kelly Mabry, Architecture

Poster: C-3

Mentor: James Tice, Architecture

Giambattista Nolli’s 1748 Baroque Map of Rome remains one of the most engaging and accurate maps of the city ever created. Rodolfo Lanciani’s 1902 archeological map of Rome, based on Nolli, depicts the city as a series of layers extending from antiquity to the beginning of the 20th century. By carefully comparing these two cartographic sources, one can create a clearer understanding of Rome’s spatial history and how, among other things, Rome’s famous seven hills have influenced the city’s growth over the centuries. By using the geo-database software, ArcGIS, both the Nolli and Lanciani maps can be further geo-rectified with recent satellite imagery and data to achieve an even richer, layered, spatial understanding of the city. This enhanced layered approach opens new possibilities toward the understanding of Rome’s spatial history and its evolution over two millennia.

Exploring Rome through Guiseppe Vasi’s Eyes

Presenter: Jesus Fernandez, Architecture

Poster: A-9

Mentor: James Tice, Architecture

Guiseppe Vasi (1710 – 1782) created over 240 vedute or city landscape views of Rome during his lifetime and in the process provides us with a vivid document of the city and its people during the period. Vasi methodically and accurately depicts every corner of the city from impressive monuments to more humble quarters. His views of daily life also provide a fascinating social commentary rendering all classes with a witty and candid eye. The research project in which I have been involved highlights five spectacular panoramas that Vasi created at the height of his career. The largest of these, the Panorama of Rome taken from the Janiculum Hill, is over 9 feet long and shows 390 individual monuments that are carefully keyed to an index on the print. Working with faculty in the Department of Architecture and the InfoGraphics Lab in the Geography Department on campus, my research has been to carefully analyze and create a multi-media display, allowing the viewer to understand the wealth and breadth of the information, portrayed. The resulting work was formatted into an innovative iPad installation and included in the recent exhibition, “Giuseppe Vasi’s Rome: Lasting Impressions from the Age of the Grand Tour” sponsored by the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art last fall. The exhibition is currently showing at the Princeton University Art Museum.