2004.07.20
Artifact of Ottopia No. 59
Venturi & Rauch
Town Hall for Canton, Ohio
Progressive Architecture Design Award Citation, January 1967
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2004.07.20
Artifact of Ottopia No. 60
Venturi & Rauch
Princeton Memorial Park
Progressive Architecture Design Award Citation, January 1967
2004.07.20 11:46
19 July 326
Sustainable architecture 4th century style.
[Constantine visited] the Constantinian basilica [today's St. John Lateran] where he offered the following gifts: a ciborium of hammered silver, which has upon the front the Savior seated upon a chair, in height 5 feet, weighing 120 lbs., and also the 12 apostles, who weigh each ninety pounds and are 5 feet in height and wear crowns of purest silver; further, on the back, looking toward the apse are the Savior seated upon a throne in height 5 feet, of purest silver, weighing 140 lbs., and 4 angels of silver, which weigh each 105 lbs. and are 5 feet in height and have jewels from Alabanda in their eyes and carry spears; [or: which are each 5 feet in height upon the sides and carry crosses and weigh each 105 lbs. and have jewels from Alavanda in their eyes;] the ciborium itself weighs 2025 lbs. of wrought silver; a vaulted ceiling of purest gold; [or: the ciborium itself weighs 2025 lbs.; -- the ciborium itself, where stand the angels and the apostles, weighs 2025 lbs. of wrought silver;] and a lamp of purest gold, which hangs beneath the ciborium, with 50 dolphins of purest gold, weighing each 50 lbs., and chains which weigh 25 lbs.; [a lamp of purest gold beneath the ciborium with 50 dolphins and a chain which weighs 25 lbs.; -- a lamp of purest gold which hangs beneath the ciborium, with 50 dolphins, which weighs with its chain 25 lbs.;]
4 crowns of purest gold with 20 dolphins, weighing each fifteen lbs.;
a vaulting for the basilica of polished gold, in length and in breadth 500 lbs.;
7 altars of purest silver, weighing each 200 lbs.;
7 golden patens, weighing each thirty lbs.;
16 silver patens, weighing each thirty lbs.;
7 goblets of purest gold, weighing each 10 lbs.;
A single goblet of coral set all about with prases and jacinths and overlaid with gold, which weighs in all 20 lbs. and 3 ounces;
20 silver goblets, weighing each fifteen lbs.;
2 pitchers of purest gold, weighing each fifty lbs. and holding each 3 medimni;
20 silver pitchers, weighing each ten lbs. and holding each one medimnus;
40 smaller chalices of purest gold, weighing each one lb.;
50 smaller chalices for service, weighing each 2 lbs.;
For ornament in the basilica:
a chandelier of purest gold before the altar, wherein burns pure oil of nard, with 80 dolphins, weighing 30 lbs.;
a silver chandelier with 20 dolphins, which weighs 50 lbs., wherein burns pure oil of nard;
45 silver chandeliers in the body of the basilica, weighing each 30 lbs., wherein burns the aforesaid oil;
on the right side of the basilica 40 silver lamps, weighing each 20 lbs.;
25 silver chandeliers on the left side of the basilica, weighing each 20 lbs.;
50 silver candelabra in the body of the basilica, weighing each 20 lbs.;
3 jars of purest silver, weighing each 300 lbs., holding 10 medimni;
7 brass candlesticks before the altars, 10 feet in height, adorned with figures of the prophets overlaid with silver, weighing each 300 lbs.;
and for maintenance of the lights there he granted:
the Gargilian estate in the region of Suessa yielding every year 400 sol.;
the Bauronican estate in the region of Suessa, yielding 360 sol.;
the Aurian estate in the region of Laurentum, yielding 500 sol.;
the Urban estate in the region of Antium, yielding 240 sol.;
the Sentilian estate in the region of Ardea, yielding 240 sol.;
the estate of Castis in the region of Catina yielding 1000 sol.;
the estate of Trapeae in the region of Catina, yielding 1650 sol.;
2 censers of purest gold, weighing 30 lbs.;
a gift of spices before the altar, every year 150 lbs.
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2004.07.20 15:20
Re: real prophets????
So we're playing 'follow-the-money', are we?
In July 326, Constantine was sole emperor of the Roman Empire for about one and one half years. Since the time of Augustus, it is probably safe to say that any man that became a Roman emperor also became the richest man in the Empire (if not the world) because of all the property (real estate) and wealth that came with the title and position. By the time of Constantine, the imperial holdings were enormous, like over 50% of the Empire itself. Add to that the 'booty' of pagan temples/cults that were then also being outlawed, and the 'cash-flow' was never running dry.
Constantine's gifts as late-antique campaign contributions?
"Vote for me and I'll set you free!"
Actually, all the gifts were prescribed and arranged by Helena and Eutropia, and the events of 19 July through 24 July were more or less Constantine ceremoniously making it all official. Constantine never liked Rome, especially now that his bath isn't even there anymore. "At least I can still get a decent bath in Istanbul!"
2004.07.21 11:29
Re: shining with like...
Eutropia was the wife of Emperor Maximian, who reigned jointly with Emperor Diocletian for 20 years. She was also the mother of the usurper Emperor Maxentius (controlling Italy and North Africa 306-312), and the mother-in-law of Emperor Constantius (whose first wife was Helena and whose first son was Constantine) and the mother-in-law of Constantine. By 326, Eutropia and Helena knew each other for almost fifty years, and were best friends for the at least the last twenty years. For Constantine (and Helena), Eutropia was the font of knowledge about the Empire, especially the Imperial holdings--Eutropia and Helena also shared a keen interest in architecture.
In the coming days Eutropia again demonstrates her remarkable (shrewd political) resourcefulness, for example, issuing a law of silence would have never occurred to Constantine were it not for her suggestion.
The spiral columns were not carved specifically for the new Basilica of St. Peter, rather they were taken from two quondam structures. Scholars today do not know where the columns came from exactly, and it is thanks to The Life of Silvester within the Liber Pontificalis that we at least know they came from Greece. The huge bronze columns of the baldechin (by Bernini) presently at St. Peter's are based on the original (much smaller) spiral columns. The original columns still exist at St. Peter's, where four pairs of them frame to upper niches of the four main supports of the dome respectively.
Rubens depicted the spiral columns within a select group of paintings and tapestry designs, hence "The Marriage of Twisted and Column"--Eutropia's and Ruben's paper for the forthcoming Horace Trumbauer Architecture Fan Club Convention.
as to excavating, see 21 May 1972, etc.
2004.07.21 11:51
David Wallace dies in apparant double suicide
I witnessed an example David Wallace's desperate tendencies while I was briefly employed at WRT Spring 1987. As their only employee then having extensive CAD management and operating experience, I made a presentation to the partners as to how CAD would be utilized once they decided to bring CAD into the office. Wallace did not attend almost all of the presentation--he decided it was much more important to hand render a drawing that morning (something that hadn't been his routine for years) instead. From then on I realized that Wallace was one for making symbolic gestures, albeit ones that were trite and unimaginative.
A double suicide is the climax of My Past and Heinrich von Kleist, author of Michael Kohlhaas, etc., became somewhat notorius for seeking someone to commit double suicide with. I even think he eventually succeeded.
2004.07.21 13:25
David Wallace dies in apparant double suicide
Double suicide is harsh, Marc.
The climax of Constantine's Vicennailia (this weekend) was a death and an uncertain suicide--the Emperor's mother and wife respectively. I've learned to see things as they are even when they're harsh, because you then see much more of the truth.
2004.07.21 15:39
David Wallace dies in apparant double suicide
Marc, I do forgive you for misinterpreting my intentions.
Did I intend to reenact suicide while in the midst of composing a novel regarding the 2004 afterlife of the Horace Trumbauer Architecture Fan Club?
No.
Did I nonetheless find myself reenacting suicide while in the midst of composing a novel regarding the 2004 afterlife of the Horace Trumbauer Architecture Fan Club?
Yes.
2004.07.21 19:01
David Wallace dies in apparant double suicide
Marc (et al), my intention was never to have you sit all evening and decipher my intentions, so don't imply that that's what I want you to do. As to the notion that I've expressed a grudge, I haven't thought about David Wallace probably since 1987. What I did express is the recollection of a personal experience with David Wallace.
My primary intention this year is to compose a novel regarding the 2004 afterlife of the Horace Trumbauer Architecture Fan Club, and, as is evident, I am very eager to compose this novel in a real/virtual manner. Do you assume this intention needs support from the living?
2004.07.22 07:16
Re: still about mining
Helena is the patron saint of miners.
2004.07.22 11:48
David Wallace dies in apparant double suicide
Ian L. McHarg is the newest member of the Horace Trumbauer Architecture Fan Club. All the other members enjoy Ian's A Quest For Life: An Autobiography. Plus Ian's keeping them all entertained with his stories about the good old Intergraph days at U of P's Graduate School of Fine Arts.
2004.07.22 16:26
Re: Virtual Synagogue in Berlin's Fasanenstrasse
very coincidental....
Just within the last half hour I upload two pages at which depict an analytical rendition of Kahn's Mikveh Israel Synagogue (Philadelphia, 1961-70, unexecuted) where the cylinders of light are replace with reduced versions of Venturi & Rauch's Tower for Princeton Memorial Park (New Jersey, 1966, unexecuted).
Gordon sees the PMP Tower design as Venturi & Rauch's consummate homage to Kahn, specifically to the Mikveh Israel Synagogue.
While Gordon studied architecture at Cornell (BA 1968), he well remembers Perspecta 9/10 where Mikveh Israel is featured, as well as the then forthcoming excerpt from Complexity and Contradiction--"Is it a building split in two or two buildings coming together."
And who could forget the "Avant-Garde Anachronist" article on Louis Kahn in Time June 1966--"Carving in Light" indeed.
And remember how everyone was eating up the Progressive Architecture Award Citations January 1967.
Really being in Berlin right now would be nice, but where I really want to be is Bavaria. Do you think some Baron might hire me to upgrade the website of his Schloss? At least some pictures of the famous Chinese Room.
It looks like Leni is finally going to admit to having Jewish skeleton's in her closet, so to speak.
Ian L. McHarg is the newest member of the Horace Trumbauer Architecture Fan Club. All the other members enjoy Ian's A Quest For Life: An Autobiography (let's hope David Wallace read it too). Plus Ian's keeping them all entertained with his stories about the good old INTERGRAPH days at U of P's Graduate School of Fine Arts.
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