The Borghesi Astronomical Clock
In the Museum of History and Technology
Excerpt:
The history of the
18th-century Borghesi astronomical clock is
described here from
contemporary source material. The evolution
of its design by Father
Francesco Borghesi and the building of
the complex mechanism devised
by the clockmaker, Bartolomeo
Antonio Bertolla, is a story
of the vision of one man turned
into reality by another. The
result of their collaboration is
the unique, astronomical
timepiece now in the Museum of History
and Technology._
THE AUTHOR: _Silvio A. Bedini
is curator of mechanical and
civil engineering in the
Smithsonian Institution's Museum of
History and Technology._
"... All this work I had
performed eagerly, so that, while in
my room, I might contemplate
leisurely, both during the day and
in the night, the true face
of the heavens and of the seas
unobscured by clouds, even
though I had no astronomical
equipment."[1]
With these words, Father Francesco Borghesi (1723-1802) of Mechel
described the reasons which inspired him to invent a unique astronomical
clock which is now in the horological collection of the Museum of
History and Technology.
This complicated mechanism, which performs a multitude of functions, was
designed by Father Francesco Borghesi, a secular priest in Venezia
Tridentina. It was constructed in 1764 under his direction by a
provincial clockmaker named Bartolomeo Antonio Bertolla (1702-1789) of
Mocenigo di Rumo. It was the second of two complicated astronomical
clocks which Father Borghesi designed and which Bertolla constructed.
According to contemporary sources, this clock was presented to the
Empress Maria Theresa of Austria soon after its completion.
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