These are wonders
of the machinatoric art of ingenuity

Leonardo da Vinci, Manuscript I, folio 57v

What is the philology of machines

Historical research

Each investigation starts from a rigorous study of the sources and their historical and social context.

experimentation

The best validation of a hypothesis is its practical verification.

Technology

3D design, simulations, laboratory measurements, they are all irreplaceable analysis tools.

We study the history of technology

Artes Mechanicae is a research group on the history of science and technology, characterized by a strongly interdisciplinary approach, directed by an international scientific committee composed of specialists in technical and humanistic disciplines.

Alexander Neuwahl

Founder of ArtesMechanicae

Design and communication professional, collaborator of the Leonardo Museum of Vinci

Andrea Bernardoni

Founder of ArtesMechanicae

Professor of history of science at the University of L'Aquila – Researcher of the Galileo Museum (Florence)

Pascal Brioist

scientific Committee

History professor at the University of Tours – Researcher at CESR (Tours)

The ArtesMechanicae group

Building models

Experimentation is the heart of our historical research: the understanding of a machine or a process cannot be separated from its material reconstruction.

Materials

The research on the materials used for the realization of artifacts is one of the most important access keys to the technology of the past.

Processes

The philological reconstruction of an ancient technological process passes through a sequence of successive approximations, each of which is potentially a new discovery in itself.

Instruments

A philological reconstruction does not necessarily require the use of equally philological tools in all processes, but only where these determine particular characteristics of the result.


Technology for history

The most advanced reconstruction methodologies, Investigation and diagnostics can be of great help in understanding the function and construction techniques of tools and technological finds of the past.

Informatica

Information technologies are the tools thanks to which research advances on a daily basis.

Physics and engineering

The “hard sciences” they are absolutely indispensable supports in all hypothesis testing processes.

Dignostica

Advanced technologies of non-invasive investigation of materials and structures shed new light on problems that would otherwise be difficult to face.


OUR REFERENCE INSTITUTIONS

Who we work with

Our best credentials are the institutions we have always worked with

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The Leonardian Museum of Vinci, together with the Leonardian Library, it is the most important institution in the world dedicated to research on Leonardo da Vinci as an engineer. In addition to being part of the group of researchers closest to the Museum in the daily scientific activities and maintenance of the collection of historical models, we collaborated in the creation of the Museum's displays and numerous exhibitions.

Leonardian Museum of VinciVinci
The Museo dell'Opera del Duomo in Florence, besides being one of the most important museums in the world for late medieval sacred sculpture, it is also the place where the material traces of the most important building site of all time are preserved, that of the dome by Filippo Brunelleschi. Scientific research and didactic collaborations with the Museum have been going on for many years now.


Opera del Duomo MuseumFlorence
The Galileo Museum in Florence is one of the most important institutions in the world dedicated to the history of science. In addition to research activities, with the Museum we collaborate in the creation of exhibitions and educational initiatives.

Galileo museumFlorence
The Leonardo da Vinci National Museum of Science and Technology in Milan is one of the major institutions in the field of scientific dissemination in Italy. Over time we have collaborated with the Museum for various scientific activities.

National Museum of Science and TechnologyMilano
The Clos Lucé is the residence in which Leonardo da Vinci has spent the last years of his life in Amboise, in France. Today it is a museum dedicated to Leonardo which houses a permanent exhibition and temporary exhibitions, to which we collaborate with content and exhibition.

Clos LucéAmboise
The University Museum System of the Alma Mater University of Bologna makes a precious historical collection of scientific instruments available for research and teaching. We collaborate with SMA for the preservation of ancient instruments and for the production of philological replicas.

University Museum System – UniBo Alma MaterBologna

Would you like to know more?

Research, exhibitions, models, animations, didactics, productions.

Contact