The automaton theater
Name
24874110-MIT.pdf
Description
Full printable version
Size
4.06 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
c5a6adaec13dcc3b8c0273a0250b1397
Author(s)
Xagoraris, Zafirios
Advisor(s)
Otto Piene.
Date Issued
1991
Publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Abstract
Hero of Alexandria was a Greek geometrician, engineer, and inventor who lived in Alexandria probably during the first century A.D. He wrote in Greek a number of theoretical treatises revealing a thorough knowledge of geometry, mechanics, optics, and pneumatics. Being more interested in the applications of his theoretical principles than in the principles themselves, Hero is known as the inventor of a number of ingenious devices based on principles of pneumatics, mechanics, and optics. The objective of this thesis is to evaluate Hero's work from an artistic viewpoint. To this end, it focuses on devices described in three of Hero's treatises, Pneumatica, Catoptrica, and Automatopoietica, in order to identify their artistic value and artistic novelty. Hero's influence on subsequent artistic-technical work, and in particular on the contemporary automaton theater, is also discussed. Finally, considerations are added in relation to a new project.
Description
Thesis (M.S.V.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Architecture, 1991.
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 45-47).
Subjects
Architecture.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Architecture
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copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but
reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written
permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.
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