Diving man
Date
1794
Creator
Nicola Fiorillo (1730 - 1805, Italian) , Engraver
After
Francesco Antonio Lapegna (1769, Italian) , Painter
Object type
Library reference
27806
Material
Technique
Dimensions
height (print): 195mm
width (print): 289mm
width (print): 289mm
Description
Figure of a classically styled near-nude man shown diving into the sea, from a rock. The lower legs and feet of another diver, who has preceded him into the water, can be seen lower right.
Plate 13 from L'uomo galleggiante, o sia l'arte ragionata del nuoto; scoperta fisica [‘The floating man, or the reasoned art of swimming…], by Oronzio de’ Bernardi (Naples, 1794), pp.114/115. The plate is inscribed: ‘Tav.XIII.’ Below: ‘Fran. Lapegna des. dal Naturale. Fiorillo.’
The illustration is intended to be instructional, in Bernardi’s manual of swimming practice. It accompanies lesson 15 on swimming in the book: ‘Regole sulle maniere varie di gittarsi nell' acqua da sul rialto degli scogli, o da sul bordo de' navigli’ [Rules on the various ways of throwing oneself into the water from rocks, or from the edge of the canals]. The print appears in a section advising on diving ‘Altezza della caduta dieci: profondita dell' acqua cento’ [Height of fall ten: depth of water one hundred].
Oronzio de’ Bernardi (1620-1707), Italian priest and author of a manual of swimming. Bernardi was not a Fellow of the Royal Society.
Plate 13 from L'uomo galleggiante, o sia l'arte ragionata del nuoto; scoperta fisica [‘The floating man, or the reasoned art of swimming…], by Oronzio de’ Bernardi (Naples, 1794), pp.114/115. The plate is inscribed: ‘Tav.XIII.’ Below: ‘Fran. Lapegna des. dal Naturale. Fiorillo.’
The illustration is intended to be instructional, in Bernardi’s manual of swimming practice. It accompanies lesson 15 on swimming in the book: ‘Regole sulle maniere varie di gittarsi nell' acqua da sul rialto degli scogli, o da sul bordo de' navigli’ [Rules on the various ways of throwing oneself into the water from rocks, or from the edge of the canals]. The print appears in a section advising on diving ‘Altezza della caduta dieci: profondita dell' acqua cento’ [Height of fall ten: depth of water one hundred].
Oronzio de’ Bernardi (1620-1707), Italian priest and author of a manual of swimming. Bernardi was not a Fellow of the Royal Society.
Associated place