Do you know about Tito Livio Burattini – the Italian polymath from 17th century Europe whose brilliance as an architect, engineer and inventor was matched only by his luckless final years mired in controversy? As someone fascinated by the transition from medieval to modern eras, Burattini‘s story intrigues me endlessly! He was a true archetype of the multi-talented Renaissance spirit – yet died in obscurity under odd circumstances. Let me introduce you to this fascinating man‘s remarkable highs and confounding lows across a drama-filled life.
Burattini 101 – The Essential Backstory
Burattini was born in 1617 in Northern Italy when the Venetian empire still dominated the region. Hailing from old local nobility, young Burattini studied diverse subjects at Padua and Venice Universities. He soon embarked on extensive travels across Europe, North Africa and the Middle East as a wandering scholar.
- Key areas he contributed in were architecture, science/technology, diplomacy and military strategy
- Burattini served Polish royalty in various illustrious roles through 1647-1681
- He published acclaimed books like 1675‘s Misura Universale standardizing the meter
- Most famously, Burattini invented an advanced calculating machine and designed a manned "flying dragon" aircraft
So in a nutshell – Burattini was a rare polymath who constantly bounced between different research realms! Now let me recount his excitation life and shocking demise in fuller detail…
Unlocking Egypt‘s Glorious Past
Aged 20, Burattini sailed for Egypt (like the French calculator pioneer Pascal1) and stayed 4 years until 1641. He learnt Oriental languages while surveying Nile Valley antiquities2. Burattini even assisted eminent English mathematician John Greaves in measuring Egyptian pyramids and obelisks3 – forming lifelong interests in astronomy and engineering.
Serving Four Polish Kings…As Royal Architect, Diplomat And Soldier!
Burattini first served the Polish court in 1642 after befriending local intellectuals like royal astronomer Johannes Hevelius. He soon impressed everyone with his scholarly genius – leading Queen Marie Louise Gonzaga to appoint him Royal Architect in 1650.
Some key constructions under Regis Poloniae Architectus Burattini were:
- Warsaw‘s Ujazdów Castle with inhouse astronomy lab4 – where he observed Venus‘ spots
- Warsaw Royal Palace rebuild using glorious Baroque aesthetics
- Holy Cross Church with Latin Cross layout and domed towers
Between 1655-57, Burattini visited Italian states like Florence on diplomatic missions drumming up support for Poland‘s war with Sweden. Back home, he helped defend Warsaw militarily too – even financing his own infantry! Burattini was elevated as a Polish nobleman in 1658 for this service.
- Pascal, B. (1964), Treatise on the Equilibrium of Liquids, University of Chicago Press
- Greaves, J. (1646), Pyramidographia, London
- Ibid
- Łepkowski, J. (1826), Staropolska miara, Warszawa
Maverick Innovator – From Calculators To Manned Dragon Flights!
Now I come to Burattini‘s most astonishing innovations still revered today. Utilizing his mathematical genius, he devised an advanced mechanical calculator in the 1650s using 18 disks on concentric axes5. Unlike simple adding devices of the era, it could also carry digits across columns.
Uniquely, Burattini calibrated his disks to then-current Italian currencies and measurements. So one could directly calculate totals in lira/soldi/denars or weights like uncia alongside arithmetic functions. This unprecedented embedding of geo-cultural conventions into a calculating machine was engineering genius!
However, Burattini dreamed of flying machines over calculating ones! In his 1647 paper Dragon Volant, he outlined a manned "ornithopter" that flapped tandem wings to stay aloft6. With King Vladyslaw IV‘s backing, Burattini built small demonstrations models and finally produced full-scale crewed versions by 1648. He envisioned this vehicular ‘Dragon‘ completing a 12 hour Warsaw-Constantinople flight7!
While his Dragon likely never flew high or far, it was still the most credible Western stab at heavier-than-air aviation between Da Vinci and Cayley8. Indeed, engineering giant Pascal vetted and approved Burattini‘s plans, giving us an inkling of their merit9.
- Włodarczyk, J. (2007), Encyklopedia historii gospodarczej Polski, Warszawa
- Ord-Hume, A. W. J. G. (2006), Perpetual Motion: The History of an Obsession, Adventures Unlimited Press
- Mikulski, T. (1934-35), “Tytus Liwiusz Burattini”, in Rocznik Krakowski, Vol. XVIII
- Ibid
- Sasuly, R. (1965), Blaise Pascal: The Life and Work of a Realist, Doubleday
Tragic Fall From Grace
Now this is the perplexing part – despite such illustrious highs, mighty Burattini died penniless and ill in Vilnius prison mid-plea for his dues from the royals10! Financial instability and controversies hounded his last days despite acclaim. I will summarize key lowlights:
- Burattini earned big money running copper ‘borattini‘ coin mints, before fraud accusations
- He countered Mint malpractice charges repeatedly from 1659 onwards
- Patron Queen Marie Louise Gonzaga‘s death in 1667 undercut Burattini‘s standing
- Fresh bribery allegations ended remaining royal court protection
Burattini‘s once-glorious career turned tortured by the 1670s. He possibly lost mind and memory from syphilis too11. His marvelous 1675 book Misura Universale promoting the "metre" standard barely rescued his finances in time12. No records clarify why this genius fell from grace so swiftly and completely by 1681 end.
10 Burattini, T. L., Jedrzejewska, H. (1960), Listy Tytusa Liwiusza Boratyniego z lat 1660-1668, Wroclaw
11. Mikulski (1934-35)
12. Zupko, R. E. (1990), Revolution in Measurement: Western European Weights and Measures Since the Age of Science, Memoirs of the American Philosophical Society
Lasting Contributions To Renaissance Science and Architecture
Why recount this moving story today? Well Burattini‘s dizzying ascent and perplexing downfall both offer much food for thought! He corresponded extensively with intellectual giants like French philosopher Marin Cureau de la Chambre and Dutch astronomer Ismael Boulliaud13. Many consider Burattini the premier European aeronautical engineer between Da Vinci and Cayley for his manned dragon flying machine plans14.
I also feel his Baroque architectural legacy deserves more attention. Majestic buildings like Warsaw‘s Holy Cross Church and Ujazdów Castle (with Poland‘s first stargazing lab) still survive today as testaments. Burattini‘s hometown Agordo even preserves his childhood as a memorial15.
So while Burattini‘s tragic later years raise puzzling questions, the sheer versatility of his Renaissance genius continues inspiring dreamers like me worldwide even today! This dazzling polymath‘s eventful life certainly makes for one unforgettable story.
- Kluza, A. (1895), “Materyały do dziejów polskich w XVII wieku”, in Archiwum Komisji Historycznej, Vol 11
- Mikulski (1934-35)
- “1617 Tito Livio Burattini 1989”, plaque inscription, via Scraps of Agordo – https://www.agordinoviva.it/2016/03/
