This is the first essay which is my attempt to introduce an artifact from the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art.
How Horses used Hydraulic Pumps since 1775
How would a horse get water from a well? Would they use their mouths to pull up a rope attached to a bucket, that would seem the most direct way, but according to a model made from Beechwood, walnut wood, mahogany, and metal, two horses can just run in circles and get four buckets of water up one after the other. The “Model for Operating Four Hydraulic Pumps,” shows how, two horses are on opposite sides on a wooden circle and both horses are attached to a metal bar which is attached to metal object shaped into a large x called an eccentric which at the four ends of the metal X have four pulleys connected. The device sounds complex, but if the model is seen in person and closely examined it will seem possible that running in circles can pull things up.
”Model for Operating Four Hydraulic Pumps”
To find the “Model for Operating Four Hydraulic Pumps,” a you would need to go through the New York Metropolitan and enter the 5th avenue entrance go to the second floor walk towards the entrance to Greek statues then turn right, walk forward then walk forward till a shop is reached then turn left and the “Making Marvels: Science and Splendor at the Courts of Europe,” exhibit will be on the right. The Exhibit is curated by Wolfram Koeppe who said that the collection features objects from 16th to 18th century that artists had put great effort to create. The “Making Marvels,” is an exhibit that displays objects of different complexities from the 1550 to 1750 which are separated into eight sections called “Setting the Standard: Princely Magnificence in Precious Metal, The Kunstkammer: A Haven of Splendor and Study, A Fascination with Facets, The Scientific Instrument as Work of Art, Training the Princely Mind and Hand, Artistic Interpretations of Time, The Search for Artificial Life, and Inventions That Paved the Way”. If you walk through the kunstkammer section, containing objects owned by powerful people, you may see an artifact that use visual tricks such as the feather painting of “St. Michael Slaying the Devil,” which can change colors if you look at it in front of it to look at it from below the frame with the picture going from drab colors to more vibrant colors. There is also the “Picture Puzzle of Christian V, King of Denmark and Norway,” in the science in art section which looks like pictures of eight people, but there are actually nine of which can only be seen with a special looking glass. A variety of people including students, tourists, New York residents, and many more view the exhibit whether with a tour guide or a friend different kinds of people that can be heard discussing the history of artifacts or just the shuffling of feet.
”St Michael Slaying the devil,” in direct and mirror view showing the increased vibrancy (left, center).
”Picture Puzzle of Christain V, King of Denmark and Norway,” (right)
After the clockwork section of the exhibit the “Model for Operating Four hydraulic Pumps,” can be found in the Artificial Intelligence part of the exhibit and close to the “Centerpiece in the form of a galley,” which is a silver sailboat with cannons pointing in many directions. The “Model for Operating Four Hydraulic Pumps,” is a model that was commissioned by Grand Duke Peter Leopold of Tuscany who respected the sciences and admired experimental aspirations, so he opened a museum of physics and natural history in 1775 in Florence. The museum housed the model of hydraulic pumps and was filled with other instruments like the model of hydraulic pumps and was similar to a Kunstkammer which is a storage area filled with wonderous devices which were often owned by people of royalty or a powerful position.
There was a lack of light in the exhibition which created an atmosphere that helps focus on the exhibits making a person feel more immersed in the history of the objects. A more practical reasoning for having a darker exhibition is to prevent damage for any light sensitive materials on artifacts or to allow visitors to clearly witness the visual tricks that some artifacts utilizes such as “Picture Puzzle of Christian V, King of Denmark and Norway.”
Though the “Model for Operating Four Hydraulic Pumps,” is not the most glamorous piece at the exhibit it is still a fascinating model showing that even in 1775 or 1594 people had ideas in their adult years that are taught in middle school classes today.
Citations
Koeppe, W., & Andrews, N. (2019). Making marvels: science and splendor at the courts of Europe. Retrieved February 17, 2020 from https://books.google.com/books?id=d2S-DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA244&lpg=PA244&dq=model+for+operating+four+hydraulic+pumps+italian+florence&source=bl&ots=uqWUQhXBiL&sig=ACfU3U113sqWhIh5w-127LJiekGnEpY3Ug&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiE9YfA7dbnAhUQhuAKHaoxDssQ6AEwAHoECAgQAQ#v=onepage&q=model%20for%20operating%20four%20hydraulic%20pumps%20italian%20florence&f=false
Model for operating four hydraulic pumps third quarter of the 18th century. (2019). Retrieved February 17, 2020, from https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/788907?&exhibitionId=%7b26ee91b7-19dc-432d-b084-9e51d6edf537%7d&oid=788907&pkgids=600&pg=0&rpp=100&pos=143&ft=*&offset=100
