Table 35
1828
Imagine a steampunk inventor's sketchbook from 1828: this engraving by Francesco Cardinali depicts a mysterious hydraulic machine perched atop a rugged, rocky cliff. A small structure houses a large, spoked wheel—likely a water wheel or pump—while two long, snake-like pipes stretch all the way down the mountainside into pools of water below. The labels 'Tav. 35' and 'Fig. 198' reveal this is just one plate from a massive technical encyclopedia, showcasing the Neoclassical era's drive to catalog and master the mechanics of nature. The signature 'A. Nani inc.' at the bottom credits the engraver who carefully carved this complex diagram into a copper plate for printing.
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