Polyhedral sundial, 1587

Technical characteristics

Date

1587

Type

Italian polyhedral dial

Maker

Stefano Buonsignori

Height

195 mm

Provenance

Istituto e Museo di Storia della Scienza, Firenze

Place recorded

Italy

Maker / attribution

Stefano Buonsignori

Maker's Abbreviation

Don Stefano Fiorentino Fecit

Design

Visible features

• Painted Medici coat of arms surmounted by a Cardinal's hat • Turned wood baluster pillar stand • Multifaceted dodecahedron form with individual gnomons on each face • Painted Latin inscriptions and scrollwork

Construction and Form

The object is formed as a regular dodecahedron, which serves as the base for multiple sundial surfaces. It stands on a turned single-stem baluster pillar. The geometric arrangement allows for various orientations, including five reclining and declining faces, five inclining and declining faces, and one horizontal face. The horizontal top face features a pin gnomon scaphe dial designed for Italian hours. A recess or cavity is positioned in the center above the gnomon, noted as having formerly contained a compass used for orienting the device towards the North to ensure accurate timekeeping through the projection of shadows. The surface treatment involves detailed painting. The scaphe dial utilizes a gold-painted surface with black lines and numerals, accented by a red band inscribed with references to the Tropic of Capricorn and gold foliate patterns. Other faces incorporate blue grounds with gold foliation and white banderols identifying the tropics. The symmetry of the instrument's decoration is a deliberate feature, with dials and ornamentation mirrored across the opposing faces of the dodecahedron.

Provenance and Attribution

The sundial is attributed to Stefano Buonsignori, an Olivetan friar who served as the cosmographer to Francesco I de' Medici. The association with the Medici dynasty is further reinforced by the presence of the family's coat of arms on the dial. The instrument is currently part of the collection at the Istituto e Museo di Storia della Scienza in Florence, identified by inventory number 2456. Historical analysis by Anthony J. Turner describes the instrument's complexity and the specific arrangement of its faces. The object is officially documented within the Epact catalogue of scientific instruments from Medieval and Renaissance Europe.

Decoration and Inscriptions

The instrument is heavily decorated with heraldic and didactic elements. One reclined face displays the Medici coat of arms, featuring a Cardinal's hat and the motto 'Presidium et decus'. This section is executed in gold, red, and black on a blue ground. The maker's identity is recorded through the monogram 'D.S.F.F.', which translates to 'Don Stefano Fiorentino Fecit'. This is accompanied by the date 1587, appearing on the left-hand dial of the lower grouping. In addition to heraldic markers, the instrument carries lengthy Latin mottoes. These are found on the rims of the reclining scaphe dials situated beneath the horizontal top dial. The text includes phrases such as 'Hora diees mentiq{ue} simul ptervolat annus' and 'Tempus abit volat hora fugax'. These inscriptions are rendered in black lettering, integrating timekeeping functionality with philosophical themes prevalent in the object's construction period.

Identification

Inventory Number

2456

Source note

Facts transcribed from the linked source listing or collection record. Attribution and specifications are source-reported and have not been independently authenticated.

Catalogue references

No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.