My artistic and book production

CASALE MONFERRATO, THE ANCIENT ROMAN TOWN OF VARDACATE
Critic Ending
The necessity to confront the study on the town of Casale Monferrato, has been speed up by the hypothesis that Casale could be effectively the ancient roman town of Vardacate.
Moreover, in 1969 was held the last congress of Antiquity and Art. In that occasion they look for to give a first plausible answer to this hypothesis. Also because, previously, were been done findings of ancient rest of roman centuries. During the excavations, done in 1967, due to construction of new ENEL central, emerge again, on Pozzo Saint Evasio Street, some roman graves with relative funerary furniture and also several funerary inscriptions. Not only, has been found again a Bronze Table on the bed of Po river where was signed the name of Vardacate.
In the 1977, the Culture’s Councillorship of the town of Casale Monferrato organized a series of conferences based on the urban evolution of the town. The results obtained concrete itself successively in a work: “Casale: imagine of a town”, that constitutes an essential document for the knowledge of Casale Monferrato town. The work realised by the historic Dionigi Roggero, present the town from the point of view, architectonic, building and town-planning.
This fact it was fundamental to stimulate the curiosity, of which is writing, to investigate on the possible and probable roman origins of Casale Monferrato. Possible roman reasons because it can be true and so it does not implies contradiction; probable because it has examined true due to reliable test and arguments relative to this that was likely happened.
The tests and the arguments were been materialized itself to applying a exactly scientific methodology that was led to satisfactory results, based on the systematic typological present on the anthropizated areas, different for zone and in time.
The father of the above Methodology was been Saverio Muratori, which in 60s starts specific studies at urban level on Venice and successively on Rome, where he taught near the faculty of Architecture. The disciples of Saverio Muratori had spread his thought to investigating it, and have applied his Methodology for the lecture and the comprehension of the evolution of towns, as for example: Gianfranco Caniggia for Como, Mari Giovanna Figoli for Genoa, et al.
The same Methodology, applied on the town of Casale Monferrato and the surrounding territory, consists in the lecture of the territorial organism in relation to the town and successively in the lecture of the urban organism, building and architectonic.
The “process” followed is finalized to the knowledge more close of the territory, meant as ratio man-ground, of the town and it stay to the base of a each one conscientious projectile approach. To knowing and to studying deeply the town it is possible to know what is better to act, to satisfy its new and changed requirements, without to interfere “brutally” in urban tissue, of a town so rich of history and with its exact identity to respect.
The conducted study has carried out to the individualization of the roman plant of Vardacate.
The method technical-scientific applied was based on the permanence of the structures, or all these “sign” made by man present on the territory that point the planning of the same.
The work consisted in the locating of all parallel and orthogonal “sign” having an exactly inclination that we ask system of alignments. Through the research of these last, done on several cadastral maps, it was possible to arrive to locate the roman planner design.
The work was start investigating on maps of the town in reduced scale and recognizing all the existing structural systems. It was intervened, time by time, on maps always bigger, applying the same methodology technical-scientific.
The order of succession followed has carried out to the location of a system of alignments, inclined of 4° to N-E, and interesting all the territory of Casale, that report the presence of a unique or however homogeneous planner moment, exactly that one roman. For unique or however homogeneous planner moment we think that all the territorial constants that are the considered “sign”, belong to a unitary law of squareness and parallelism.
It was happened the truthfulness of how much was found confronting the problem to another point of view. It is for this cause that it was investigated in the area tortonese-allessandrina, interested by the roman century. It was discovered that the same system of alignments, to understand each other, that belonging to the territory of Casale, is present also in the country tortonese-allessandrina. On the contrary the warping century, having a inclination of 12° N-E, interesting the plan above mentioned, is present overbearingly also in Casalese territory.
Furthermore, reading the maps it is clear and evident the presence of roman plant in Casale Monferrato. The interested area of the Casale installation corresponds to a roman century, about 710 x 710 meters, corresponding to 20 x 20 actus. It useful to remember that an actus correspond to 35,52 x 35,52 meters, corresponding to 120 x 120 romans foots.
All the landscape to East of Casale Monferrato and at South of Po river, and exactly the territory flat area, including the installations of Frassineto Po, Ticineto and Borgo San Martino, with at the centre Santa Maria del Tempio, is widely interested by the roman land-surveyor system.
The net that we can see is thick and is constituted by a subdivision of the territory in centuries and multiply of century, for instance 2130 x 2130 meters corresponding to about 7200 x 7200 romans foots.
To comparing the two systems of alignment, that change of 8° each other, it is possible to assert that the century of the territory of Casale was happened in a moment previously the foundation of the same town. In fact the two grills or better the two systems of alignment presents a difference of orientation, also if lower. Then, Vardacate was born just after the colonization of the territory carried out Romans, of consequence is a town founded “ex novo” with a regular design, consequently to the centurazio.
At this point it is obviously a consideration. Casale Monferrato, through this study of research, this investigate in its far origins, penetrating in its intimae nature, through the lecture of “signs” persistent at the time, have found again its true identity, so that to be the ancient roman town of Vardacate. A town, of military or civil origin, making part of a wide planned design effected by Romans in the moment of the total organization of the territory by them conquered. In synthesis Vardacate was a town of colonization, one of much colonies the Romans gave to the retired armies for have a usufruct of the cultivable ground divided in centuries, or to transform marshy or boggy grounds by their land reclamations and a precisely work of economic management.
With the fall of Roman emperor, the abandonment of the towns, the barbaric invasions that overturn the physiognomy of the territories, also for Vardacate starts an obscure period in which the town reduce and impoverish itself.
And this it is possible to read clearly observing the maps of the town. A traumatic event the studious supports, a drama very serious that Vardacate (Casale Monferrato) preserves inside jealously and revels only to who don’t limits himself to live her superficially but want to know in her most close nature.
Through the ready lecture of cadastral maps, by the application of the above methodology, it is possible to see the insertion of annular plant in rectilinear plant. The contraction of the town is expressed in the ovoidal form, wrapped up around the church of Saint Evasio, corresponding to the annular plant. Its renascence is conforming to the restarting of the ancient rectilinear typology.
By means of analysis of the building tissue of the town it is possible to see seven different systems of alignment, equivalent to seven projectual intervention carried out in different successive historic moments.
The seven structural systems were been pointed, on the cadastral map pertinent, with different colours. With red was been represented the principal system, that interested mostly the urban territory, and that have an inclination of 4° respect to the geographic North, which it was just mentioned. In the areas of expansion, of the fifteenth century “Cantone Brignano widening” and sixteenth and seventeenth century “Ala Grande”, the system above was been represented in emerald green.
This differentiation of colour in the inner of the same system, it was been necessary to underline the fact that in expansion areas it has token again the same system of alignments that sign all urban organism.
On the contrary, the pink coloured structural system differs of 1° respect to principal system, in red or emerald green, so could be assimilate to the first one. Really, it could be seen as a next adjustment in the planning of the town.
At this point, the ochre coloured system of alignments appears on the stage, which differs of about 8° respect the principal system. It is present in all the urban tissue, also if it is not evident, alternating to other structural systems. The particularity of this system is its bi-directional and mono-directional presentation, as it’s possible to see in expansion areas just previously noted.
Really, this alignment system corresponds to roman centurazio, which it was previously spoken. In fact, it has an inclination of about 12° N - E respect geographic North.
We can say, without problem, that all “signs” or “structural permanence” belonging to this system, corresponds to the roman centurazio, or however to under multiply of the same, that have interested the entire plan pertinent the town, on the right side of river Po.
And is exactly on that side that Romans have founded the town of Vardacate. Then, in safety position, close to the big river, to the pied of hill’s system and on the right side of Po, because it is the territorial area more high than the left one, depressed area subject to flood all the time.
Returning to alignment systems present in urban tissue, other three was been underlined. The first one blue coloured, present in all urban tissue mixed to the other systems, presents an alignment centred with geographic north. For where it is and how it presents itself, mono directed, we can suppose that it belongs to a plan of building recovery carried out in fourteenth century by Paleologi, Lordships of Monferrato. In fact, it is strictly connected to the area occupied by ex hospital, that we know was been founded by William VIII Paleologo into 1478.
The last two structural systems, yellow and light green coloured, are both mono directed and present a small consistence into the urban tissue. The yellow one interests principally the annular tissue, so it dates back to the age which the ovoidal built-up area was constituted around Saint Evasio church.
On the contrary, the light green coloured system is present principally in the area occupied by Saint Domenico conventual site. So it dates back too to fourteenth century and at the age of full Monferrato humanism flowering, presents either in religious, cultural, artistic and urbanistic fields or in politic and administrative one by means a vividness people into Paleologi: William VIII, which was just spoken above.
At this point the analysis, based on Casale urban organism, supported from historical facts joined analysis, is ended.
The fact that okra coloured alignment’s system corresponds to a roman centuriazione, that it interests all the plain near Casale Monferrato, and a centuria corresponds exactly to the town urban plant, all this is a incontestable test on the truthfulness that Vardacate ancient town has continued to exist, changing during the time and passing through deep metamorphoses that bring it to be the actual urban organism.
Roggero e Castelli, in 1986, wrote: - “At the moment Vardacate is still a mystery, but its secret is replaced into urban metamorphosis that perhaps hides the remote identity of an evocative gemmation”.
In 1998 we can say that Vardacate mystery was been revealed through the application of a correct scientific study and so on the secret replaced into Casale Monferrato urban metamorphosis.
Town alive, with own identity, which is ready to face third millennium with a lot of project to realize to move against the future.
PIOVERA AND HIS LANDSCAPE
Ending critic
“Piovera and his territory” is a study of research able to locate the Roman centurial systems present on Tortonese-Alexandrine plain, through the analysis of cadastral maps and the application of Muratori’s methodology.
In order with the writing of Carlo Palmo Taverna, Piovera is a little rural village with a pluri-millenary history, dating back to about 5000 B.C., when the first inhabitants, deriving from the hills of Tortona and Voghera area, started the anthropisation work of Tortonese-Alexandrine territory on which insists Piovera exactly. Obviously, after a long time, Romans too, big conquerors as well as big planners, left their signs on this territory that, without doubt, gave a remarkable font of resources for the immense emperor.
These “signs” made, during the time, from several people lived on the territory, now allow to understand the evolution of the same territory. The previously “signs” are the territorial and structural permanencies, those hold on time, impossible to erase without the risk to leave other “signs”, showing the presence of the man on the ground. The territorial constants or permanencies are, as an example, streets, footpaths, rows of trees that sign property’s boundaries, cadastral divisions, irrigation channels, installations of every dimension, from little rural cluster to the big town, also a simple farmhouse forms a sign, a structural permanence made by man on the ground.
As Saverio Muratori taught us, territory is a narrow relation between man and world, or rather between the natural world and the human world fully conscious and from this symbiosis springs out the individuality of the same territory. Then, territory is not only a visual image but it is a penetration of “real natural values” and “human values”. Territory is the civilization, the manifestation of social appearances, both spirituals and materials, that shows itself through the historic-territorial behaviour and defines the individuality of the territory which, as such, it becomes the unique individual, well defined in its limits, with a own name and so recognised through the self-conscious historical memory.
The application of Muratori’s methodology gave me the possibility to see the territory on which Piovera installation persists from a double point of view: both as “territory-subject” or territorial fellow”, and as “territory-object” or “territorial plant”. This last one is the junction of more complementary territorial tissues that form a territorial organism. In brief, it is the junction of installations, of landed tissues and road network planned around a bottom valley and circumscribed from principals crests. The Tortonese-Alexandrine plain presents itself as a territorial level area rather vast, which dimensions are about 20 per 30 kilometres. It has an irregular natural shape, delimited at North-West from the Torino-Valenza hilly system and from last offshoots of Liguria-Piedmont Apennine system at Southern. Ran through and circumscribed from Tanaro and Bormida rivers and from Orba torrent at North and West, from Scrivia torrent at East, it opens itself to Tanaro and Scrivia confluences with Po river, on Po valley.
The actual territorial plant presents itself as a sedimentation and metamorphic integration of several interventions done from man during the time, easy to read putting in evidence “signs” or “territorial constants” previously defined.
From research, done on Istituto Geografico Militare (IGM) 1:100.000 and 1:25.000 scale maps, of all signs parallel between them, and these orthogonal to the first ones, having a planned direction, it was possible to evidence several systems of alignment that interact between them and correspond to the layouts in scale with different orientations which Saverio Muratori spoke in “Civiltà e territorio”, when he supported that man, following his process of assimilation and settlement on the nature, produced a territory which until now lives together the roman centuriazione, the big natural paths, the installations proposed itself again or transformed and all landed tissues that concur to form the territorial tissue.
The roman centuriazione, graphically elaborated with altimetry and hydrography on the maps, is underlined itself through three orthogonal alignment systems, crossed, bi-coursed, inclined of 12°, 4° and 36° respectively at North-East, respect to geographic North.
They are three very important alignment systems because well-balanced and homogeneous in the extension of signs, which the first two are present in Casale Monferrato territory too, the ancient roman town of Vardacate, declaring in this way the presence of territory planning made from Romans in consecutive moments.
The third alignment system, crossed, bi-coursed and inclined of 36° to North-East, respect geographic North, is very important because it is present both in Piovera, Castellazzo Bormida and Pontecurone installations. This last one present itself as a well defined extremely balanced system, homogeneous in the extension of signs and, as is possible to see on the 1:100.000 scale map related to the centurial frame generated by Postumia street in the Placentia (Piacenza) direction, the generator axis of alignments system in the Pontecurone installation is the continuation of the first linear stretch of the Postumia street from Dertona (Tortona) in Placentia direction.
Observing the 1:100.000 scale map, inherent the centurial frame through San Giuliano Nuovo and Vecchio, we establish as the system of alignments, crossed, bi-coursed and inclined of 12° at North-East, respect geographic North, should be a consistent and homogeneous system in all Tortonese-Alexandrine plain, interesting several installations with its presence, which are: Sale, Castelnuovo Scrivia, Orti place of Alessandria, Castelceriolo, Viguzzolo, Castelspina, Sezzadio, Novi Ligure and Acqui Terme. It is a consistent and homogeneous system because is established by very much signs, or territorial and structural permanencies, very large too, that corresponds in systematic way to an exactly law of orthogonality and parallelism.
Instead of, the system of alignments, crossed, bi-coursed and 4° inclined at North-East, respect geographic North, although it interests all the territory close to Piovera, is not present in this installation, as is possible to compare in the related 1:25.000 scale map, but we found it in both Sale, Alluvioni Cambiò, Grava, Pagella and Filippona installations, besides in all San Giuliano territory naturally. This system, 4° inclined at North-East, is present in a consistent way in all Casale Monferrato territory, the ancient Vardacate town, and also in the territory of ancient roman town of Industria, the actual Monteu Da Po. In brief, it is a roman centurial system that interests a large part of territory at South of Po river and that, at roman age, it corresponded at the boundary area of August’s Ninth Region. If now, we exam the 1:100.000 scale map of roman centurial systems of Tortonese-Alexandrine plain, we understand that the first line of Postumia Street, from Dertona (Tortona) in Genua (Genoa) direction, has an inclination of 6° at North-East, respect to geographic North. Then, there is a difference of 2° respect to the system of alignments 4° inclined at North-East, respect geographic North; this could be explained or to a system of alignments leaned against the first stretch of Postumia Street, in Genua direction, or to different systems, simultaneously planned with a little variation due to hydro morphological causes; on the other hand the first stretch of Postumia Street is aligned with Scrivia torrent.
Continuing the analysis, of roman centurial system’s 1:100.000 map, it is interesting to notice as the first stretch of via Fulvia from Dertona to Hasta (Asti), gives origin to a system of alignments, orthogonal, crossed, bi-coursed, inclined of 2° at North-West, respect geographic North. All the north part of Tortonese-Alexandrine plain is interesting by many signs, rather equivalents as extension, belonging at this system. A further check of above written is the 1:25.000 scale map, graphically elaborated with Castellazzo Bormida altimetry and hydrography, where is possible to see as all the territory is interested from the system of alignments inclined of 2° at North-West, respect geographic North. The mayor concentration of signs corresponds to Forum Fulvii Valentinum (Villa del Foro) installation and to the stretch that actually takes the name of Cavallerizza Street, at North. At South of Castellazzo Bormida, the orthogonal crossed system of alignments presents itself as mono-directed because signs in one way are more than in the other one. Also in the Borgoratto Alessandrino installation the system is mono-directed because it presents some very long signs of above alignment system North-South directed, while in the other way the signs are many but no longer. Equally interested by the described system of alignments are the Casalbagliano and Oviglio installations. On the 1:100.000 scale map of the road system established by Fulvia, Julia Augusta and Postumia streets, the stretch of the above streets, big consular streets at roman time, is established to a shattered course with parallel restarting spaced out from 1 to 5 kilometres, so it possible to speak of “area of road”. From Giancarlo Cataldi’s studies this diction was coined recently for understand all the historical phenomenology inherent the variations of place and of lay-out of the same road.
In fact, analysing the area of road of Fulvia street we ascertain as the first stretch, after about 2 and half kilometres, diverts changing slope until to reach Cabianca farmhouse, to take again the same initial course after Belbo torrent at Nuova farmhouse and reach Redabue’s Castle. At North of Tanaro river a linear stretch, parallel to the initial stretch of Fulvia street, then with a slope of 2° at North-West, connects the Alexandria’s Cittadella at Solero, installation that presents a system of alignments produced by initial stretch of Fulvia street. The linear stretch of about 7 kilometres, at North of Tanaro river, is 4 kilometres far from Villa Del Foro (Forum Fulvi Valentinum) and 5 kilometres from linear stretch that joined Nuova farmhouse to Redabue’s Castle. It is possible to deduce there were successive variations of the road of Fulvia street. Surely, there was a ford corresponding to Bormida torrent and one other to Tanaro river. Otherwise, this part of territory at the junction of two rivers, was subjected to flooding so other traces of the lay-out of the big consular road can be cancelled. At this point is convenient to speak of “area of road” to enclose all ways relevant to only one big route of junction between big roman towns, like Dertona and Hasta.
Same speech on the area of road was done for Julia Augusta and Postumia streets, together characterized from a lay-out established by a broken line, with small part of road or secondary paths that runs parallel about one kilometre far one to each other. The Julia Augusta street, big roman consular street, that joined Dertona to Aquae Statiellae (Acqui Terme), presents itself today as a secondary way with a lay-out characterized from two big rectilinear paths; the first one of about 11 kilometres, from Casone to Chiarentina farmhouse and the second one of 8 kilometres. Afterwards the lay-out, with small parts, moves to South-West in direction Castelnuovo Bormida to ford, with every probability at Roman time, the Bormida river and to skirt the left side of the river, following the course of level curves and reaching Aquae Statiellae. The part of Julia Augusta street, corresponding to Dertona, is not well defined, however it is clear to reach Dertona was necessary to ford Scrivia river. In all the confining territory to the area of road of Julia Augusta street, are evident signs of a system of alignments that leans against the lay-out of the big roman consular street and in the installations of Cassine, Castelnuovo Bormida and Dertona (Tortona) too.
The area of road of Postumia street that joins Dertona to Genua is characterized by a way that skirts the Scrivia torrent on the right side at the foots of the hill system at South-East and, reached the installation of Cassano Spinola, curves going through it subsequently on its left side. Corresponding to the ancient roman town of Libarna, it becomes two ways: the shorter one reaches Gavi after have gone through Neirone torrent, the second one skirts always Scrivia torrent on its left side in South direction through Genua. Speak of “area of road” is pertinent at all because, corresponding to Castellar Ponzano and to Villalvernia, on left side of the torrent, is present a part of lay-out, of about 5 and half kilometres, parallel to the part of street that comes before and joins the above installations and at a distance of about one and half kilometre.
For a deeply lecture, of the territorial organism on which Piovera installation persists, we need go down to an inferior scale, examining cadastral maps of Piovera, Sale, S. Giuliano Nuovo and Castelceriolo municipalities in 1:7000 scale. In mentioned municipalities and in all territory close to them, many roman signs, belonging to at centurial system curved of 12° to North-East, respect at geographic North, are present. There is homogeneity and balance between the parallel signs in one way and those orthogonal to the firsts in the territorial area at West and North-West of Tanaro river and exactly, in connection with S. Sebastiano, Vasino, Cervetta, Argentina, Forcherio, Vescovo, Pagella, Piacentini farmhouses and Fornaci farmhouse close to Rivarone installation.
The roman surveyor system is present also in Fiondi and Borgo little installations, on the left of Tanaro river, and still less in the territorial flat area on right side, where Piovera installation insists. Continuing to find in Sale map, the farmhouses interested from the above roman centurial system, curved of 12° at North-East, are many and so the little Grava installation too. But definitely emblematic is the installation of Sale for the very high number of signs, or structural permanencies, present in a consistent and homogeneous way and responding to a unitary law of orthogonality and parallelism, conforms to roman castrensian plants.
In the S. Giuliano Nuovo map the signs or territorial permanencies are very wide. The parts of road close or tangential to Cristina, Saviola, Urbana and Fasola farmhouses, are exactly in line with the part of road that joins Rossi to Ravison farmhouses, tangential to S. Giuliano Nuovo installation. At North of this one, two signs very long show two orthogonal lays-out to the mentioned alignment and, they are one centuria far each other (710 meters of side = 2400 feet of side).
The first one, the northernmost, goes along Ronianini farmhouse and arrives at the little Filippona installation, while the second one joins Fasola and Oston with Roncali farmhouses. The Castelceriolo map shows the roman centurial system curved of 12° at North-East in all the territory, with a big concentration of signs exactly in Castelceriolo installation and in some farmhouses as Rèssiga and Falamera.
Until now it was possible to see as all territory of tortonese-alexandrine plain should be interested from several systems of alignment orthogonal, crossed, bi-coursed, corresponding to roman centurial systems, which some are leaned against the initial parts of Fulvia, Julia Augusta and Postumia streets, with reference to Dertona (Tortona) as important road net. Now let we examine in detail the Piovera installation as urban organism, with its individuality due to the linguistic unity, giving a working behaviour able to achieve, during the centuries, its realisation as urban, building and architectonic work of art.
By means of research of orthogonal alignment systems, on the actual cadastral map, in 1:2000 scale, it was possible to evidence some for the most number of signs displaced in all installation. Between those sure consistent, it is described the orthogonal system, crossed, bi-coursed, curved of 22° at North-East, respect to geographic North; we find it in all two sides of Solferino street, in the southern part of Cavour street, all two sides of Italia street, in the block between San Michele church and provincial road from Alessandria to Sale, in the same church and mentioned street, and still less in Carlo Alberto street, where it presents itself mono-directed in this circumstance.
An other consistent system is that one curved of 32° at North-East, respect to geographic North, we find in Manzoni street, where it has its biggest extension of signs and presents itself as mono-directed. It is present in Roma street, at the end of Dante street and on the side North-West of Italia street. Also the system curved of 29° at North-East, respect to geographic North, is consistent and homogeneous enough in all the installation, particularly in Cavour street, in Manzoni street and between this and Carlo Alberto street. The roman centurial system curved of 12° at North-East, respect to geographic North, is present over all at northern of De Amicis street: The alignment systems curved of 4° and 47° at North-East, and of 14° at North-West, respect to geographic North, are not interesting due to the low number of signs present in the installation.
On the contrary, is extremely important the system of alignments orthogonal, crossed, bi-coursed, curved of 37° at North-East, respect to geographic North, because in the block confining with Dante street, San Giovanni square and Massa street, it has the dimension of an heredium (71,04 per 71,04 meters corresponding to 240 per 240 roman feet). I remember heredium is the hundredth share of one centuria (710 per 710 meters corresponding to 2400 per 2400 roman feet). Signs belonging at this system of orthogonal alignments are present at South-East of Massa street, on the sides of San Giovanni square, on both sides of A. Manzoni street, in the castle and in the factories at the back of castle. There is also homogeneity and equilibrium between signs parallel each others and those orthogonal to them, so is possible to deduce that it is a roman centurial system.
We have a verify of the matter in Piovera maps in 1:7.000 scale, that shows the presence of roman centurial system curved of 12° and 37° at North-East. The roman centurial system, curved of 37° at North-East, in Piovera installation, is a system homogeneous and well-balanced; it is present in all the neighbouring territory on the right of Tanaro river, while in the hill place at left of the river, it presents itself as a system mono-directed because greater are the signs in one way respect the second ones. Specifically they are greater than those aligned with first part of Postumia street from Dertona to Placentia, even if this part of road, for hydro-morphologic causes, changes inclination of about a degree, problem accepted at all.
In Piovera map of 1723, in Milanese trabucchi 70 scale, the research of alignment systems had underline the existence of the same systems present in the actual cadastral map in 1:2000 scale. All the described systems are represented by a lot of signs and above all enough long in the neighbouring Piovera territory, and still less in the same installation. A further research, this time on Sale map of 1723 year, in Milanese trabucchi 70 scale yet, had show five systems of alignment, some one of these are present in Piovera installation too.
Definitely interesting for Sale installation are: the roman centurial system curved of 12° at North-East and the orthogonal system, crossed, be-coursed, curved of 15° at North-East respect the geographic North. Both the systems show, in the centre of Sale installation, five insule which two are well defined in extension. We deduce that Sale is an installation of roman origin.
The Sale’s installation is 2 centuria far, as 1420 linear meters corresponding to 4800 roman feet, from the generator axe, passing through San Giuliano New and Old, of system inclined of 12° at North-East while the installation of Piovera is 5 centuria, as 3550 linear meters corresponding to 12000 roman feet from the same axe esteemed. Drawing a imaginary right-angle triangle, which minor cathetus, parallel to the generator axe, is 5 centuria long, corresponding to 2,4 miles if we consider the roman mile (milliarium = mille passus) like to 5.000 roman feet, and the mayor cathetus, orthogonal to the generator axe, like to 7 centuria or 4970 linear meters, corresponding to 16.800 roman feet or 3,4 miles, we shall have the hypotenuse, that links Piovera to Sale in bee line, approaching for excess, of 6108 linear meters, corresponding to 9 centuries or 21.600 roman feet like to 4,3 miles.
This math digression want to be a further confirm to the ascertainment that territory in question was subdued to the work of roman land-surveyors in the measurement of territory in multiplies, sub multiplies and over multiplies of centuria and in the use of control triangles, to have a better precision, to draw the orthogonal systems of alignment examined.
In synthesis Piovera, with his heredium, under multiply of centuria, is an installation of sure roman origin temporally strictly connected to the lay-out of Postumia street in Placentia direction and to Pontecurone installation. Not only but, the presence of Piovera installation in the roman centurial system, that imprint all the territory of tortonese-alexandrine plain, worries to following interventions in the planning done from Romans in Piovera itself that, probably, in a first time was only a military camp in defence of the lands of the big emperor.

My artistic production
Notable was been the artistic production of these thirty-one years of my life in Casale Monferrato, centered principally on the themes of the journey and the way. In fact, the collection of assemblages, oil on canvas, of ’80 years is part of the series named “ Memories of journey”; afterwards, of ’90 years are the big oils on canvas of the series “Journey through the four natural elements”. The conceptual works on steel follows and the recently tridimensional assemblages centered on the man and the natural world strictly connected to him. These last works belong to “At the conquest of the world” series and they are connected strictly at my studies on territorial level.
These are conceptual works on the theme of the journey, of the man’s way at the conquest of the world, in its process of anthropization and so into the realization of a landscape that, as such, it’s a only individual, because it is the strictly report of man with ground, with the same nature. And into anthropization process, then into assessment of the nature, man leaved signs, and continues to leave, that found the historical memory and that in the particular case, they are the signs of the path, as defined from Carlo Pesce, about my more recently production. It is the journey that every man runs along in the process of ascent through the knowledge. It is my journey in the world.
“To go for crest”, one of the works exposed in Piovera, represent the first phase of anthropization of the landscape. It is a question of a world saw from high, differently of our world saw from down, because we now are living a world of plain, that was also the roman’s world in the phase of total organization of landscape by their captured.
I remember that the anthropization’s phases of the landscape are four: crest, hill, valley and plain, that in the critical system of architect Saverio Muratori, correspond to the four essentials degrees: logic, economy, ethics and aesthetics. These last are the four elements of conscience’s cycle, while the first are the four degrees of territorial’s reality.
In the phase of crest the world was seen from high because for man was easy the shift and more easy to run along for safety causes. It was a direct way to run and to stay on the ground lived from a man so much direct, at least without our mind infrastructures.
In the realization of my recently works I ideally run along the four moments that are parts of conscience’s life and that I just said to be the four elements: logic, economic, ethics and aesthetics. (See description in the chapter 9 of “Casale Monferrato, the ancient roman town of Vardacate” page. 63).
Also my first production artistic-figurative, I mean that of early ‘80 years and that for the first years it places oneself above the production to me described, always it represents man and the social environment.
Casale Monferrato, 2010
Maria Grazia Dapuzzo