Carl Friedrich von Rumohr

Asked for his opinion, the connoisseur gave his opinion. But was the connoisseur, Carl Friedrich von Rumohr (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Friedrich_von_Rumohr), aware that the architect, Rodolfo Vantini (http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodolfo_Vantini), would got to know what he would say?
A letter by Rumohr to Giovanni Frizzoni that has been published only in German and in 1943 does refer to the Palazzo Frizzoni (http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palazzo_Frizzoni), which, at the time the letter was written, was only in the stage of planning. It is today seen as the »heart« and the »symbol« of political and administrative life of the city of Bergamo (see http://www.comune.bergamo.it/servizi/Menu/dinamica.aspx?idSezione=3786&idArea=1181&idCat=1190&ID=3197&TipoElemento=categoria), and as far as I can see, the before mentioned letter has never been noticed in its referring to the plan of this particular building. But not only an interesting source as to the history of the building itself, it is also an interesting example to discuss the basic question how to look at architecture and to discuss various ways how to look at architecture. And this is because a postscript is added to that letter, probably by hand of one of the three Frizzoni brothers (the palazzo was commisioned by Antonio) that refers to the comments of the architect Vantini after getting to know what Rumohr had said. In the following, as we all may be wanting to listen in to that discussion, we give a translation of that letter with its postscript. But first we show the building as today it shows its front:

[Post stamp] Lübeck Aug[ust] 16 [1836]

For M[r] Gio[vanni] Frizzoni

Best Sig. Gio.
A letter from your brother, from London, sent forward to me to Sanssouci, is still on its way from one post station to another. I hope that it will contain only favourable things. Descriptions and so forth. The lines that you added to the let[ter] of our painter bear testimony to the good mood of yours to me, in which you endure and ward off the present misery. – The house of your bro[the]r Anton is, according to the plan, constructed solidly and, if with some Italian waste of space, disposed well. To the front I would have to make many objections. Would have to advise, because the proportions apart from that are good, to keep the bossage of the ground floor, and to the rest to cancel the abutted pillars and to care [on]ly for good edgings of windows a[nd] for a pretty ogee. If my sister had forwarded your letter to me to Sanssouci, I would have presented the facade to the crown prince of Pr. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_William_IV_of_Prussia), who is more skilled at architectural invention than I am and in that is of the highest originality. With a couple of pencil strokes shape a[nd] relation is in order. But there cannot be more for now. – I would advise to cancel the attic as well. However to give the cornice a good sprawling. Would you like to have details from loc. architect[s]? [at the margin the sketch of a corner of the facade]
The plan, by the way, seems to cost a very pretty penny to me.
Yours sincerely
Rumohr

With best regards to your whole family – I am going to write to you direttamente any time soon

[Postscript, apparently by the hand of a member of the Frizzoni family:] Vantini has to say many a thing against the too large a sprawling of the cornice. The rule, he says, was 1/15 of the house’s height, as to the sprawling and as to the hight of the ogee. If one would exceed this measure, the house would turn to be rustic, like for example our Redona, or cumbersome. Moreover it would be unsafe because of a many sprawling stones and the roof sweeping in space. As to the other remarks he seems to attribute to our friend more of a critical than of a productive talent, something he says likewise of cavalier Wiebeking (http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Friedrich_von_Wiebeking), who despite a great erudition and analytical taste did reveal so little a sense for own composition.

Source: Briefe Rumohrs. Eine Auswahl, mitgeteilt von Friedrich Stock, Beiheft zum Jahrbuch der Preußischen Kunstsammlungen (1943), pp. 83-84

Redona: refers to the Villa Frizzoni at Redona (http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redona)

See also:
http://www.bergamoestoria.it/musei/800/scheda05eng.pdf

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