Description
“Optics in Italian Paintings from the Middle Ages” Series
This year’s microfiber celebrates the 66th anniversary of Urbano’s entry into eyeglass manufacturing (Safilo, Calalzo di C., October 18, 1946).
Fresco by Tommaso da Modena (1326-1379), painted in 1352 in the chapter house of the church of San Nicolò, Treviso.
It is the oldest known depiction of eyeglasses in the world and was reproduced on the nose of Ugo da Saint Cher (Ugo da Provenza).
The invention of eyeglasses appears to have occurred after the Dominican friar’s death, but since he was considered the most learned of the confraternity at the time, having translated the Bible from Hebrew, Tommaso decided to represent him with the object that revolutionized the world of farsightedness. The glasses are composed of two monocular lenses riveted (locked by a pin) onto the handles, thus obtaining binocular correction.
