The Oval Form in Cloister Design: The Case Study of Sant Antoni de Viana in Palma de Mallorca

La forma oval en el diseño de los claustros: el estudio de caso de Sant Antoni de Viana en Palma de Mallorca

Riccardo Miele

University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Aversa. Italy

riccardo.miele@unicampania.it, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3081-6743

Ornella Zerlenga

University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Aversa. Italy

ornella.zerlenga@unicampania.it, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4093-708X

Antonio Fernández-Coca

Universitat de les Illes Balears, Palma de Mallorca. Spain

antonio.fernandez-coca@uib.es, https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8748-4244

Vincenzo Cirillo

University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Aversa. Italy

Corresponding autor: vincenzo.cirillo@unicampania.it, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8965-4865

ABSTRACT

This research is part of a broader investigation focused on the use of the oval form in cloister architecture, with particular reference to the cloister of the Church of Santa Maria della Sanità in Naples (Italy), designed in the early decades of the seventeenth century by Fra’ Nuvolo. This cloister represents a unicum within the Neapolitan architectural tradition and, due to its oval layout, constitutes a deliberate departure from the canonical orthogonal model, as well as a tangible manifestation of the ‘creative tension’ between measure and excess. Within this research focus, the present study expands to consider new models by examining the cloister of the Church of Sant Antoni de Viana in Palma de Mallorca. This example is approached not only as a point of comparison, but as a paradigmatic case of reception and reinterpretation of the oval model beyond the Italian context.
In both case studies, the oval form assumes a value that is not only technical and compositional, but also symbolic and representative, as it spatially expresses a specific conception of order, centrality, and the relationship between architecture, faith, and the human figure. Accordingly, the comparison between the two cloisters provides an opportunity for a comparative morphological and geometric analysis, as well as a broader reflection on the role of oval geometry in the redefinition of the Baroque cloistered landscape within the European context.

Keywords: forma ovata; Santa Maria della Sanità; Sant Antoni de Viana; geometry; architectural survey; graphic analysis.

RESUMEN

La presente investigación se inserta en el marco de un estudio más amplio centrado en el uso de la forma oval en la arquitectura claustral, con especial atención al claustro de la iglesia de Santa Maria della Sanità en Nápoles (Italia), diseñado en las primeras décadas del siglo XVII por Fra’ Nuvolo. Dicho claustro constituye un unicum dentro de la tradición arquitectónica napolitana y representa, por su disposición en forma oval, una ruptura consciente con respecto al modelo ortogonal canónico, así como una manifestación tangible de la ‘tensión creativa’ entre medida y desmesura. Siguiendo esta línea de investigación, el presente estudio se amplía considerando nuevos modelos mediante el análisis del claustro de la iglesia de Sant Antoni de Viana en Palma de Mallorca, entendido no solo como elemento de comparación, sino como un caso paradigmático de recepción y reinterpretación del modelo oval en un contexto extra italiano.
La forma oval, en ambos estudios de caso, adquiere un valor no solo técnico y compositivo, sino también simbólico y representativo, al constituirse como expresión espacial de una concepción precisa del orden, del centro y de la relación entre arquitectura, fe y figura humana. Por lo tanto, la comparación entre ambos claustros ofrece la oportunidad para un análisis morfológico y geométrico comparativo, así como para una reflexión más amplia sobre el papel de la geometría oval en la redefinición del paisaje claustral barroco dentro del panorama europeo.

Palabras clave: forma ovata; Santa Maria della Sanità; Sant Antoni de Viana; geometría; levantamiento arquitectónico; análisis gráfico.

Supplementary information ↓

CONTENT

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1. The oval cloister of Santa Maria della Sanità: stylistic considerations

1.2. The diffusion of the oval form in cloister architecture across the European context

2. THE CLOISTER OF SANT ANTONI DE VIANA IN PALMA DE MALLORCA: SURVEY, ANALYSIS, AND COMPARATIVE MODELS

3. CONCLUSIONS

REFERENCES

1. INTRODUCTION ↑

This research is part of a broader investigation focused on the use of the oval form in monastic architecture, with particular attention to the cloister of the Church of Santa Maria della Sanità in Naples (Italy), designed in the early decades of the seventeenth century by Fra’ Nuvolo. This cloister represents a unicum within the Neapolitan architectural tradition and, due to its oval layout, constitutes a deliberate break from the canonical orthogonal model. It is also a tangible expression of the ‘creative tension’ between measure and excess. These two conceptual poles inform the interpretation of an architectural language that combines, on the one hand, fidelity to constructive rules and formal grammar inherited from classical tradition, and on the other, an experimental drive toward new, freer forms imbued with symbolic and ideological meaning [1][1] Zerlenga, O., Fernández-Coca, A., Miele, R. (2024). Dicotomie architettoniche. Il disegno dei chiostri nel progetto di Santa Maria della Sanità a Napoli. In Bergamo F., Calandriello A., Ciammaichella M., Friso I., Gay F., Liva G., Monteleone C. (Eds.), Misura / Dismisura. Atti del 45° Convegno Internazionale dei Docenti delle Discipline della Rappresentazione, pp. 2151-2174. Milano: FrancoAngeli..

In line with this research trajectory, the present study expands its scope by examining new models, focusing on the cloister of the Church of Sant Antoni de Viana in Palma de Mallorca.

This cloister is considered not only as a comparative case, but as a paradigmatic example of the reception and reinterpretation of the oval model outside the Italian context. The study developed through archival investigations, survey campaigns, and site visits conducted in collaboration with the Universitat de les Illes Balears and with the support of BBVA – Palma headquarters, current owner of the cloister complex, which granted access and facilitated the research.

The Mallorcan cloister, dated to the first half of the eighteenth century and traditionally attributed to Lluc Mesquida, also features an oval plan that diverges from traditional conventual typologies, while maintaining a layout characterized by great sobriety and proportional rigor (Figure 1). In both the Neapolitan case of Santa Maria della Sanità and the Mallorcan cloister, the oval form carries not only technical and compositional significance but also symbolic and representative value. It spatially expresses a precise conception of order, centrality, and the relationship between architecture, faith, and the human figure. Thus, the comparison between the two cloisters provides an opportunity for a comparative morphological analysis and a broader reflection on the role of the oval geometry in the redefinition of the Baroque cloistered landscape within the European context.

Figure 1. Ambulatory of the oval cloister of Sant Antoni de Viana in Palma de Mallorca.
(Photograph by R. Miele, 2023).

From this perspective, the adopted methodological approach integrates formal and proportional spatial analysis, geometric-analytical studies derived from direct surveys, and a theoretical genealogy of the oval model, from Renaissance treatises to its reception in the seventeenth century. The tools of architectural drawing play a central role, not only as means of documentation but as interpretative devices capable of granting cognitive access to heritage sites that remain closed to public visitation.

In this direction, the use of integrated digital survey methodologies and advanced modeling techniques has enabled the reconstruction of the polycentric planimetric structure of the Mallorcan cloister. This has facilitated its direct comparison with the Neapolitan example and paved the way for future forms of virtual and augmented dissemination and access. The study is thus framed as an exploration aimed at revealing the dynamics of model transmission, local adaptations, and typological variations of the oval matrix in cloisters, with particular attention to non-traditional planimetric typologies.

1.1. The oval cloister of Santa Maria della Sanità: stylistic considerations ↑

In the context of early seventeenth-century monastic architecture, the small oval cloister of the Dominican complex of Santa Maria della Sanità in Naples stands out as an extraordinary example of typological and stylistic architectural experimentation.

Designed by the Neapolitan friar Giuseppe Nuvolo in the very early years of the 17th century, the cloister represents a unicum within the Neapolitan cloister tradition and constitutes the earliest known application of the oval plan matrix to the cloister typology.

Its origin must be placed within the context of the renewed building fervor that began after the 1569 discovery of the ancient rock church of San Gaudioso, brought to light by the phenomenon known as the lava dei Vergini.

The assignment of the site to the Dominican Fathers by Cardinal Paolo d’Arezzo in 1583 provided the opportunity for a grand and innovative project, which in the following years was entrusted to Fra’ Nuvolo [2][2] Ebanista, C. (2018). L’antiquissima immagine della Madonna: dalla catacomba di San Gaudioso alla chiesa di Santa Maria della Sanità a Napoli. In: V. Lucherini (Ed.), Immagini medievali di culto dopo il Medioevo, pp. 41- 70. Viella Libreria Editrice., who was called upon to respond to two sets of constraints: on the one hand, the historical memory of the site, with the inclusion of the early Christian crypt; on the other, the complex orography of the area, which forced him to operate on two distinct levels and within morphologically irregular spaces.

In this context, briefly retracing the key stages of its history aims to highlight that it was between 1588 and the early 1600s when Fra’ Nuvolo was called upon to design it. While this temporal anticipation may seem irrelevant at first glance, it assumes special significance when related to the adoption of an unprecedented formal language that can be seen as anticipating seventeenth-century experiments later carried out by Bernini and Borromini [3, p. 203][3] Zerlenga, O. (1991). S. Maria della Sanità: dall’ultimo esempio di architettura claustrale a pianta ovata al primo segno della città laica. In Buccaro, A. (Ed.), Il Borgo dei Vergini. Storia e struttura di un ambito urbano. Napoli: CUEN Editrice..

In this context, the small oval cloister, a unicum in the Neapolitan cloister tradition, through its design inaugurates a new architectural season rich with different meanings (Figure 2). On the one hand, it aligns with an architectural language consistent with both Mannerist tradition and the new Counter-Reformation directives; on the other, it invites reflection on a new position assumed in relation to constructed space – where one no longer places oneself at the center of the universe, referring space to oneself, but rather distances oneself from it to objectively investigate surrounding reality, based on ideological positions linked to Copernican and Galilean philosophies [4, pp. 72, 82][4] Zerlenga, O. (1997). La «forma ovata» in architettura. Rappresentazione geometrica. Napoli: CUEN Editrice..

Figure 2. Oval cloister and ambulatory of Santa Maria della Sanità in Naples. (Photographs by R. Miele, 2023).

In the context of Counter-Reformation architecture, the adoption of the oval form represents a significant deviation from the canonical geometric models of the Renaissance, based on the circle and square as expressions of cosmic harmony and divine order. The oval, with its dual focality and internal tension between dissimilar axes, introduces a principle of geometric heterodoxy which, without denying doctrinal orthodoxy, becomes an expressive strategy capable of conveying a more intense, emotional, and participatory spirituality.

Although Anthony Blunt does not focus on symbolic interpretations of the form, he acknowledges that the use of the oval allows Borromini to develop a fluid and continuous space, in contrast with the rigid framework of Renaissance classicism [5, p. 74][5] Blunt, A. (1979). Borromini. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.. More explicitly, Paolo Portoghesi sees in Borrominian architecture a tension between order and creative freedom, writing that “order is violated to become an instrument of a new freedom, where ecstasy, intuition, and feeling take part in the logic of construction” [6, p. 13][6] Portoghesi, P. (1955). Borromini. Bollettino d’Arte, IV Serie, (12), 1-24..

It thus becomes clear how the use of the oval form responds to the primary desire to generate dynamic and spiritually charged spaces, breaking with the rigidity of classical forms and instead highlighting the heterodoxy of the geometric model employed [7, pp. 10-17][7] Antuono, G. (2022). Eterodossia del modello geometrico borrominiano: “Eresia rappresentativa” orientata ad eludere la visione. AND Rivista Di Architetture, Città E Architetti, 41(1)..

The oval form thus becomes the emblem of an ‘other’ geometry, suspended between liturgical rigor and a more complex inner sensitivity, without however resulting in a consciously esoteric language. In this delicate balance, the oval in sacred architecture embodies a spiritually ambiguous and intensely emotional dimension, capable of transcending the rationality of classicism while maintaining a deep internal coherence.

Figure 3. The lower cloister of Santa Maria della Sanità in Naples, oval in form, severely compromised by the intrusion of the pillars of Ponte della Sanità, now Ponte Maddalena Cerasuolo. (Photograph by R. Miele, 2023).

In this light, it becomes evident how the sum of these cultural influences shaped the design thinking of the friar-architect, translating into a desire to draw from classical heritage and then, through a skillful Mannerist play, transgress its conventional architectural typologies by proposing an unprecedented formal language capable of harmoniously reconciling rule (here understood as measure) and exception (here understood as excess) (Figures 3, 4). In this context, the mentioned binomial becomes even more fitting if, alongside the analysis of Fra’ Nuvolo’s innovative approach, one also considers the geometries underlying the curve described by Fra’ Majorino.

In this regard, studies conducted on the oval profile [4; 8, pp. 27-28] [4] Zerlenga, O. (1997). La «forma ovata» in architettura. Rappresentazione geometrica. Napoli: CUEN Editrice. and on the use of the oval form in architecture have revealed previously unknown results, offering relevant insights into the geometric tracing of the curve .

From close examination of the 18th-century copy of the original cloister drawing (lost), attributed to Majorino and today preserved in the Archivio di Stato di Napoli, it is possible to identify on the parchment both the imprint of straight lines incised with a ruling pen, and small holes made by the point of a compass.

By geometrically analyzing these traces, it was possible to deduce the construction method applied by Majorino (and possibly by Fra’ Nuvolo) for the tracing of this oval form, which corresponds to that of the first oval codified by Serlio in the First Book of his Treatise on Architecture [10, pp. 13-14] (Figure 5). In fact, by connecting the four holes two by two, a rhombus is generated, composed of two equilateral triangles, whose vertices represent the four centers (A, B, C, D) of an oval curve with a profile tending toward the circle (Figure 6) [4, pp. 83-83][4] Zerlenga, O. (1997). La «forma ovata» in architettura. Rappresentazione geometrica. Napoli: CUEN Editrice. and on the use of the oval form in architecture have revealed previously unknown results, offering relevant insights into the geometric tracing of the curve. As previously mentioned, it is in the surveying and representation of the built that an important investigative opportunity is realized, useful not only for the knowledge and documentation of cultural heritage and for the comparison between the ‘on paper’ and ‘on site’ profiles, but also for documenting the spatial alterations caused during the Murattian era by the construction of Corso Napoleone and its bridge (to arrive easily to Reggia of Capodimonte).

Figure 4. Architectural survey drawings of the cloister, geometric analysis of the oval profile, study of the vaulted structures through 3D modeling. (Drawings by I. Izzo, graphic rendering by Riccardo Miele).

Figure 6. Geometric construction and tracing of the oval profile of the lower cloister of Santa Maria della Sanità based on the first method codified by Serlio, overlaid on the plan by Majorino, Plan of the convent complex of S. Maria della Sanità (1714; after a drawing by Fra’ Nuvolo, early 17th century), ASN, Corporazioni Religiose Soppresse, vol. 983, loose plate (Graphic rendering by Riccardo Miele).

1.2. The diffusion of the oval form in cloister architecture across the European context ↑

Starting from the initial studies conducted on the Neapolitan case, the findings so far allow for outlining the coordinates of a broader research project aimed at classifying cloister typologies characterized by non-traditional planimetric matrices. This path takes shape as the beginning of a systematic line of inquiry that, through the comparison of distinct examples, aims to develop an interconnected network of studies. Within this framework, the understanding of processes of diffusion, hybridization, and transformation of oval forms in the Baroque architectural panorama –both European and extra-European– is expanded.

Accordingly, the initial phases of the research focused on identifying and selecting emblematic case studies, with the aim of verifying the actual diffusion of non-conventional planimetric configurations within cloister architecture. This investigation revealed the marked rarity of the oval matrix in relation to the cloister typology, highlighting how, despite the oval and elliptical forms playing a leading role in the design of central church plans throughout Baroque and Counter-Reformation Europe, their application to cloisters remains exceptionally rare.

To date, the only documented example of a cloister with a properly oval plan remains that annexed to the Church of Sant Antoni de Viana in Palma de Mallorca, the subject of the detailed analysis that follows.

Nonetheless, within the broader European context and in close connection with religious architecture, it was possible to identify additional cloistral configurations with central plans. Among these, particular attention is drawn to the Convento da Serra do Pilar in Vila Nova de Gaia (Portugal) (Figure 7), whose cloister features a circular planimetric matrix. Although not oval, this configuration is nonetheless of notable interest within the scope of the investigation, as the geometric relationship between the circle and the oval allows this example to be considered a significant variant of the central-plan model, particularly due to its typological uniqueness within cloister architecture.

In this sense, the Portuguese cloister can be interpreted in ideal continuity with the famous example of Bramante’s cloister at San Pietro in Montorio in Rome, illustrated in the Third Book of Sebastiano Serlio (1540), where it is presented as an exemplary model of centrality and proportional harmony [11, p. XLI][11] Serlio, S. (1562). Il terzo libro di Sabastiano Serlio Bolognese. Venezia: Francesco Rampazetto.. Although such theoretical mediation was rare in-built tradition, it provides an important conceptual precedent for the circular variation proposed in the case of Serra do Pilar.

Figure 7. Ambulatory of the circular cloister of the Monastery of Serra do Pilar in Portugal. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Figure 8. Nadir view (Google Earth) and historical postcards of the elliptical courtyard (Patio Elíptico del Internado) of the Colegio Escuelas Pías in Zaragoza (Spain). Source: <www.europeana.eu> and Wikimedia Commons.

Another example, still within the Iberian context, is the cloister of the Colegio de Escuelas Pías in Zaragoza (Figure 8), a religious school complex entrusted since its foundation to the Order of the Piarists. Although not directly attributable to a strictly monastic context, in this case too the central plan matrix emerges as a noteworthy variant, deserving inclusion in the present typological investigation.

Finally, it should be noted that the research path traced here –centered on the identification and systematization of cloisters with non-conventional matrices in the European and extra-European context– constitutes a still underexplored field of study. Initiated with studies on the oval cloister of Santa Maria della Sanità in Naples, it represents an open trajectory, which is hoped to be progressively enriched by the identification of additional examples not yet surveyed or adequately considered by historiography.

Such an expansion would allow for the delineation of a more articulated and representative typological spectrum, capable of conveying the complexity and heterogeneity of planimetric experimentation in cloister architecture.

2. THE CLOISTER OF SANT ANTONI DE VIANA IN PALMA DE MALLORCA: SURVEY, ANALYSIS, AND COMPARATIVE MODELS ↑

The church of Sant Antoni de Viana in Palma de Mallorca is one of the most emblematic expressions of Baroque architecture on the island, serving as a prime testimony to the evolution of the cult of Saint Anthony the Abbot and the entrenchment of the Order of the Canons Regular of Saint Anthony within the urban and religious fabric of Palma.

The foundation of the complex dates back to the 13th century, precisely to September 13, 1230, when King Jaume I granted the Antonian Order a house along today’s Calle de Sant Miquel, to be used as a convent and hospital for the treatment of those afflicted by the so-called foc sagrat or foc de Sant Antoni, a form of gangrenous ergotism known in Europe since the 11th century and believed to be miraculously cured through the intercession of the saint, whose tomb in Vienne (France) became a pilgrimage destination [12, p. 123][12] Perelló Ferrer, A. M. (1985). Esglésies dels segles XVII i XVIII. Palma de Mallorca..

The institution’s link to the Antonian hospital order was later consolidated by Pope Boniface VIII’s granting of abbey status and by the subsequent adoption of the Rule of Saint Augustine, which gave the monks a monastic structure within the framework of the Gregorian Reform [13, p. 5][13] Torrens-Mut, G. (1957). Monografía histórica de la Iglesia de San Antonio de Viana. Palma de Mallorca: Tipografía Católica.. From its founding, the institution was granted numerous privileges, both civil and ecclesiastical, including the exclusive right to collect alms in the saint’s name and burial prerogatives for the deceased in the hospital [14, pp. 3-4][14] Llinàs y Socias, G. (1972). La Real Iglesia y Claustro de San Antonio de Viana. Palma: Col. Panorama Balear..

However, it was in the 18th century that the church underwent a radical transformation, in line with the Baroque renewal affecting the entire Kingdom of Mallorca.

After centuries of use of the original building –whose layout is known through 18th-century descriptions– in 1757 the then commendator Damià Gelabert, a central figure in the religious house’s renewal, initiated the construction of a new temple. The first stone was laid on June 26, 1757, and the consecration took place on September 25, 1768 [15 [15] Alonso Fernández, A. (1972). San Antonio Abad. Obra singular del Barroco en Mallorca. Mayurqa, 8, 35. - 16][16] Alonso Fernández, A. (1972). Arquitectura mallorquina moderna y contemporánea. Palma de Mallorca. . The adoption of the oval plan in the church of Sant Antoni de Viana is a particularly significant architectural feature in the Majorcan context of the 18th century, representing one of the most original planimetric solutions of the period (Figure 9).

The design, based on the intersection of two ovals arranged along the axes, clearly reveals an intentional composition seeking to combine centrality and directionality, in accordance with a spatial logic that recalls late Baroque Roman models, particularly San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane by Francesco Borromini, though without reaching its volumetric complexity and plastic tension [12, pp. 128-129][12] Perelló Ferrer, A. M. (1985). Esglésies dels segles XVII i XVIII. Palma de Mallorca..

This solution has drawn particular attention to historiography due to its rarity in the Iberian context and the questions surrounding the design origins of the building, which remain open to this day.

Despite numerous studies, the authorship of the church of Sant Antoni de Viana remains unresolved, with critics proposing three main hypotheses.

Figure 9. Top: Satellite nadir view of the religious complex of Sant Antoni de Viana in Palma de Mallorca (Spain), Google Earth Pro; Bottom: Plan of the church and cloister of Sant Antonio (de Viana), showing the configuration of the intersecting double ellipse. (Drawing by Alonso-Fernandez) [12, p. 127][12] Perelló Ferrer, A. M. (1985). Esglésies dels segles XVII i XVIII. Palma de Mallorca..

The first interpretative line of local origin attributes the work to Lluc Mesquida or his son Antonio, Mallorcan architects active in the 18th century, based on a long-established historiographical tradition [17, p. 98][17] Furió Sastre, A. (1839). Diccionario histórico de profesores ilustres de las Bellas Artes en Mallorca. Palma de Mallorca.. However, this attribution is weakened by the lack of formal evidence consistent with the building’s planimetric complexity, particularly the plan based on the intersection of two ovals, which suggests a design approach foreign to the Mesquidas’ customary practice [15, p. 36][15] Alonso Fernández, A. (1972). San Antonio Abad. Obra singular del Barroco en Mallorca. Mayurqa, 8, 35..

A second hypothesis, though undocumented, aligns with the building’s formal layout and considers the possible involvement of an Italian architect, due to the compositional affinities with Roman models such as Borromini’s San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane or Bernini’s Sant’Andrea al Quirinale [12, pp. 125-129][12] Perelló Ferrer, A. M. (1985). Esglésies dels segles XVII i XVIII. Palma de Mallorca.. According to some scholars, including Cantarellas and Alonso Fernández, the project may have been conceived by a foreign designer and subsequently executed by local builders, representing a dialogue between a refined, cultured architectural language and the Majorcan executional tradition. A third and more likely hypothesis identifies the Catalan architect Jorge Costa as the project’s author; in 1729 he is believed to have submitted the design to commendator Gelabert [12, p. 124][12] Perelló Ferrer, A. M. (1985). Esglésies dels segles XVII i XVIII. Palma de Mallorca.. Although no further works can be attributed to him to verify stylistic and formal coherence, the attribution is supported by the innovative nature of the design and a presumed connection to Pedro Costa, another Catalan architect active in Madrid and known to have been influenced by Italian scenic culture, especially the work of Ferdinando Galli-Bibiena [18, p. 330][18] Kubler, G. (1957). Arquitectura de los siglos XVII y XVIII (Ars Hispaniae, Vol. 14). Madrid: Plus-Ultra..

In this light, despite the uncertain authorship, the church of Sant Antoni de Viana emerges as a work of synthesis, emblematic of the complex interaction between international cultured Baroque and traditional insular reinterpretation (Figure 10).

As is now evident, the architectural configuration of the building reveals in its newer form a Baroque conception of space that gradually shifts into decorative accents aligned with Rococo tastes. This stylistic hybridization is most clearly expressed in the altar structure, crafted in local polychrome marbles and characterized by a dynamic compositional layout, with offset columns and pilasters defining the central niche that houses the statue of the saint [15, p. 42][15] Alonso Fernández, A. (1972). San Antonio Abad. Obra singular del Barroco en Mallorca. Mayurqa, 8, 35..

This balance between formal continuity and stylistic updates becomes even more significant when considering the institutional shift that affected the church in the final decades of the 18th century.

Figure 10. The church of Sant Antoni de Viana in Palma de Mallorca. (Photographs by R. Miele, 2023).

The abolition of the Antonian Order, decreed by Charles III in 1788 and ratified by Pope Pius VI in 1791, led to the secularization of the complex and the transfer of its administration to the diocesan clergy. Despite the departure of the monastic community, the church’s liturgical function remained active at least until the mid-20th century [14, p. 10;[14] Llinàs y Socias, G. (1972). La Real Iglesia y Claustro de San Antonio de Viana. Palma: Col. Panorama Balear. 13, p. 42][13] Torrens-Mut, G. (1957). Monografía histórica de la Iglesia de San Antonio de Viana. Palma de Mallorca: Tipografía Católica.. The next phase, unfolding during the 20th century, reveals a somewhat contradictory trajectory: while the church continued to be frequented as a place of worship and pilgrimage, its recognition within the island’s architectural landscape gradually diminished, leading to a condition of marginality in local art historical discourse. In this context, it is particularly telling that the progressive marginalization of the sacred building extended even more markedly to the architectural element that most distinctly constitutes a unicum on the island: its remarkable cloister (Figure 11). Indeed, while the church maintained at least a reduced liturgical role, the cloister progressively lost visibility both in public access and in scholarly reflection, and to this day remains poorly documented and lacking systematic treatment. This situation solidified during the 20th century, coinciding with the property’s transfer to private ownership, which led to the concrete risk of alienation or even demolition.

Figure 11. Top: Palma de Mallorca – Patio del Juzgado, historical postcard showing the cloister of the church of Sant Antoni de Viana, photographed before the restorations of the late 20th century. Source: en.todocoleccion.net; Bottom: San Antonio. Palma de Mallorca – Claustro del convento de San Antonio de Viana, historical postcard, 1914. Archivo Histórico Digital de la Biblioteca de la UPM.

It was precisely in reaction to this possibility that, between the late 1960s and early 1970s, academic and civic mobilization took place, which played a decisive role in averting the definitive loss of the structure and promoting its initial preservation measures [15, p. 33][15] Alonso Fernández, A. (1972). San Antonio Abad. Obra singular del Barroco en Mallorca. Mayurqa, 8, 35..

Within this framework, the present research is confronted with a dual necessity: addressing a clear documentation gap through systematic surveying and study and constructing a comprehensive knowledge framework that restores full legibility to the cloister by situating it within a broader comparative network involving analogous structures in the Mediterranean and European contexts.

The study activities –especially the survey campaigns– carried out with the Universitat de les Illes Balears and supported by BBVA Bank (Palma headquarters), current owner of the cloistered structure, ensured access and availability for documentation work.

These operations found in Drawing –understood in its broadest disciplinary sense as a tool for investigation, knowledge, and communication– a privileged methodological device for combining analytical rigor and interpretive sensitivity, allowing for a stratified and critical reading of the subject under study [19, pp. 1781-1802][19] Messina, B. (2024). Dalla misura alla fruizione immersiva. Percorsi digitali per la conoscenza del patrimonio ecclesiastico salernitano. In F. Bergamo, A. Calandriello, M. Ciammaichella, I. Friso, F. Gay, G. Liva, & C. Monteleone (Eds.), Misura/Dismisura. Atti del 45° Convegno Internazionale dei Docenti delle Discipline della Rappresentazione (pp. 1781-1802). FrancoAngeli..

From this perspective, the survey activities were conducted using an integrated digital approach, now firmly established in the practice of architectural surveying and aimed at producing accurate, multi-scale, and interoperable documentation of the analyzed heritage [20][20] Balzani, M., Maietti, F. (2017). Lo spazio architettonico in un Protocollo per il rilievo 3D integrato finalizzato alla documentazione, rappresentazione e conservazione del patrimonio culturale. diségno, 1, 113-122. https://doi.org/10.26375/disegno.1.2017.13.

Figure 12. Photogrammetric process in Metashape environment (by Riccardo Miele).

Figure 13. Plan and elevation drawings of the cloister of Sant Antoni de Viana in Palma de Mallorca
(by Riccardo Miele).

The choice of acquisition technologies was carefully calibrated based on the conditions of accessibility and the morphological and material characteristics of the structure, following an adaptive logic consistent with the operational constraints and the cognitive goals of the research [21][21] Trizio, I., Savini, F., Ruggieri, A. (2020). Archaeology of the Architecture and Digital Representation: Procedures and Instruments between Connections and Intersections. In Arena A., et al. (Eds.). Connecting. Drawing for weaving relationships. Proceedings of the 42nd International Conference of Representation Disciplines Teachers. Milano: FrancoAngeli, pp. 2821-2842.. For physically accessible spaces –and in the absence of the possibility of using terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) systems– a method of direct survey was adopted, supplemented by targeted photogrammetric acquisitions conducted with a Canon EOS 5D Mark II camera. These acquisitions proved particularly effective for the study of specific morphological and decorative elements. Documentation of architectural portions that were not directly accessible –such as roofs and elevated spaces– was instead carried out through aerial photogrammetric surveys using a DJI Mavic Mini 2 drone (Figure 12). However, the aerial shots were affected by restrictions imposed by some residents whose homes overlook the cloister, thus preventing complete and exhaustive coverage. Despite these limitations, the aerial acquisition significantly enhanced the three-dimensional dataset related to the cloister’s tiled roof and cornice section, compensating for the lack of direct access and contributing to the construction of a coherent, up-to-date, and functional documentary model for the subsequent phases of analysis, graphic restitution, and three-dimensional modeling. The restitution of standard representations in plan and elevation thus allows a clearer description of the architectural structure and configuration of the cloister (Figure 13), which develops according to an oval plan with a predominantly longitudinal layout, with the major axis oriented perpendicularly to the adjacent street and church. The latter, also based on an oval scheme, is instead aligned parallel to the street, thus generating an interesting condition of orthogonal intersection between the two architectural bodies. This perpendicularity between the two layouts creates a spatial dialogue of notable formal impact, rare in the context of European religious architecture and virtually unique in the Balearic Islands.

The elevation of the cloister is structured in two superimposed orders, consistent in module and rhythm. On the lower level, a regular sequence of arches is supported by tapered columns with Tuscan-order capitals and arch mouldings that are essential yet precise. The upper level mirrors the same articulation, enriched by a continuous balustrade serving as a parapet for the gallery, giving the whole composition a rhythmic elegance and clarity typical of eighteenth-century classicism [12, p. 131][12] Perelló Ferrer, A. M. (1985). Esglésies dels segles XVII i XVIII. Palma de Mallorca..

The vaulted system on both levels features a single annular vault running continuously along the entire perimeter, intersected by transverse lunettes aligned with each arch. The upper crowning, consisting of a simple but functional overhang of clay tiles, completes the architectural framework with a sober closure, consistent with the overall layout. Within this framework, the decision to transpose to the Mallorcan example the approach developed by Ornella Zerlenga in the graphic-geometric analysis of the cloister of Santa Maria della Sanità [9, pp. 73-85] becomes relevant, with particular reference to the study of the ‘ovo similis’ curve and to the verification of the tracing method codified by Sebastiano Serlio in the First Book of his Treatise on Architecture [10, pp. 13-14]. This methodological reference decisively influenced the investigation of the Mallorcan cloister, suggesting the possibility of attributing its layout to a conscious geometric design (Figure 14).

However, unlike the Neapolitan case of Sanità, the analysis conducted on the Mallorcan cloister revealed –depending on the examples analyzed– slight or significant discrepancies between the curve generated by the cloister’s layout and the configurations geometrically defined within Serlio’s four canonical ovals. Specifically, the proposed tracings do not fully coincide with the actual layout (Figure 15). A minor divergence of a few centimeters was observed in relation to the first and fourth construction methods, respectively concerning the smaller and larger arches of the oval. More marked discrepancies were noted in relation to the second and third ovals proposed by Serlio, showing significantly greater margins of error. Based on these findings, while a reference to Serlian models cannot be completely ruled out, an alternative method of tracing was hypothesized. This opens the possibility to consider a theoretical evolution developed outside the rigid proportional frameworks codified by Renaissance treatises. Within this line of thought, attention was drawn to the theoretical model introduced by Abraham Bosse in his Traité des géometrales et perspectives published in 1655 [22][22] Bosse, A. (1655). Traité des geometrales et perspectives. Paris., in which a geometric construction capable of generating an oval from two freely assigned axes was proposed for the first time (Figure 15). Although formally elegant and operationally versatile, Bosse’s proposal did not receive the diffusion that such a powerful tool might have warranted in architectural practice [8, p. 13][8] Dotto, E. (2001). Note sulla costruzione degli ovali a quattro centri. Vecchie e nuove costruzioni dell’ovale. Disegnare idee immagini, XII (23), pp. 7-14. Roma..

Figure 14. Graphic-geometric analysis of the plan layout aimed at identifying the possible geometric matrix. The constructions and verifications are based on the tracing of the oval using the four methods codified by Sebastiano Serlio (Graphic rendering by Riccardo Miele).

Nevertheless, it offers an interesting interpretative key for rereading the layout of the Mallorcan cloister as the result of a tracing method based on more flexible and adaptable geometric principles than those derived from classical constructions. It must be noted, however, that in Bosse’s method –and more generally in any oval construction from known axes– the resulting figure is not univocal. Unlike the ellipse, which yields a single solution when the axes are fixed, the oval composed of four arcs allows greater morphological freedom, depending on the positioning of the centers of curvature. This characteristic implies that, even with identical axial dimensions, it is possible to generate a multitude of geometrically correct yet formally different paths [23, pp. 25-34[23] Valerio, V. (1993). Sul disegno e sulla forma degli anfiteatri. Disegnare idee immagini, IV (6), pp. 25-34. Roma.; 24, pp. 93-102][24] Migliari, R. (1991). Il disegno degli ordini e il rilievo dell’architettura classica: Cinque Pezzi Facili. Disegnare idee immagini, II (2), pp. 49-66. Roma..

In the specific case of the Mallorcan cloister, this design flexibility appears perfectly aligned with the spatial constraints of the site, characterized by a strongly longitudinal development that would have required a planimetric curve precisely adapted to the available space. In this light, Bosse’s method, due to its inherent flexibility, proves particularly well-suited to meeting such a requirement, allowing the construction of an oval layout perfectly calibrated to the actual proportions of the site.

Figure 15. Left: A. Bosse, Traité des géometrales et perspectives, 1655, with indication of the method for tracing an oval using two compass openings. Source: gallica.bnf; Top right: Geometric analysis of the plan layout aimed at identifying the possible geometric matrix using a polycentric curve construction (given chord and rise of the arc) to determine the curvature centers to verify the method for tracing an oval by Abraham Bosse; Bottom right: Identification of the possible geometric matrix using Serlio’s four oval tracing methods (Graphic rendering by Riccardo Miele).

However, since in Bosse’s method the positioning of the centers is left to the designer’s discretion, validating the hypothesis required identifying the exact point where one of the curvature centers –specifically, that of the smaller arc– could have been placed during the design phase. The verification was conducted based on a direct observation of the planimetric layout, initially reconstructed using the geometry of polycentric arcs. This reconstruction not only produced a significant match with the observed curve but also made it possible to precisely determine the positions of the centers of curvature. Once the centers were known, Bosse’s method could be applied, revealing a strong correspondence between the surveyed path and the theoretical construction – greater than in any of the other models tested (Figure 16). This confirms not the deliberate use of Bosse’s method, but rather that the surveyed layout follows a coherent geometric logic, which may result either from a Serlian construction affected by setting-out inaccuracies or from a more flexible polycentric procedure. To complete the analysis, the possibility was also explored that the plan layout derived from the construction of an ellipse (Figure 17).

While the overlap between the reconstructed elliptical profile and the surveyed layout showed a general proximity, the analysis revealed inconsistencies at the curve’s transitional points – those segments where the polycentric curve maintains the oval’s continuity. Between the ellipse and the polycentric oval, the latter aligns more consistently with the cloister’s actual layout, making the hypothesis of an elliptical construction reasonably unlikely. Based on the results obtained, although a significant compatibility emerged between the Mallorcan cloister’s plan layout and the tracing based on Abraham Bosse’s method, the geometric interpretation cannot be considered fully concluded or definitively validated. Some degree of compatibility remains with Serlian models, albeit with greater approximation, and this requires critical awareness of the operational complexity involved in executing such a form – especially when considering the challenges of transferring a design from ‘on paper’ to ‘on site’. In early-eighteenth-century theoretical geometry, the construction of ovals from given axes was also addressed, notably in Tomás Vicente Tosca’s Compendio Mathematico (1707–1710); however, these formulations belong to abstract geometrical theory rather than to architectural treatises concerned with o-out practice, and no documentary evidence supports their use in the Majorcan building context [25, p. 293-294][25] Tosca i Mascó, T. V. (1707). Compendio mathematico, Tomo I. Valencia: Antonio Bordázar..

In this perspective, the discrepancies observed between the surveyed profile and the ideal constructions need not imply the adoption of a different geometric method at the design stage, but may instead be attributed to inaccuracies introduced during the setting-out process on site. In a correct four-centre oval construction, the secondary centres should be obtained geometrically by constructing an equilateral triangle from the two primary centres; if, however, the centres were positioned in the field by direct measurement from the principal axes-possibly rounded to convenient whole units-small errors of several centimetres would inevitably have been introduced in one of the axes. Such a setting-out error would generate a figure that departs slightly from the ideal Serlian oval, producing a layout that numerically approaches the Bosse construction without necessarily implying the deliberate use of that more complex method. These difficulties would have been even more pronounced if, as historiography suggests, the construction site had been entrusted to local craftsmen such as the Mesquida, experienced stonemasons but probably lacking theoretical training in treatise-based geometry [26, p. 108][26] Sebastián López, S. (1981). Barroco y Contrarreforma. Madrid.. In this scenario, the on-site execution may have deviated –perhaps significantly– from the ideal geometric models, resulting in inevitable variations and approximations in the transition from design to built work. To these considerations must be added the awareness of the inherent limits of the survey process itself which, although based on consolidated photogrammetric methods and conducted with the utmost accuracy, cannot eliminate margins of error. A definitive verification of the correspondence between the surveyed and constructed profiles would require an ultra-high precision metric survey using laser scanning technology, capable of generating a millimeter-level point cloud and minimizing measurement uncertainties. Beyond the findings from the survey, restitution, and graphic analysis, it is useful to develop a comparative reflection between the two models analyzed. The comparison between the ovo similis cloister of Santa Maria della Sanità in Naples (1603) and that of Sant Antoni de Viana in Palma highlights two profoundly divergent interpretations of the same geometric solution. This difference is apparent from the outset, beginning with their respective chronology, which places the two architectures in radically different cultural contexts.

Figure 16. Representations of the internal spatial configuration of the cloister of Sant Antoni de Viana in Palma de Mallorca through the three-dimensional model. (By Riccardo Miele).

Figure 17. Graphic-geometric analysis of the plan layout aimed at identifying the possible geometric matrix. The construction and verification are based on the tracing of an ellipse (given the axes), constructed point by point using the two-circle method. (Graphic rendering by Riccardo Miele).

In Naples, Fra’ Nuvolo introduces the oval figure for the first time in a cloister setting, using it as an experimental device capable of breaking the orthogonal rigidity of Renaissance tradition. The cloister thus becomes the outcome of a deeply innovative spatial reflection, oriented towards the new languages of Mannerism and early Baroque, in which form is not only structure but also narrative. The oval becomes a vehicle of tension and dynamism – a moving, open, performative form.

Over a century and a half later, the Mallorcan cloister belongs to a completely different cultural context. Initiated after 1757, the building reflects the impulses of a late Baroque already moving towards a taste for order, symmetry, and proportional rigor, anticipating aspects of eighteenth-century Classicism (Figure 18). As Perelló observes, despite its oval plan, the layout appears regular, marked by strict bilateral symmetry, while the elevation unfolds across two superimposed and evenly articulated orders. In this context, the oval form no longer functions as an element of rupture, but as a harmonious variant of classical centrality, inscribed within a compositional grammar aimed at restoring formal equilibrium [12, p. 131][12] Perelló Ferrer, A. M. (1985). Esglésies dels segles XVII i XVIII. Palma de Mallorca.. It is no coincidence that Alonso Fernández-Fernández notes how the architecture of the Sant Antoni de Viana complex already displays a certain “Neoclassical coldness”, highlighting the absence of the spatial tensions that define the more experimental Roman Baroque models (Figure 19) [15, p. 33][15] Alonso Fernández, A. (1972). San Antonio Abad. Obra singular del Barroco en Mallorca. Mayurqa, 8, 35.. This observation reinforces –even on a perceptual level– the contrast between two opposing conceptions of the same geometric figure: on the one hand, Fra’ Nuvolo’s oval presents itself as an experimental and generative gesture, rich in symbolic and liturgical meaning, capable of disrupting compositional rigidity and opening up to a new narrative and spatially performative dimension; on the other hand, the Mallorcan oval stands as an expression of measured balance, governed by strict symmetry and a compositional grammar reassembled within the framework of late Baroque rationality. In one case, the oval is a sign of movement, openness, and invention; in the other, it translates into completeness, closure, and control. Two divergent outcomes, therefore, which, despite sharing the same geometric matrix, reflect profoundly different cultural contexts, design intentions, and figurative sensibilities.

Figure 18. Frontal view showing the internal spatial configuration of the cloister from the upper level (Photograph by R. Miele).

Figure 19. Upward view of the cloister of Sant Antoni de Viana, capturing the façade of the overlying structure which, by following the cloister’s plan profile, emphasizes the oval design of the layout (Photograph by R. Miele).

3. CONCLUSIONS ↑

This research aimed to demonstrate, through a critical approach rooted in the disciplinary field of Drawing, how knowledge, documentation, and valorization of architectural heritage must be considered interdependent and inseparable tools for the conscious safeguarding of the historical memory of places.

The cloister of Sant Antoni de Viana in Palma served as a privileged testing ground to evaluate the effectiveness of an integrated approach, capable of combining critical analysis of documentary and iconographic sources, architectural surveying, and the potential offered by new Digital Culture technologies.

Specifically, the research investigated the adoption of the oval form in cloister architecture, starting from the study of the cloister of the church of Santa Maria della Sanità in Naples (Italy), designed in the early decades of the 17th century by Fra’ Nuvolo, and extending to that of Sant Antoni de Viana in Palma de Mallorca. To date, they represent unique examples in the European architectural tradition (pending further discoveries) due to their oval layout.

The oval form, both in the Neapolitan case of Santa Maria della Sanità in Naples and in the Mallorcan one, assumes not only a technical and compositional value, but also a symbolic and representative one, as a spatial expression of a precise conception of order, centrality, and the relationship between architecture, faith, and the human figure. Therefore, the comparison between the two cloisters provided the opportunity for a comparative morphological analysis and for a broader reflection on the role of oval geometry in the redefinition of the Baroque cloistered landscape in the European context.
From a geometric and constructive point of view, the study has shown that the oval layout of the Mallorcan cloister is best interpreted as the built outcome of a Serlian-type geometric scheme affected by setting-out inaccuracies, rather than as the direct application of a more theoretically advanced construction. This result highlights the fundamental role of the building process in shaping architectural form and confirms that the transition from drawing to construction is a critical factor in the materialization of geometric ideas.

Supplementary information ↑

Funding sources

Not applicable.

Supplementary material

Not applicable.

Data availability

Not applicable.

Acknowledgements

Not applicable.

Authorship contribution statement

Ornella Zerlenga: Ornella Zerlenga is author of the Introduction.

Antonio Fernández-Coca: Antonio Fernández-Coca is author of the Conclusions.

Vincenzo Cirillo: Vincenzo Cirillo is author of the 1.1 The oval cloister of Santa Maria della Sanità: stylistic considerations.

Riccardo Miele: Riccardo Miele is author of the 1.2. The diffusion of the oval form in cloister architecture across the European context; 2. The cloister of Sant Antoni de Viana in Palma de Mallorca: survey, analysis, and comparative models.

Competing interests

The author of this article declare that he has no financial, professional or personal conflicts of interest that could have inappropriately influenced this work.

Statement on the use of Artificial Intelligence

Not applicable.

REFERENCES ↑

[1] Zerlenga, O., Fernández-Coca, A., Miele, R. (2024). Dicotomie architettoniche. Il disegno dei chiostri nel progetto di Santa Maria della Sanità a Napoli. In Bergamo F., Calandriello A., Ciammaichella M., Friso I., Gay F., Liva G., Monteleone C. (Eds.), Misura / Dismisura. Atti del 45° Convegno Internazionale dei Docenti delle Discipline della Rappresentazione, pp. 2151-2174. Milano: FrancoAngeli.

[2] Ebanista, C. (2018). L’antiquissima immagine della Madonna: dalla catacomba di San Gaudioso alla chiesa di Santa Maria della Sanità a Napoli. In: V. Lucherini (Ed.), Immagini medievali di culto dopo il Medioevo, pp. 41- 70. Viella Libreria Editrice.

[3] Zerlenga, O. (1991). S. Maria della Sanità: dall’ultimo esempio di architettura claustrale a pianta ovata al primo segno della città laica. In Buccaro, A. (Ed.), Il Borgo dei Vergini. Storia e struttura di un ambito urbano. Napoli: CUEN Editrice.

[4] Zerlenga, O. (1997). La «forma ovata» in architettura. Rappresentazione geometrica. Napoli: CUEN Editrice.

[5] Blunt, A. (1979). Borromini. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

[6] Portoghesi, P. (1955). Borromini. Bollettino d’Arte, IV Serie, (12), 1-24.

[7] Antuono, G. (2022). Eterodossia del modello geometrico borrominiano: “Eresia rappresentativa” orientata ad eludere la visione. AND Rivista Di Architetture, Città E Architetti, 41(1).

[8] Dotto, E. (2001). Note sulla costruzione degli ovali a quattro centri. Vecchie e nuove costruzioni dell’ovale. Disegnare idee immagini, XII (23), pp. 7-14. Roma.

[9] Zerlenga, O. (1992). Fra’ Nuvolo e la ovo similis. XY, Dimensioni del disegno, 13, pp. 73-85.

[10] Serlio, S. (1545). Libro primo d’architettura di Sebastiano Serlio Bolognese. Parigi: de l’Imprimerie de Iehan Barbé.

[11] Serlio, S. (1562). Il terzo libro di Sabastiano Serlio Bolognese. Venezia: Francesco Rampazetto.

[12] Perelló Ferrer, A. M. (1985). Esglésies dels segles XVII i XVIII. Palma de Mallorca.

[13] Torrens-Mut, G. (1957). Monografía histórica de la Iglesia de San Antonio de Viana. Palma de Mallorca: Tipografía Católica.

[14] Llinàs y Socias, G. (1972). La Real Iglesia y Claustro de San Antonio de Viana. Palma: Col. Panorama Balear.

[15] Alonso Fernández, A. (1972). San Antonio Abad. Obra singular del Barroco en Mallorca. Mayurqa, 8, 35.

[16] Alonso Fernández, A. (1972). Arquitectura mallorquina moderna y contemporánea. Palma de Mallorca.

[17] Furió Sastre, A. (1839). Diccionario histórico de profesores ilustres de las Bellas Artes en Mallorca. Palma de Mallorca.

[18] Kubler, G. (1957). Arquitectura de los siglos XVII y XVIII (Ars Hispaniae, Vol. 14). Madrid: Plus-Ultra.

[19] Messina, B. (2024). Dalla misura alla fruizione immersiva. Percorsi digitali per la conoscenza del patrimonio ecclesiastico salernitano. In F. Bergamo, A. Calandriello, M. Ciammaichella, I. Friso, F. Gay, G. Liva, & C. Monteleone (Eds.), Misura/Dismisura. Atti del 45° Convegno Internazionale dei Docenti delle Discipline della Rappresentazione (pp. 1781-1802). FrancoAngeli.

[20] Balzani, M., Maietti, F. (2017). Lo spazio architettonico in un Protocollo per il rilievo 3D integrato finalizzato alla documentazione, rappresentazione e conservazione del patrimonio culturale. diségno, 1, 113-122. https://doi.org/10.26375/disegno.1.2017.13

[21] Trizio, I., Savini, F., Ruggieri, A. (2020). Archaeology of the Architecture and Digital Representation: Procedures and Instruments between Connections and Intersections. In Arena A., et al. (Eds.). Connecting. Drawing for weaving relationships. Proceedings of the 42nd International Conference of Representation Disciplines Teachers. Milano: FrancoAngeli, pp. 2821-2842.

[22] Bosse, A. (1655). Traité des geometrales et perspectives. Paris.

[23] Valerio, V. (1993). Sul disegno e sulla forma degli anfiteatri. Disegnare idee immagini, IV (6), pp. 25-34. Roma.

[24] Migliari, R. (1991). Il disegno degli ordini e il rilievo dell’architettura classica: Cinque Pezzi Facili. Disegnare idee immagini, II (2), pp. 49-66. Roma.

[25] Tosca i Mascó, T. V. (1707). Compendio mathematico, Tomo I. Valencia: Antonio Bordázar.

[26] Sebastián López, S. (1981). Barroco y Contrarreforma. Madrid.