ESHS/HSS Annual Meeting

Narrating the Invisible. Transmedia Strategies for the Dissemination of Astronomical Heritage: The Case of the Rizzoli Institute Meridian Line

• In Event: Representing the Sky from the Earth and Vice Versa: Gnomonic, Archeoastronomy, Cartography and Geometry

English Abstract

This proposal intends to analyze the communication and representation strategies adopted for the valorization of historical scientific heritage, presenting as a case study the video production dedicated to the meridian line (1788) of the Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute in Bologna, developed within the "Ferrara delle Scienze" project. The work is grounded in the research group's consolidated experience in audiovisual communication (Incerti & Lenisa, 2025), yet it represents the first experimentation applied specifically to the narration of the History of Science. The complexity of this astronomical instrument, which blends architecture, geometry, and celestial mechanics, requires overcoming static textual descriptions in favor of a dynamic audiovisual narrative capable of orchestrating multisensory stimuli.

The core of the methodological reflection lies in the critical use of digital models adopted to explain the Meridian's functioning: depending on communication needs, either essential geometric syntheses or realistic, textured renders are used. The video, therefore, adopts different representational styles based on the specific segment: while immersive "virtual restoration" is used for architectural contextualization, a schematic language (visual parataxis) is employed to illustrate invisible physical phenomena, which is indispensable for isolating and clarifying the geometry of the phenomenon. In parallel, the voice-over and subtitles are built on a simple and rhythmic syntax, synchronized with the different types of images, to ensure maximum accessibility.

The video, produced in two languages (Italian and English), is currently installed in situ in a permanent configuration near the Meridian line itself. The screen is flanked by a descriptive panel (roll-up) providing the project framework and by printed dissemination material. The presented work constitutes a synthesis model between scientific rigor and popularization language, serving as a methodological test for future valorization actions regarding the Cassini Meridian in the Basilica of San Petronio.


Incerti, M., & Lenisa, P. (2025). Immagini, suoni e parole. Esperienze di Public Engagement per comunicare la scienza. Images, Sounds, and Words. Experiences of Public Engagement in Science Communication. In L. Carlevaris (Ed.), èkphrasis. Descrizioni nello spazio della rappresentazione/èkphrasis. Descriptions in the space of representation. (pp. 2917–2040). FrancoAngeli srl. https://doi.org/10.3280/oa-1430-c907

Authors

• Manuela Incerti, University of Ferrara

• Paolo Lenisa, University of Ferrara