"Building models, that's not only re-creating a world on a small
scale, it's also giving to those who get close to them, a giant's size.
So, like the gods of Olympus, we like to contemplate the mortal's earth,
and know their destiny. Only our eyes betray the dreams that live in us.
André
CARON.
Québec, 1987:
I have a passion: the
Rome of the Caesars. I paste a piece of polyphane carboard onto a plywood base and buy some
white glue, poster paints and an X-Acto knife. I get some cardboard and blue polystyrene insulation
board for buildings and structures, and I'm all set.
I paint the base a light shade of grey, outline all of the hills and streets and I'm ready to start on my model. I work from maps and plans of Ancient Rome, but my main references are pictures and illustrations of Italo Gismondi's renowned model, which is housed at the Museum of Roman Civilization.
These last few years, I have turned to volumes 1 and 2 about Rome of a work entitled Des Voyages d'Orion ( Orix collection) for the precise details and beautiful colours of their illustrations. In 1995, I was lucky enough to meet Gilles Chaillet, the author, at the launch of volume 2, Rome, la cité impériale, here in Québec City. I had him sign both of my volumes and we spent a few minutes talking about our common passion for Rome.
I don't consider my model to be finished, and still work on it as my other interest permit. I've long stopped counting the hours I've spent on it, for how is it possible to measure a dream?
My model is 180 cm X 180 cm,(6 square feet) at a scale of: 1:1800, and shows Rome as it was under Constantine in AD 320. Why did I choose the Rome of Constantine? Because Roman archictecture was at its height and the destruction of Rome's great buildings by barbarian invaders had not yet begun.
I can’t fail to mention the exceptional collaboration of Jean-Jacques Salamon, who patiently translated as well as he could all the French texts of my site into German, English and Italian. His great precision allowed me to correct some errors that had slipped into the first version.
I also wish to mention the wonderful work of Jacques Plassard. He lets me benefit from his talent to create impressive synthetic pictures of ancient Rome. Within the site you will find links to allow you to tell him all about your remarks and appreciations.
Last but not least, I have to mention the participation of Sébastien Tourbier, of Cysoing, France, who kindly accepted his wonderful pictures of Rome taken during the 2008 summer to be used to illustrate Rome as it is today.
I’m using this presentation page to thank them all three sincerely ; without them wouldn’t this site be so attractive.
I also invite you to visit my model of Versailles ( 40 cms X 30 cms ), as well as that of Babylon and the Acropolis.
All comments are welcome.
I paint the base a light shade of grey, outline all of the hills and streets and I'm ready to start on my model. I work from maps and plans of Ancient Rome, but my main references are pictures and illustrations of Italo Gismondi's renowned model, which is housed at the Museum of Roman Civilization.
These last few years, I have turned to volumes 1 and 2 about Rome of a work entitled Des Voyages d'Orion ( Orix collection) for the precise details and beautiful colours of their illustrations. In 1995, I was lucky enough to meet Gilles Chaillet, the author, at the launch of volume 2, Rome, la cité impériale, here in Québec City. I had him sign both of my volumes and we spent a few minutes talking about our common passion for Rome.
I don't consider my model to be finished, and still work on it as my other interest permit. I've long stopped counting the hours I've spent on it, for how is it possible to measure a dream?
My model is 180 cm X 180 cm,(6 square feet) at a scale of: 1:1800, and shows Rome as it was under Constantine in AD 320. Why did I choose the Rome of Constantine? Because Roman archictecture was at its height and the destruction of Rome's great buildings by barbarian invaders had not yet begun.
I can’t fail to mention the exceptional collaboration of Jean-Jacques Salamon, who patiently translated as well as he could all the French texts of my site into German, English and Italian. His great precision allowed me to correct some errors that had slipped into the first version.
I also wish to mention the wonderful work of Jacques Plassard. He lets me benefit from his talent to create impressive synthetic pictures of ancient Rome. Within the site you will find links to allow you to tell him all about your remarks and appreciations.
Last but not least, I have to mention the participation of Sébastien Tourbier, of Cysoing, France, who kindly accepted his wonderful pictures of Rome taken during the 2008 summer to be used to illustrate Rome as it is today.
I’m using this presentation page to thank them all three sincerely ; without them wouldn’t this site be so attractive.
I also invite you to visit my model of Versailles ( 40 cms X 30 cms ), as well as that of Babylon and the Acropolis.
All comments are welcome.