Construction is a concept that runs through the whole book of Jakob Leupold. If you dive deeper and trying to analyze the sentences, it will become clear that the book is about the technical aspects of machines for the reason of different drawings and technical terms. The book is well structured by an introduction, followed by a list of contents, a main text and last but not least by drawings.
“Theatrum machinarium molarium” is the nineth part of the series “theatrum machinarium” and appeared in 1735. Leupold explains and states precisely the insight of the technical part of building mills. The detailed drawings in the end of the book, show in a detailed way how the construction works. Leupold’s book has clear drawings that are true to its scale and where details are also emphasized. The book has a wide variation in style of drawings. Some are illustrated in bird’s eye view, axometric, segmententive, are put in a context and others are even shown in action. By all his precision the author does not focus on clear measurements of the constructions. Thus, none of the illustrations have size units. Instead, bolts, structural elements and how it is linked with the rest of the buildings is shown.
The book was highly relevant, because giving information about how to fabricate food is an elementary point in humanity. During this century until now, it is major to fabricate grain, which is one of the most important part in our food chain. Nonetheless this fact, a book about construction and engineering is always a way to emphasize power. Because knowledge in engineering is one of the main points for building up a strong empire. This knowledge about construction and building intelligent machines for everyday life helps to build up a strong fort in an empire and show that the empire works well. Analyzing and understanding engineering is in a way a show-off against other countries and empires.
Despite the fact that construction is one of the most obvious things for me to approach the book it is quite remarking how much value Jakob Leupold gives to state the king at the beginning of the book. Maybe it was just how it was supposed to be at this moment of time, or it shows who helped financially to publish the book. In addition, it is striking how much is dedicated on how to legislate the machine. Even the content is old it seems to me that when it comes to law the writing must be as carefully as the constructive drawings in Leupold’s book “theatrum machinarium molarium” are.
Key words: construction, guide, technology