Comments on: Inventive monk identification

Question: Inventive monk identification

cosmonaught — Tue, 30 Nov 2004 15:45:12 -0800

Who's That Monk?!?!?! Any or all of these details might be wrong, but it's all I've got: oddball 17th century monk (maybe Jesuit) who developed the water system for Bernini's Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (Fountain of the Four Rivers, in Rome's Piazza Navona) and made strange mechanical devices like a mechanical Jesus that walked on water. I know I heard a story about him on an evening NPR show, I think there was a meme floating around the web around the same time. I want to say his name was Chirac, but I only remember hearing that, so I may be spelling it wrong, or even confusing it with a certain foreign president. Any takers?

By: vacapinta

vacapinta — Tue, 30 Nov 2004 16:00:51 -0800

Athanasius Kircher?

By: vacapinta

vacapinta — Tue, 30 Nov 2004 16:06:25 -0800

Here's a neat site on his water-powered musical instruments put together by the author of the Swedish Typewriter page. (Assuming it is him you're thinking of)

By: cosmonaught

cosmonaught — Tue, 30 Nov 2004 16:07:59 -0800

Thank you! I don't know why I ruled him out when I was searching before, but a quick google search for Bernini and Kircher, makes it certain.

Now the question is why I thought he was name Chirac.

By: cosmonaught

cosmonaught — Tue, 30 Nov 2004 16:13:53 -0800

I mean "named Chirac."

And it's strange because I remember listening to a segment about him on the radio and thinking "Oh, Chirac, like the French president. Neat."

By: Sidhedevil

Sidhedevil — Tue, 30 Nov 2004 17:10:46 -0800

Thanks for the earworm! Now every time I check the Green, I have "Who's That Monk?" running through my head to the tune of "Who's That Girl?"

By: matteo

matteo — Tue, 30 Nov 2004 17:54:24 -0800

yeah, it's Kircher. I meant to post something about him on the FP, one day. knock yourself out.
the Quirinale organ is indeed very cool

By: thatwhichfalls

thatwhichfalls — Tue, 30 Nov 2004 22:34:48 -0800

Wasn't there a chapter about this guy in "Landscape And Memory" by Simon Schama?