This paper will concern the use of paintings and artistic illustration in the work of the Italian geologist Torquato Taramelli (1845-1922). Field geologist and alpinist, but also skilled draftsman, he had a crucial role in the realization of the geological map of Italy, presenting the Geological Map of Friuli at the Second International Geological Congress held in Bologna 1881. The map was watercolor painted by Taramelli itself, offering an example of the sensible use of painting documents he made in his scientific works. These included both drawings in the field-diaries and acqueforti and watercolor paintings used to illustrate his scientific writings, many of which still exposed in the Rectorate of the Pavia University. The most important is the Panorama geologico del Friuli da Moruzzo.
They denote a considerable artistic talent, with a large number of views and foreshortening of landscapes or towns, and sometimes with extremely suggestive ethnographic accents. Through these works it is possible to read that he chose to use realistic painting and drawing not only as mean of dissemination, to facilitate the technical data understanding, but also as a scientific tool tout court by which to record, highlight and investigate the geological nature and morphology of the territory. Behind this choice it is possible to recognize the influence of culture and tradition of Italian painting, that from Renaissance used the landscape as the background theme of the oeuvre, and that with its strong presence left no doubt that the design of geological relief was superior to photography.
Union of science and art, overall the drawings and watercolors respond to the need of explaining the geological relief. They also contribute to the creation of sections of the territory and express a pictorial and descriptive personal attention to the environment and the landscape. In fact, the value of views and landscapes, as well as the pictorial reproduction of individuals, monuments and objects goes far beyond the scientific interests of Taramelli, to attest his salient attitude and taste in the pictorial representation of the world.

This presentation is based on work co-authored by Stefano Marabini.