Galileo's Diagramma della Veritas from Angels & Demons

Adam Fails

Adam Fails

Well-Known Member
Hi everyone!

After seeing the news about the new Pope being elected, I really wanted to watch Angels & Demons (again).

Back in 2009 when the movie came out I tried making Galileo's Diagramma, and I mean instantly. As soon as I got home from the cinema I was looking for references pictures online and I assembled a document with a passing resemblance to the prop from the movie.

It was by no means accurate but was good enough for me at the time... up until a couple of weeks ago when I decided I really wanted to have an authentic one! Long story short over the past few days I've been diligently working on this project, and this is the finished result! :D











The text and diagrams are all screen-accurate where possible, and any others in the rest of the prop are all authentic & taken from work by Galileo. I am aware in the movie the document is at first called 'Diagramma Veritatis' and is referred to as such by Robert Langdon, but at the end of the movie (and in the Angels & Demons book) the folio is called 'Diagramma della Verita' and I replicated this one because I think it looks better. :D

Oh, also!

I know Stefan Jones made a version of this (which looks great) and I don't want people to think I'm copying his work, so here's a pic of the diagramma before being bound.

 
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I'd love a copy of this to go along with my other Dan Brown related stuff!

I have noticed one flaw though and it's not in your replica, it's in the original prop!
The Diagramma della Veritas was printed in Holland, all on papyrus and entirely in ENGLISH (with the exception of the cover)
 
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Chaank said:
Dude! Thats fantastic. I thought about trying one of these too but as yet...

Nice work.:thumbsup
Click to expand...

Thanks Chaank! :$

TheObserver said:
I'd love a copy of this to go along with my other Dan Brown related stuff!

I have noticed one flaw though and it's not in your replica, it's in the original prop!
The Diagramma della Veritas was printed in Holland, all on papyrus and entirely in ENGLISH (with the exception of the cover)
Click to expand...

Thanks TheObserver! It's flattering you actually want one! Maybe if more people show similar interest I could do a run or something, I don't know! :D

Also I hope I don't sound pompous saying this, but Dan Brown says in the Angels & Demons book, script (and from what you can see of the prop on screen) all of the text is in latin. Except of course for John Milton's poem.

Anyways thanks for the feedback guys :D
 
Ravensclaw said:
Thanks Chaank! :$

Also I hope I don't sound pompous saying this, but Dan Brown says in the Angels & Demons book, script (and from what you can see of the prop on screen) all of the text is in latin. Except of course for John Milton's poem.
Click to expand...

You don't sound pompous but this is one area where he got it wrong. Galileo's original book (destroyed by the Vatican after its capture) was in Latin. In order to protect those who were brave enough to own one, the papyrus copies were printed in Holland as a translated version - English being seen as an unwholesome language due to its routes in many languages.
Since few in the Vatican at the time spoke English, it was considered a further protection. The book/film version seems to only have the Illuminati references in English.

Just to clarify what I was trying to say. Rant over!
 
:confused Uh... I . . . I'm pretty sure that the Diagramma is a fictional document, invented by Dan Brown, and therefore supposed to be in latin like he said? Don't make me go all wikipedia on yo ass and demand you cite your sources! :lol
 
Ravensclaw said:
:confused Uh... I . . . I'm pretty sure that the Diagramma is a fictional document, invented by Dan Brown, and therefore supposed to be in latin like he said? Don't make me go all wikipedia on yo ass and demand you cite your sources! :lol
Click to expand...

There was a BBC documentary on the written word (can't remember who presented it). It definitely talked about Galileo's controversial books as being printed on papyrus, in English so they could be easily destroyed. If Mr Brown made up the document (on appearance could be the Dialogo), then it's just one of those inconsistencies with history that comes from many fictional books/movies. No offence was meant......obviously some was taken though.
 
TheObserver said:
There was a BBC documentary on the written word (can't remember who presented it). It definitely talked about Galileo's controversial books as being printed on papyrus, in English so they could be easily destroyed. If Mr Brown made up the document (on appearance could be the Dialogo), then it's just one of those inconsistencies with history that comes from many fictional books/movies. No offence was meant......obviously some was taken though.
Click to expand...


Why would I be offended if you got your facts wrong? :p

Yeah it was probably the Discorsi you were thinking of - the front page for this prop is an edited version of that. :thumbsup
 
jsather89 said:
Awesome work my friend! How did you bind it? Stitching?
Click to expand...

Yep! This one's bound in a figure 8 style with good old needle & thread :lol On closer inspection the real props had this figure 8 binding repeated down the spine, which is what I'll do if I make more in future. Thanks for the feedback!


Also I just noticed how many views this thread has - how apt! :D

 
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