archi history 2.1

renaissance intro, brunelleschi

what, where, whats important, tell me abt the shiny doors

baptistery of florence, romanesque building

next to the florence cathedral (brunelleschi’s dome)

the bronze doors by ghiberti: the 1401 competition he won for the north doors started the renaissance / the later east doors (1425 - 1452) are the gates of paradise

renaissance: yrs, how it started, where

1400s - 1600s

when ghiberti won the 1401 competition for the north doors of the baptistery in florence

started in florence

whats the connection between classical and renaissance, what is each thing one

classical - greek and roman architecture and art

renaissance - inspired by classical, uses the same elements in different ways, stricter grids and such

renaissance characteristics

symmetry, proportion, geometry, regularity of parts

regular grid, pilasters, lesenes, lintels, semicircular arches, domes

arranging the parts of classical architecture in a particular grid

regularity of parts

the buildings should follow a strict even grid

the rules that renaissance followed (the book); what came from them following it

vitruvius' de architectura // ten books on architecture

that’s why there are so many beautiful buildings being built in this period, because they all had to follow certain rules (vitruvius’)

e.g. corinthian columns’ width-to-height ratio had to always be about 1:9

so architects could only build with specific regulated elements → protecting from the chaos we see in modern architecture

the ideal city (painting)

here the regularity of parts required in renaissance buildings is perfectly shown

while the gothic period had a lot of technological advancements (flying buttresses, rib vaults etc), what made the renaissance different

the renaissance was more of a stylistic breakthrough, inspired by the classical period, specifically roman ruins

first and most important architect of the renaissance

filippo brunelleschi

1377 - 1446

extra info: he used to be a goldsmith before his proposal for the florence cathedral, not an architect

what, when

the dome of the florence cathedral

1436

scaffolding

скеле

drum, the cathedral was completed to the drum before the dome was added

who invented linear perspective

filippo brunelleschi

what’s the biggest defining characteristic of renaissance art

the use of perspective

the egg story around the dome and filippo brunelleschi

brunelleschi won the commission for the dome by challenging rival architects to make an egg stand upright on a flat marble slab, and when they all failed, he simply cracked the bottom of the egg and set it upright, showing that his unique, seemingly impossible solution (like his dome design) would work if only he were allowed to demonstrate it rather than explain it beforehand

who was the original architect of the florence cathedral

arnolfo di cambio

who painted the dome and what did he write

giorgio vasari

wrote “the lives”, talking abt the lives of the most excellent painters, sculptors, and architects before his time

in 1550

what’s high renaissance

the peak of the renaissance (about 1490 - 1527), the closest to classical antiquity, easily confused with classical buildings, but still following the rules of the renaissance

difference between lesene and a pilaster

lesene - no base and no capital

pilaster - a 2d column

what’s this element called

roundel // medallion