ARC 212 Quiz #1

architect: Arnolfo di Cambio

site: Palazzo dei Priori (Palazzo Vecchio)

location: Florence, Italy

date: 1299-1330

architect: Arnolfo di Cambio

site: Piazza della Signoria,

location: Florence, Italy

date: final shape after 1350

architect: NA

site: Mosque Complex of Sultan Hasan

location: Cairo, Egypt

date: 1356-61

architect: NA

site: Piazza San Marco showing Church of San Marco, Doge’s Palace and public granaries

location: Venice, Italy

date:

architect: NA

site: Doge’s Palace

location: Venice, Italy

date: rebuilt 1340s

architect: Arnolfo di Cambio + Francesco Talent

site: View of Florence’s religious center: Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (Duomo)

location:

date: nave, begun by Arnolfo di Cambio, 1296, largely built from 1357 by Francesco Talenti. East end planned 1367

define commune (Italian comune) and republic

An Italian comune (commune) is the smallest administrative division in Italy, comparable to a municipality or township, responsible for local public services like property registration and public works. A republic is a form of government where sovereignty is held by the people and exercised either directly or through elected representatives

explain Tuscan Romanesque style

Tuscan Romanesque is a regional variant of Romanesque architecture characterized by horizontal bands of colored marble, gallery façades, and projecting porches on the exterior of churches, with decorative elements like classical scenes and bronze doors

define duomo

the most important church of a city, typically the cathedral (the seat of the
bishop) [from Latin domus domini, “house of the Lord”]

define piazza

public square, plaza

define palazzo

palace

explain what a communal palace is

A communal palace, or palatium comunis, was a public building in Medieval Italian cities that served as the seat of self-government for a commune or city-state, housing administrative functions, popular assemblies, and the representatives of the city's collective will

explain the Florentine guilds

Florentine guilds, or arti, were powerful corporations that organized the city's economy and social life from the 12th to the 16th century

explain the mendicant orders

Mendicant orders are a type of Catholic religious order whose members, called friars, vow absolute poverty and live by begging for alms from the public

define pietra forte

“strong stone,” a yellow-brown Florentine sandstone

explain polychrome masonry and ablaq masonry

Polychrome masonry is a general term for construction that uses multiple colors of brick, stone, or tile to create decorative patterns. Ablaq masonry is a specific type of polychrome masonry characterized by alternating courses of light and dark stone, most notably found in Islamic architecture

define mosque and madrasa

A mosque (masjid) is the Muslim place of worship for prayer, community gathering, and other social functions, with the five daily prayers and the weekly Friday prayer being central activities. A madrasa is an Islamic school or college, historically a center for religious scholarship and a place for higher Islamic education, often associated with a mosque

define muqarnas / muqarnas vault

a type of dome or vault that uses this elaborate, faceted, and cell-like construction

define iwan, four-iwan plan

a type of religious or civic building architecture that features a large central courtyard surrounded by four such vaulted halls, or iwans, positioned on each of the courtyard's sides, with the qibla iwan (facing Mecca) typically being the largest and most prominent

define chahar bagh (cross-axial garden scheme)

a Persian-style garden layout that features a large square, or rectangle, divided into four smaller quadrants by walkways or water channels that intersect at a central point

what is a “doge”

an elected head of the Venetian Republic

What significant historical shifts occurred in late medieval Italy? What was the impact of those shifts on architecture and urban planning?

The rise of humanism and a focus on classical Greco-Roman culture, and newfound intellectual and artistic innovation. These shifts profoundly impacted architecture and urban planning, leading to a Renaissance style emphasizing symmetry, proportion, and classical elements like arches, columns, and domes, and transforming city design with a greater focus on humanism, perspective, and civic space

Which institutions and groups were most prominent in medieval republics like Florence, and how are they present architecturally in the city?

In medieval republics like Florence, the most prominent institutions and groups were the city's government, its powerful merchant guilds, influential banking families like the Medici, and the Catholic Church. Their power and intense rivalry are manifested architecturally in Florence through immense public buildings, imposing family palaces, and grand religious structures, often built to outdo one another

How did Muslim rulers use architecture to communicate about their rule?

Muslim rulers used architecture as a powerful tool for political communication, showcasing their immense wealth, asserting authority over conquered lands, legitimizing their rule through religious devotion, and memorializing their dynasties. This approach can be seen in the construction of mosques, mausoleums, and secular palaces throughout Islamic history. 

What architectural connections can we trace among these Mediterranean cultures?

• Greek columns: Romans borrowed and modified the Greek orders—Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian—for both structural and decorative purposes.

• Roman arches and concrete: The Romans perfected the use of the arch and invented concrete, allowing them to construct massive, complex structures like domes, aqueducts, and amphitheaters on an unprecedented scale. These technologies became fundamental to later Mediterranean and European architecture.

• Engineering and infrastructure: Beyond monuments, the Romans' advanced infrastructure, including roads, bridges, and sewer systems, established a template for urban planning that influenced cities across their vast Mediterranean territory and beyond. 

architect: Filippo Brunelleschi + Arnolfo di Cambio

site: Cupola of Cathedral of S. Maria del Fiore

location:

date: Cupola by Filippo Brunelleschi 1420-36; Church nave begun 1296 by Arnolfo di Cambio, east end planned 1360s

architect: Filippo Brunelleschi

site: Ospedale degli Innocenti (Foundling Hospital

location: Florence, Italy

date: begun c. 1419

architect: Filippo Brunellesch

site: Old Sacristy at Church of San Lorenzo

location: Florence, Italy

date: 1421-28.

architect: Filippo Brunelleschi

site: Church of San Lorenzo

location: Florence, Italy

date: completed 1440s-60s

define humanism

Humanist architecture is characterized by its human-centered focus, viewing the human body and experience as the primary model for design and proportion

define portico

A portico is a roofed structure with columns at the entrance of a building, serving as a covered porch or entrance to protect from the elements.

define pilaster

a rectangular column, especially one projecting from a wall

define pietra serena

means "serene stone" and refers to a blue-gray sandstone historically quarried in Tuscany, Italy, particularly around Florence

define sacristy

a room in a church where a priest prepares for a service, and where vestments and other things used in worship are kept

define pendentive/pendentive dome

A pendentive dome is a dome that is specifically supported by pendentives (the supportive triangles often used in Byzantine churches (ex. Hagia Sophia)

define one-point or linear perspective

One-point or linear perspective is an art and drawing technique that creates the illusion of three-dimensional depth on a two-dimensional surface by having parallel lines (orthogonals) converge at a single "vanishing point" on the horizon line

define the basilica plan and its main features:

longitudinal plan, nave, side aisles, transept, crossing, sanctuary with high altar, apse, clerestory, chapels (side and/or transept)

who was the patron of Old Sacristy

Giovanni di Bicci de’ Medici (1360-1429)

who was the patron of rebuilding of San Lorenzo

Cosimo de’ Medici (1389-1464)

What is humanism and how does it relate to the architecture of 15th-cent. Florence?

this philosophy influenced architecture by inspiring buildings that were functional, elegant, and harmonious with their surroundings, featuring classical proportions and motifs to celebrate human dignity and capabilities

What kind of training and background did Brunelleschi have?

goldsmith and sculptor

Which aspects of Brunelleschi’s work were new (“Renaissance”), and which were traditional (“Gothic”)?

Renaissance: linear perspective, classical revival, engineering ingenuity, emphasis on harmony and proportion

Gothic: pointed-arch design, herringbone brickwork, Tuscan Romanesque, octagonal shape, latin cross plan

architect: Leon Battista Alberti

site: Palazzo Rucellai

location: Florence, Italy

date: 1455-70

architect: Alberti

site: San Francesco (a.k.a. Tempio Malatestiano)

location: Rimini, Italy

date: begun 1446

architect: Alberti

site: Church of Sant’ Andrea

location: Mantua, Italy

date: begun 1472

summarize *De re aedificatoria” (On the Art of Building)

written by Alberti, manuscript, ca. 1450 (first published 1485)

define drafted masonry

Drafted masonry is a type of dressed stone construction where the edges of stones are finished or "drafted" to create a sunken border or margin, leaving the center of the stone in its natural or less-finished state

explain the difference between a Greek cross vs. a Latin cross

a Greek cross has four arms of equal length, resembling a plus sign, while a Latin cross has a longer, lower vertical arm and shorter upper arms, creating a longer "stem"

explain a central-plan church (vs. longitudinal basilica type)

A central-plan church has a design oriented around a single, central focal point, often a dome, and is typically organized radially. In contrast, a longitudinal basilica church features a rectangular, linear layout with an axis leading from the entrance to the altar, creating a path for processions and directing the congregation's focus toward the altar at the far end

define triumphal arch

A triumphal arch is a free-standing monumental structure, often spanning a roadway, built to commemorate a significant event like a military victory or to honor a notable person or emperor

define temple front

A temple front is a classical architectural element that replicates the appearance of a Greek or Roman temple's entrance, featuring a prominent portico (a roofed porch) supported by columns or pilasters, topped by a triangular pediment

define giant or colossal order

A giant order, also known as a colossal order, is an architectural design where columns or pilasters extend vertically across two or more stories of a building, creating a monumental and unified facade

define barrel vault

A barrel vault is a semicylindrical or tunnel-like architectural element formed by a continuous series of arches

define coffering

Coffering is an architectural technique that decorates ceilings, vaults, or arches with a pattern of sunken, ornamental panels, often square or rectangular, framed by beams or mouldings

How did Alberti’s background differ from Brunelleschi’s?

Leon Battista Alberti's background as a humanist scholar, theorist, and intellectual differed significantly from Filippo Brunelleschi's practical background as a trained goldsmith, sculptor, and inventive engineer

What was the significance of Alberti’s architectural treatise? Who was his main audience? What argument did it make for the status of the architect?

significance: revival of classical antiquity, a new aesthetic and mathematical basis, integration with civic life, separation of design and construction

main audience: wealthy and powerful patrons

argument: the architect as a learned intellectual, elevation through judgment and authorship, immortal fame

What principles and ideas did Alberti and Brunelleschi each derive from ancient Roman architecture, and how were their approaches different or similar?

principle and ideas: Harmony and Proportion, Classical Elements and Vocabulary, Linear Perspective, Design Principles

differences: Practice vs. Theory, Source Material, Use of Classical Elements

similarities: Inspiration from Rome, Focus on Mathematical Principles, Shared Intellectual Exchange

Is the “rebirth” of antiquity in the Renaissance simply about copying ancient buildings, or something more?

It’s something more; it’s a translation

• Tuscan order

• added by Romans

• Doric order

• originated in Greece

• metope

• triglyph

• Ionic order

• originated in Greece

• volute

• Corinthian

• originated in Greece

• volute

• acanthus leaf

• Composite

• added by Romans

• volute

• acanthus leaf

An order can also take the following forms:

pilaster: a square or flat column attached to a wall
engaged column: not free-standing but attached to the wall as a partial or half-column

Any column or pilaster can also have the following forms and features:

entasis: the column shaft swells, then tapers, from bottom to top (see the Doric column below)
fluting (fluted column): shaft is carved out with vertical channels (alternating flutes and fillets)

what are the basic components of the orders

• shaft

• base

• capital

• entablature, typically made up of: architrave, frieze, and cornice

architect: Michelozzo di Bartolomeo

site: Palazzo Medici

location: Florence, Italy

date: 1440s

architect: Bartolomeo Bon

site: Palazzo (or Ca’) Foscari

location: Venice, Italy

date: begun ca. 1450

architect: NA

site: Hôtel (House of) Jacques Coeur

location: Bourges, France

date: 1443-5

define self-fashioning

a key aspect of Renaissance culture, concept introduced by Swiss historian Jakob Burckhardt in the 19th cent.

define rustication, rusticated

made to look rough

define piano nobile

“noble floor,” main living floor of a palace

define loggia

A loggia is a roofed gallery or open-sided room that is open to the elements on one or more sides, often located on an upper story and used for leisure or as a covered walkway

define portego

long, central hall on the piano nobile of a Venetian palace

define château

castle

define villa

countryhouse

define temple-front motif

used to make a building look antique

who was Pliny the Younger

ancient Roman author and statesman who described his villas in Tuscany and Laurentinum in two famous letters

What were the functions of the family palace and the villa in the 15th century?

• places of business, politics, and hospitality

• acts of self-fashioning-- like a portrait- and status symbol

• civic displays and embellishment to urban space

Which aspects were shared by the palaces in this lecture? Which aspects were particular to a given city or region?

shared:

particular to the region: fenestrations, entrances, structural symmetry (Bourges)

To what extent did residential architecture draw on ancient Roman houses?

not very much since there are few illustrations of Roman houses that the architects of that time could research

What architectural features define the typology of the villa and its relationship to the landscape?

ex. steep roofs of Bourges villa mimic chateaux in the countryside