Study Notes on Renaissance Architecture

RENAISSANCE ARCHITECTURE

RENAISSANCE IN ITALY

  • Geographical Overview:

    • The Renaissance in Italy primarily includes the cities of Florence, Rome, and Venice.

ATTRIBUTES OF ITALIAN RENAISSANCE

  • Stateliness

  • Classical Horizontality

CHARACTERISTICS OF ITALIAN RENAISSANCE

  1. Plan

    • Symmetrical

    • Compact

    • Rectilinear

    • Formal

    • Grand

  2. Walls

    • Rusticated (rough-faced stone)

    • Astylar (facade without columns)

    • Stone Materials:

      • Pietra forte: Used for exterior

      • Pietra serena: Used for interior

  3. Arcades

    • Arches supported on piers faced with columns.

  4. Domes

    • Crowned with lanterns.

  5. Roofs

    • Low-pitched roofs hidden by balustrades.

  6. Pilaster Strips

    • Decorative strips on walls.

  7. Tabernacle Windows

  8. Coffered Ceiling

FLORENCE

EARLY RENAISSANCE

  • Wealthy Florentines became patrons of artists and intellectuals, showcasing their wealth and power.

  • Development of Humanism:

    • Appreciation for physical beauty coupled with a humanitarian concern for values and dignity.

  • The Medici family played a pivotal role in the political and cultural life of Renaissance Florence.

    • Their patronage helped make Florence a leading center for the Renaissance in Europe.

  • Artists were focused on their work without financial worries due to Medici support.

EXAMPLES OF FLORENTINE ARCHITECTURE

  1. DOME OF FLORENCE CATHEDRAL (1296-1462)

    • Designed by Filippo Brunelleschi.

    • Lantern completed by Michelozzo Michellozzi.

    • Combination of Gothic and Renaissance styles.

    • Features a double shell of sandstone and marble with a herringbone brick pattern for weight efficiency.

    • Notably constructed without scaffolding; it stands as the largest brick dome in the world.

  2. STO. SPIRITO (1444)

    • Initiated by Brunelleschi and completed by Antonio Manetti.

    • The unfinished façade dates back to Brunelleschi’s death in 1446.

    • Interior exemplifies Brunelleschi’s Renaissance design through perfect proportional linear space.

  3. BASILICA OF SAN LORENZO (1418)

    • Church and burial site for the Medici family, who funded its construction.

    • Designed by Filippo Brunelleschi.

  4. S. MARIA NOVELLA (1279)

    • Facade completed by Leon Battista Alberti in 1470.

    • Flanking scrolls connect the aisles and nave.

  5. PALAZZO PITTI (1446)

    • Originally owned by Luca Pitti, later acquired by the Medici family in 1549.

    • Notable as the largest palace in Italy and an astylar structure.

  6. PALAZZO MEDICI RICCARDI (1445)

    • Designed by Michelozzo di Bartolomeo.

    • Constructed from rusticated stone (pietra forte), emphasizing rarity and cost of materials.

    • Artists often left marks or graffiti on stones, demonstrating personal pride in the work.

  7. PALAZZO STROZZI (1489)

    • Completed by Benedetto da Majano and Cronaca.

    • Known for its attractive windows.

  8. PALAZZO RUCELLAI (1446)

    • Designed by Leon Battista Alberti and finished by Bernardo Rossellino.

    • Recognized as the first astylar building of the Renaissance.

  9. VILLA MEDICI, Poggio a Caiano (1485)

    • Designed by Giuliano da Sangallo.

    • UNESCO World Heritage site since 2013.

    • Renowned as a splendid summer residence of the Florentine nobility.

  10. FOUNDLING HOSPITAL (Ospedale Degli Inocenti) (1419)

    • Designed by Filippo Brunelleschi, it is significant as the first institution in Europe for caring for abandoned babies.

HIGH RENAISSANCE AND PROTO-BAROQUE

  1. PALAZZO PANDOLFINI (1514)

    • Designed by Raphael Santi.

    • Combines Roman style with Florentine elements.

  2. THE UFFIZI (1560)

    • Designed by Giorgio Vasari for Cosimo de' Medici; offices for Florentine magistrates.

    • Opened as a museum in 1765, housing the world's greatest collection of Italian Renaissance art donated by the Medici family.

VENICE

EARLY RENAISSANCE

  1. PALAZZO VENDRAMIN (1481)

    • Designed by Pietro Lombardo.

  2. STA. MARIA DEI MIRACOLI (1491)

    • A miniature church by Pietro Lombardo and sons Antonio and Tullio.

    • Known as the “marble church” featuring grey, white, and pink polychrome finishes.

    • Barrel-vaulted ceiling decorated with polychrome marbles; serves as a popular wedding venue in Venice.

  3. SCUOLA GRANDE DI SAN MARCO (1487)

    • Designed by Martino Lombardo.

    • Ground floor features panels with perspective reliefs by Tullio Lombardo.

    • Reflects artists' fascination with perspective concepts of the period.

  4. S. GIORGIO DEI GRECI (1539)

    • Designed by Sante Lombardo; an orthodox church with a mature Renaissance facade.

  5. SAN ZACCARIA (1458)

    • Designed by Antonio Gambello; features walls adorned with paintings by 17th and 18th-century artists.

HIGH RENAISSANCE AND PROTO-BAROQUE

  1. PALAZZO BEVILACQUA (1530)

    • Created by Michel Sanmicheli; features rusticated lower story and elegant upper “piano nobile.”

  2. LIBRARY OF ST. MARK (1537)

    • Designed by Jacopo Sansovino.

  3. PALAZZO GRIMANI

    • Designed by Michel Sanmicheli.

  4. LOGETTA OF THE CAMPANILLE (1546)

    • Designed by Jacopo Sansovino; based on the Roman triumphal arch with three openings and an imperial style entablature.

  5. BASILICA PALLADIANA, Vicenza (1549)

    • Notable for Renaissance arcades, designed by Andrea Palladio.

    • UNESCO World Heritage site since 1994; has arched groupings and smaller columns termed “Palladian Motif.”

  6. VILLA CAPRA (La Rotonda) (1567)

    • Designed by Andrea Palladio; symmetrical square plan with porticoes on all facades.

    • Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

  7. VILLA BARBARO, Maser (1560)

    • Designed by Andrea Palladio for Daniele Barbaro; also a UNESCO World Heritage site.

  8. SAN GIORGIO MAGGIORE (1566)

    • Designed by Andrea Palladio; façade completed by Vincenzo Scamozzi.

  9. IL REDENTORE (1575)

    • Designed by Andrea Palladio.

BAROQUE

  1. PALAZZO PESARO (1659)

    • Begun by Baldassare Longhena, finished by Gian Antonio Gaspari.

  2. PALAZZO REZZONICO (1649)

    • Initiated by Baldassare Longhena and completed by Giorgio Massari.

  3. SANTA MARIA DELLA SALUTE (1631)

    • Designed by Baldassare Longhena; a grand example of Venetian Baroque architecture.

    • Created as an offering for the city's deliverance from a severe plague, featuring an octagonal plan and spacious ambulatory with radiating chapels.

ROME

EARLY RENAISSANCE

  1. PALAZZO DI VENEZIA (1455–1503)

    • Designed by Leon Battista Alberti; exhibits a medieval exterior contrasted with Renaissance interior elements.

  2. DUCAL PALACE (1454)

    • Commissioned by Duke Federico da Montefeltro; involvement of various artists including Maso di Bartolomeo, Luciano Laurana, and Leon Battista Alberti.

    • Houses a library of illuminated manuscripts and is a UNESCO World Heritage site (1998).

    • The STUDIOLO: A small meditation and study room decorated with over 40 art pieces and a cabinet for curiosities, executed using the wood inlay technique (intarsia).

HIGH RENAISSANCE AND PROTO-BAROQUE

  1. PIAZZA DEL CAMPIDOGLIO (1537)

    • The masterpiece of Michelangelo in terms of civic architecture; the hub of political activity in ancient Rome.

    • Located on the Capitoline Hill, which is historically significant as one of the seven hills of Rome.

    • Represents an example of Renaissance urban planning with building arrangements creating a sense of enlarged trapezoidal space.

    • Displays axial symmetry, with paving directing attention to the central statue.

    • Promotes a form of Mannerism, characterized by beauty within disarray.

  2. PALAZZO SENATORIO (1538-1655)

    • Designed by Giacomo della Porta, Michelangelo, and Girolamo Rainaldi; symbolizes the civil authority of Rome.

  3. PALAZZO FARNESE (1559)

    • Designed by Giacomo da Vignola, Antonio da Sangallo the Younger, and Baldassare Peruzzi.

    • Features a pentagon plan with minimal ornamentation aimed at harmony.

    • SCALA REGIA at Palazzo Farnese, designed by Giacomo da Vignola, showcases grand helical stairs with frescoed walls.

IL GESU CHURCH (1568)

  • Significant as the first Jesuit church in Rome; a prime example of Baroque architecture.

  • Notable for the trompe-l'œil masterpiece TRIUMPH OF THE NAME OF JESUS painted by Giovanni Battista Gaulli.

TEMPIETTO (1502)

  • Marks the martyrdom site of St. Peter; designed by Bramante in traditional Renaissance style, resembling a Roman round temple.

ST. PETER’S BASILICA, ROME (1506)

  • Acts as the central church for Roman Catholicism, situated on the site of the previous basilica.

  • Recognized as the most important structure of the Renaissance and is a UNESCO World Heritage site (1984).

  • Accommodates between 50,000 to 60,000 individuals.

  • Constructed per Pope Julius II's intentions as a tomb; architectural oversight spanned 120 years (1506-1626) through several renowned architects:

    1. DONATO BRAMANTE: Initial design was a Greek Cross with a dome.

    2. GIULIANO DA SANGALLO, FRA GIOCONDO DA VERONA, and RAPHAEL: Worked under Bramante's supervision.

    3. BALDASSARE PERUZZI: Restored the Greek cross plan but passed away before execution.

    4. ANTONIO DA SANGALLO, THE YOUNGER: Adjusted the plan with a short nave and a more complex dome.

    5. MICHELANGELO BUONAROTTI: At age 72, he contributed the most significant features, including:

    • Restored the Greek cross layout.

    • Reinforced dome supports.

    • Redefined chapels and apses.

    • Initiated dome construction.

    1. GIACOMO DELLA PORTA and DOMENICO FONTANA: Completed the dome utilizing Michelangelo's original model; it is recognized as the tallest dome in the world.

    2. GIACOMO DA VIGNOLA: Expanded side cupolas.

    3. CARLO MADERNO: Extended the nave into a Latin cross plan, constructing the giant façade between 1607-1612 that somewhat obscured the dome's impact.

    4. GIAN LORENZO BERNINI: Designed the vast piazza measuring 650 ft. wide, encircled by 284 columns, creating a visual emphasis on the dome through optical effects.

WHO IS MICHELANGELO?

  • MICHELANGELO DI LODOVICO BUONAROTTI SIMONI (1475 - 1564):

    • Recognized as the archetypal artist-genius.

    • Roles include sculptor, painter, architect, and poet.

HIS FAMOUS WORKS

  1. Sistine Chapel Ceiling (1508-1512):

    • Vivid scenes from the Book of Genesis, renowned for The Creation of Adam.

    • Worked with assistants to manage resources and logistics; involved in daily paint mixing.

  2. Last Judgment (1536-1541):

    • A significant fresco against the Sistine Chapel's altar wall, marking a notable shift from the ceiling creations.

  3. Pietà (1499):

    • Sculpted from marble, representing dynamic, flowing forms.

    • Created when he was just 23, reflecting high realism.

  4. David (1501):

    • A 5.17 m nude male marble sculpture, finished at the age of 29.

    • Symbolizes Florence’s courage and perseverance through its depiction of tension and promise of motion.

    • Contrapposto: An artistic term denoting the relaxed stance caused by weight distribution on one leg.

    • Features include a distinctively structured brow and neck tension; small genital representation was typical of Renaissance styles.

BAROQUE

  1. PALAZZO BARBERINI (1628-1638)

    • Designed by Carlo Maderno and executed by Lorenzo Bernini.

    • Features a helicoidal staircase, renowned trompe-l'œil ceiling painting by Pietro da Cortona.

  2. PALAZZO ODESCHALCHI (1664)

    • Designed by Lorenzo Bernini.

  3. S. SUSANNA (1603)

    • Constructed by Carlo Maderno.

  4. S. GIOVANNI LATERANO

    • The first church established in Rome by Constantine (4th century).

    • The facade was completed by Alessandro Galilei in 1735.

  5. S. ANDREA DEL QUIRINALE (1661)

    • A widely imitated church designed by Bernini, featuring a small but exquisite form.

  6. SAN CARLO ALLE QUATTRO FONTANE (Saint Charles at Four Fountains, 1682)

    • Crafted by Francesco Borromini; considered a miniature jewel of the Baroque period.

  7. S. MARIA MAGGIORE (1743)

    • The last notable piece of Baroque architecture in Rome; recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1980.

VILLA D’ ESTE, TIVOLI (1500-1583)

  • Designed by Pirro Ligorio, transforming a Benedictine convent into a park and garden.

  • Globally famous for splendid fountains and water displays; deemed the finest example of an Italian Renaissance garden in Europe.

  • Now operates as an Italian state museum and UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001.

FOUNTAIN OF THE ORGAN (1568-1621), VILLA D’ ESTE, TIVOLI

  • Constructed in the Baroque style, features a vast arch and three niches with statues of Apollo and Orpheus.

  • A groundbreaking hydraulic system using falling water to produce organ sounds, marking an innovative architectural advancement.

FONTANA DI TREVI, ROME (1732)

  • A quintessentially Baroque fountain, exemplifying a harmonious blend of sculptures amid streams of water.

  • Designed by Nicola Salvi, completed in 1762, depicting Oceanus surrounded by mythological figures in intricate detail.

  • Serving as the principal Baroque fountain in Rome, it was designed as a significant water source for the city and presents a dramatic façade against Palazzo Poli.