Architecture of renaissance and baroque - Essay Example

1. Transformations from the Early Renaissance to the Baroque The Santa Maria Novella, Tempietto and San Carlo Alle Quatro Fontane Figure Facade of the Santa MariaNovella by Alberti The Santa Maria Novella (Fig 1) is a church that was designed by Leonbattista Alberti and its construction was completed in 1940 in Florence, Italy. The Rucellai family, whose aim was to redesign the façade of the church that already existed, commissioned the project (Sullivan, 2009). The second church, the Tempietto, was built in San Pietro in Montorio, Italy by Donato Bramanate from 1502. It was commissioned by Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile, who were Spanish monarchs (Ching, 14). The third one, San Carlo Quattro Fontane, was redesigned by Francesco Borromini in 1637. His work was to alter the façade of the church in both the exterior and interior. In the end his mark remained firmly on the church, which has since been recognized as his style (Steinberg, 51-53). All three churches were recognized as great architectural masterpieces. The Santa Maria Novella is the greatest basilica in Florence. Though originally built by Friars in Florence, Alberti was commissioned to design its façade. He contribute a broad frieze decorated with squares, four pilasters that were white-green in color and a round window, on it a pediment of the Dominican solar emblem. He added S-curved volutes on both sides and four columns with Corinthian capitals. The pediment and the frieze were inspired by the antiquity. However, the S-curved scrolls adorning the upper part had no precedent and have inspired similar ones in churches all over Italy. His touch obviously added to the glamorous beauty of the church’s façade that has attracted worshipers and tourists alike over the years (Sullivan, 2009). Figure 2 Bramante’s Tempietto Bramante’s Tempietto (Fig. 2) was designed with an emphasis on harmonizing of proportions and the simplicity of volumes (Norberg-Schulz, 89). Shapes such as cylinders and hemispheres were combined to great effect to create the grand circular shape that represents the divine order and completeness. The church pays great tribute to both antique techniques and Christian values. Bramantes plan represented illusionist painting and architecture that he had perfected in his lifetime. It was inspired by the shapes of temples. However, it was more a work of art than a utility building. Only 15 feet in diameter, it could not contain a congregation and was the subject of admiration from without and within. To him it represented the purity of the martyrdom of St Peter (Ching, 12-16). Figure 3 Borrominis San Carlo alle Quatro Fontane. As for Borromini’s San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane (Fig. 3), the architect laid emphasis on corrugated oval rather than circular or linear shapes (Kaufmann, 61). He created on top an oval dome with a series of crosses and octagons, which diminish towards the lantern through which the church is lit. He built in complex concave and convex rhythms to break the monotony of the oval nave. The church is small but has walls that weave in and out carrying deep entablatures, cornices, moldings and pediments (Steinberg, 54). Alberti’s style falls squarely in the period of architectural Renaissance in the 14th to 16th centuries. This style emphasized greatly on space, symmetry , proportion and geometry. In constructing the Basilica he went to great lengths to ensure that he the brought in the virtues of humanist architecture, which emphasized on proportion and classical detailing that created overall harmony. It was based on the divine notion that God created the universe in an orderly way, so it is incumbent upon man to create his environment in a similarly orderly manner. His design had geometric relationships such as the height of the pediment peak being equal to the width and upper temple being one-fourth of the square. Spaces were designed to be understood from a fixed viewpoint. This was helped along by the power of perspective, use of lighting and symmetrical arrangements (Millon, 56). The style of Bramante falls in the transition period between the Renaissance and the Baroque style that succeeded it. His design shares in the functional and geometric features of the former and the iconic and aesthetic features of latter (Blunt, 22). His Tempietto is small in size but generally constructed to the geometric rigidity of the renaissance period. Though viewed as one of the best renaissance period architects for construction such as Cortile del Belvedere in the Vatican; Bramante’s Tempietto is a crossover between the two styles. Borromini’s art was typical of the 17th century movement known as Baroque Architecture. This was the architecture of the spectacular. Its aim was to signal a counter-revolution in the Catholic Church to counter the protestant movement that had rocked the church. It was aimed both at engaging the emotions of the church adherents and rebels, as well as to display the wealth and prosperity of the church. Baroque architecture was manifest in new catholic orders such as the Jesuits; it also found secular expression in the construction of grand palaces and mansions especially in France and Italy (Blunt, 86). It was an artistically and financially extravagant and defiant art form. It laid more emphasis on appearance than utility hence the small size of the church. Its prominent features include broader and occasionally circular naves, spectacular use of light through colorful or numerous windows, ornaments, marble, large ceiling frescoes and prominent central projections on the façade. References Blunt, A. Baroque & Rococo Architecture & Decoration. New York: Harper and Row. 1988. pp 22-86. Ching, F. D. K. Architecture: Form, Space, and Order. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold. 1979. pp 12-16. Kaufmann, E. Architecture in the age of reason; Baroque and Post Baroque in England, Italy, and France. New York: Archon Books. 1966. p 61. Millon, H A. Great Ages of Architecture: Baroque & Rococo. Oxford University Press. 1986 .p 56. Norberg-Schulz, C. Baroque Architecture. New York: Electa. 2001.p 89. Steinberg, Leo. Borrominis San Carlo Alle Quattro Fontane. New York: Garland Pub. 1977. pp 51-54. Sullivan M. A. Basilica of Santa Maria Novella. < sullivanm@bluffton.edu >. 2009. Retrieved on 16th Nov. 2 Socio-Economic Conditions that Inspired the Renaissance The Renaissance was a revolutionary artistic movement in the 15th to 17th centuries in Europe. It was developed as a deliberate revival of the ancient art of the antiquity. The art of the antiquity emphasized on symmetry, proportion, geometry and the order of elements as portrayed in the style of classical antiquity especially the ancient Roman forms (Lowry, 3). Methodical arrangements of pillars, columns, lintels, semicircular arches and domes were used instead of the disorderly and purely aesthetic and intuitive arrangements of the preceding medieval architecture (Hauser, 14-22). The renaissance was inspired by prevailing Economic and Social conditions that prevailed at the time in Europe and the rest of the world. This led to a new approach in architectural design that could fit in with these conditions and that subsequently affected similar conditions in the rest of the world. The notable conditions were as follows. Economic Factors The main economic driver of the renaissance was the return of the Pope from Avignon to Rome. This return marked an expansion of Papal leadership all over Italy which brought with it economic prosperity to Rome and the wider Italy. This renaissance of Roman prosperity was instrumental in the changes in architecture. The new wealth created was quite useful in financing the expensive and elaborate art forms (Janson & Janson, 121). Secondly, commerce also expanded rapidly at the time. The city of Genoa served as a seaport for merchandize from France and Spain. Milan and Turin had metalworking industries and grew into central hubs of overland trade. Florence found itself in the middle of the English wool trade that brought it enormous earnings (Tafuri, 9). The Medici family became very rich after reinventing themselves as the main bankers of prosperous European Monarchs. This made them highly influential monarchs themselves thus they sponsored architectural design and attracted other wealthy families to do the same. Social Factors The first of the Social conditions was a conscious effort to revive the golden age of Roman architecture, which was still very much in evidence. This inspiration was most felt in Florence, which is still regarded as the home of the Renaissance. Architects such as Filippo Brunelleschi who designed, in Florence, the magnificent Basilica di San Lorenzo. This pull towards the glorious past of the Grand Roman empire was purely sentimental, even though there was an underlying desire to recapture the lost glory (Tafuri, 12). The renaissance became so attractive and influential that it was replicated all over Europe and the East. Donato Bramante later expanded this renaissance movement to be applicable to modern buildings (McAndrew, 28-29). The renaissance was also inspired by a change in tune in the study of Philosophy, which was taking a turn for the classical (Lowry, 4). This inspired the architects to also reconsider classical designs and old geometric constructs that revolved around a square with all the other elements falling rhythmically around it as exemplified in St Peter’s Basilica whose main architect was Michelangelo . The development of printed books boosted learning and the discovery of ancient scriptures focused the search for knowledge towards the past. All these served as the main inspiration for Italian renaissance architecture, especially because the Italians had not fully adopted gothic designs, which were popular with European designers at the time (Janson & Janson, 123). Politically, Florence, Venice and Naples were expanding their power thus the architects traveled freely over the new territories (Lowry, 24). With them they carried new renaissance designs that inspired other architects in their wake. In this way the renaissance spread quickly to new frontiers. Finally, the return of the Pope refocused attention on the humanist theology and philosophy the emphasized that while God had created order in the universe, it was the duty of humanity to create order on earth. This order was greatly captured in renaissance architecture. References Hauser A. Mannerism: The Crisis of the Renaissance and the Origins of Modern Art. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. 1965. 24-22. Janson, H.W., & Janson, Anthony F. History of Art. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc. 1997. 121-123. Lowry, B. Renaissance Architecture. New Jersey Braxiller. 1962. pp 3-24. McAndrew, J. Venetian Architecture of the Early Renaissance. Cambridge: The MIT Press. 1980. 28-29. Tafuri, M. Interpreting the Renaissance: Princes, Cities, Architects. Yale University Press. 1982. pp 9-12. 3. The Social, Religious and Political Conditions that Inspired the Baroque. The Baroque art developed out of the Renaissance. It took the humanist idea from the renaissance movement to a new level by developing it in a fresh rhetorical, theatrical and sculptural fashion. In this way it expanded the horizon of the triumph of both church and state. It was the farthest extreme that art could go at the time in expressing in superlative terms the fantasies prevailing the creative and constructive mind (Murray, 16-18). It was impressionist and aimed at capturing the imagination of both friend and foe of the Catholic Church in the face of widespread rebellion of protestants within it (Wölfflin, 18). Politics played a major role in inspiring the growth of the Baroque. This growth coincided with the emergence of colonialism. The European colonial powers such as Spain, France and later Italy and England found themselves in control of enormous wealth gained from the colonies. With this newfound wealth it was easy to create superfluous designs in the world of construction. The need also arose to compete in creating impressions on each other by they new colonial overlords (Murray, 6-8). A good example of this is the city of Valetta designed for the Knights of Rhodes by the Italian architect Francesco Laparelli. Valetta was the new capital city on the Island of Malta and most of the Baroque Urban constructions are still intact today (Wölfflin, 16-17). Social classes also emerged that wished to assert their influence during the period. These included rich aristocracies of industrialists, entrepreneurs and farmers who gained greatly from the newfound wealth in the colonist countries. They dedicated themselves to, among other things, patronage of architects. The consequence of this patronage was the construction of spectacular palaces that defied all earlier imagination. Such techniques as the receding and expanding visual rhythm of space utilization by Borromini came in handy in the making of the new palaces, chateaux, castles and business buildings. The result was such picturesque structures like the Romanian palaces of Brukenthal in Sibiu and Bishopric in Ordea; plus the Winter Palace in Moscow, Russia (Wittkower, 21). The main religious influence behind the Baroque was the counter-revolution movement in the Catholic Church. This movement aimed at reforming the Catholic Church to counter the emergence of Protestant reformation. The main initiator of the movement was the Council of Trent that led the crusade for the church to reform itself in order to remain attractive and relevant to the increasingly restless Christians (Murray, 2-4). The Council’s activities spanned the years 1545-1563. Subsequently, lead players emerged in this movement including the new orders of Jesuits and Theatines. Their main driving force was to keep steadfast those adherents who remained in the church after the Protestants had left. The use of aesthetic forms of construction that appealed to the senses was primarily for attaining this objective. This new form of expression is what became known as the Baroque. This style later found its way into the construction of royal palaces and chateaux of the wealthy throughout Europe and later to other parts of the world (Wittkower, 22). Moreover, the church itself expanded hand in hand with the new colonies captured by Europe’s powers in different frontiers in the world just like it had gained from the expansion of the Roman Empire (Murray, 14-15). This made the church wealthier and the new building designs were an expression of this new opulence. The church took great pride in showing the world that it had both wealth and power. References Murray, P. The architecture of the Italian Renaissance. Chicago University Press. 1972. pp 2-16. Wittkower, R. Architectural Principles in the Age of Humanism. New Delhi. Devki Publishers. 2001. pp 21-22 Wölfflin, H. Renaissance and Baroque. Oxford University Press. 1990. pp 16-18 Read More