ie Architectural Practice in the Italian Renaissance by JAMES 5, ACKERMAN ovToUAt Nort: Prior to thi stud, exploration into the work Ing condiions of Renatsance artis had tended fo tras tnfor fntes backward from the resuling works of at, but the phe romenaveveated here are rather diferent fromthe pcture that had thus been evoloed. We hase been much more familar ith the general situation of the art before the Renatuance the medieval creftamam, and fter the Rehatsance the romantic tn {garet The Renatvance ats by contrat with hi predecessor, Selly secure but of low status, nd hs suscesr, scaly mer. {inal ven whem idoised a genius, sms fo have had the best Sf both worlds He te scaly erepted and admived not jor hend tnor bu for his indiual imagination opacities. fn our mod. ‘erm ociety the closet analogy for thi ts hth the professional tan, sch os the til lewyer whose personality is rsa asthe Urs of hiswork but whore work i ated fo exalt the Interest of hie clint and not his own internal concern. Sill more striking inthis ea, though less emphosed, oe the deduction it pet ints in extending eect of tal Greumotences nto te seo} the work produced, suck asthe unusual emphass on imerior ‘pce atte cence ofthe facade sm rus papen I have choten to concentrate on the High, or as 1 prefer to all it, the Roman Renaisance ofthe firs Bal ofthe Architectural Practice M9 sixteenth century only because 1 am more familiar with the sources ofthis petiod than of chose that precede and follow Dt T think that 2 proper study of Taian Renaisance practice ‘ought to divide the field into at least three. parts: fst, the feneration of Brunelleschi and Alberti, which is documented by archival material, theoretical writing om architecture, and biography. Here one might trace the emergence of practice from the medieval guild system into the sphere of hushanisn. Second, the period T shal discus, which ie noe strong in theory, bbut which compensates by providing richer biographies, more letters and archival records, and above all, Inge callecions of ravings—sourees which ate almost nonexistent for the fi Period. This isan age of rugged individualism in architect practice. Finally, something should be said about the later sixteenth century, when, along with the foundations ofthe fast, academies, architects begin wo write about practice, while they tend to stabilize theory into law. Here architecture begins 10 take shape a5 a distinc. profession, perhaps for che first time since aneiquiy. Leaving this more ambitious scheme to future students, my present intention is to draw from the sources at hand certain [eneralizations concerning the apprenticeship and training of the architect, the practice ofthe profession, and the process of design dung the period hounded by Bramante’s arrival in Rome in about 1500 and Antonio da Sangall's death in 1546, Antonio will get more attention than his distinguished con temporaries beeause we know more about him and also because he deserves dstintion for being one ofthe few architects of his time who never wanted to be anything ele Tlalisn architects in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries ‘ordinarily tured to building at an advanced age, They. ap- Prenticed in the studio of a painter of sculptor and practiced ‘one or both ofthese arts until the requirements of some patron fumed them to architecture. There was no guild to harbor architects and no means of serving an apprenticeship in the profession. The title of Master Architect, rather than being prerequisite of employment, was normally granted to.a master ‘afisman in another field in consequence Of his receiving his130 ars 5, Ackenaca frst building commission. Because in this system architecture perforce involves more taste chan technique, the socal position Of the architect was high, and if man was not @ gentleman before practicing architecture, he became one after. Antonio da Sangallo rose to eminence by another path, which appesre 0 hhave been a risky and unpromising one. He apprenticed in carpentry. By virtue of excellent family connections and good fortune of working under Bramance at the Vatican, he was able to overcome this stigma and to gan the ttle Architect but ony at the age of thirtytwo, when he was appointed to asist Raphael at St. Peter's? He was the only important Roman Renaissance architect. who rose fom the building trades, though a generation later Paladio did the sume with the help of ‘equally distinguished patronage "The practical knowledge that the young Antonio gained ‘working in the fabBriche of St. Peters the Vatican Palace, and the Castle of Ostia, combined with design training as a drafts ‘man forthe aging Bramante, appears today to be an excellent background for the practice of architectre, But the sixteenth ‘century attitude is pified by Benvenuto Cellini, who wrote alter Antonio's death that hs inferiority to Michelangelo must be ascribed to the fact that he was neither 4 seulptor nor @ painter® The reason for this attitude is best explained by 1, Amonioappeas st 9 Rome ip 1906 ata flogname a Cas San Angel (6. Chane, Le Som Call Pari, 191), 1,43) and in dosuments UTS ss an sean to Bramante with te te ober ligaray oe ferpenteri (Ackerman, “bramaote andthe Tome, heya” edicts ela Ponte dccdemia echt, 5-26" C919 S1): 3818), Me Il he me poston i 191-1 2. The papal Breve whieh Antonio i appoinied at fl the sary of Rapin! Wrpodced by Gat naar atic hy. 1850) Pp 4 Benvenuto Cain, “Dhcono delfnctetera” Opere (lan, 181) Tn 3 He nya Ronis “But bene he Bad been eles por tora pment eur mar of earpenty anythin one Deve Se sgh in hin wok ofthat cern tobe Chae. oa) ch ‘Siven in our tue Third (he few and eond belog haance ad Staal whom we may places of a Miceangelo Boorse: Tat ‘eas probtiy writen beter Micelangi' deat emained wap Tied wo heathen emery Architectural Practice 151 Michelangelo, who once wrote, “there no question Dut hat achitectural members reflec the members of Man, and who- ter has not been orf nots good aster ofthe [human figure Std lewis of anatomy Gonet undewtand enyig of them) “Those sixeenth-century sculptors and painters who under- took the desigaing of buldingr cannot hive brought to thelr fat attempes much more tha trained eye and an aration for antiquity. Even Michelangelo complained that he wat force to bold though fe wan ot an scitece® Generaly the ‘olution of structural problem had tobe leit o masons and Carpenters who ad been accustomed for centuries t inventing ‘means to achieve a given end, Bramante, in splteof ome thet] yeam in the practke of architectre, never did. gin ih ompetence i technill matters and alter hs Gath Antonio ‘was hept busy patching up hs etry. The Vatican loggas had toe reinfored rom clo, the Belvedere coridos cated to the ground, nary hiling pope, andthe Se Peters crosing ers tad tobe fattened, much fo the detriment of ther hand {ome profle* This lackof techni pine may explains patty the High Renaissance one of he few gent es 4. Leer of 1560 or thereabouts, sapped co the Catdnal Rolo Pho ‘Carpi Milnes ie eter Achelongelo: Buonarat Corecy ‘ias\p abe ramen from an ong athe Aen Boonao le thn [clongelo vehi (Rome, 1019) B98] proses ‘heme tox potently ales rom Vain codex J27 (whi folieconi tt or : Bush Sse, bese "nck the spe for st beauve | sm not a8 architec”"Wide In his tectnt.publation Walon Dring tthe ‘rin we Micelngrio ond Hur Stuio (Landon, 15), m0. 9, Beale Bsns ls wih he oan fr he Fe (Ge, Vil, 310 repr a umilar satement in that connection, Wide ves at Mihlanglo objected fr the mame exon «oh iw ane ‘Selairimen int rea the fe that lls IT demand inordinate fate conto -he ‘incedbaltige nae tobe bul bu tobe bore neve se taresnese hich was the reason why hi Bramantes) works ae al awing of about 1546 inthe13 JAMES 5, AckEAMANS architectural history in which anew aye emerges without the sistance of amy remarable sacar novation ‘Aside fom tsning in one or anther of the plastic ars, which provided s foundation in mathematics and perspective the esenalpreveqnite forthe practice of archtetore was Inowledge of Roman remains, "This was gained at fs hand hereser posible, not only im Rowe Hoel, but thoughout Taly and Provence. Most of the major architects, ahd many ‘thom we know oniy through their sketches after the anque, [led volumes of notebooks with measured drawings of pans and deal, o with inpresions in perspective? They became famliar with monuments beyond the teach through the sletcboos of their contemporaic, which hada wide eurteney and comsituted the textbooks for architectural teasing’ Preentday ellecions of Renaigance architectural drawings these shethes far outumber the studies for contemporary] buildings. Fancfu reconstructions of Roman remains, which vere pasion with late Ateentvcentiny architec sch ‘Gronaca and Bramantino, were out of fashon afer the torn ot the century, when the acent turned fom a Tommie 09 & Prt and archaeological approach? ‘A knowledge of Virovitnweneqally important and forthe sane reams Vitulus was sigiant not bese he was ¢ ‘heors but Decase his mibjet wow Roman architectures TE 7. huge collection of thee drawing is presen the Ui Gallery fnd-maty are pabished tn the aan work of A, Bava 7 Mone ment anih i oma vet deg! dep Usa iene (Rome. 191 By. se abo H. tger Rritches Pesci der Samlang ached fnicher Handuicnangen der KK. Hofbibotck ie Wien (Vienna, {ony tt for sample, Hudben’s stady ofthe settbiok of Giuliano da Sar {ill I hvo it Giuliano de Songta: Cade Patan Berberine ‘tino 434 (Lap 1810 pp. ant ws ha copie wee soe from hat woure by Amoi "da Sungai he Younge, Glasbtrs inp he anoayious ator ofthe Sane Meu "Cones Shet oak the Anonymous Deller, Vas the younger, Cama de Pos, Some of Conaca's drawings ate reproduced by Bao op city val LXV fg 38 to pL 3 Sp 42 ramanunsshottook publi! I Ft, rc i Roma ed Monger Mia, Architectural Practice 183 theory in itself had been valued, High Renaissance architec ‘would have studied the writings of Albert, Francesco di Gior- fio, and perhaps Filarete, which they manifestly did not do, Nor did they trouble to theorize themselves: they left writing to their disciples, of whom Serlio is the best known, and hie volumes" are significantly visual ‘compendiums rather than Philosophical creatises~best to be described at printed sketch books The schooling of the archivct dispensed not only with the theories of the hfteenth century but with the monuments 38 well It is curious that while Bramante’s Roman work was measured and drawn by innumerable architects through the sixteenth century, his Milanese buildings were never exmained. His predecessors virtually were relegated to the Middle Ages know only three Renaissance drawings after Alberti and all are copies of one plan for S. Sebartiana in Mantua.®” The late Brunellesch interested one oF two aehitects, who sketched the Tantern (not the dome) of Florence Cathedral, and the plan of Santa Maria degli Angeli, presumably because they were ade- quately Roman.” On'the other hand, certain buildings con- sructed or projected after 1800 took their place beside ancient ‘remains, and the younger architects devoted a portion of theit sketches to Bramante, or occasionally to Perutzi, Antonio da Sangallo, and Michelangelo. 10. One by Antonio Latucn i in the Us Mane, Pte A Leo sta Alberts 28 cd (Foence, it), p Mah A cand i ne ‘rca abou 158540 stsbued fo “Aton and, Gira Bata Soagalio inthe Palade Rents Le (Ponds Wis fl Bo) and tid copied roms te sco en. tbae of teat 13t0 by Ore Venu In te Bice Comunale of Sena (10s fol. M0). The measrements given on shew. plane ate the rougher tproninans of tenon! aero ote bung and ep IE fom dhe saeenthcatary te imate sytem of proportions Wet ts se Lille ms menoned above (ol 1) and inthe Slena ts 139), where ie compared to Muh ogee lntrn of the Media chapel in Florence Th plan a Sana Bi et gl eu a Th of Clans Sp detok (Gucen p.it. pi) on » daving acted to copa Snanine {Gi tet ot) ne many oer scent satay dawg,st {104s 5, Aceemata ‘To this preparation for the practice of arcitecture—at best haphazard one—was added a Lind of schooling thatthe grand ‘ose projects ofthe period made available to most ofthe poten tial architects in the urban centers. Projects sch as the con struction of St Peter's and the Vatican Palace brought innumerable artists and artisans into close contact with an architectural workshop, and Tcan readily believe thatthe prac tical precepts of the profesion were lesrned by Raphael, Peruzi, and even by Michelangelo, from observing what went fon in Bramante’s Vatican studio, whether or not these men originally were given any architectural assignments there. So much for waining. Once launched at an architect, the carly sixteenthcentury aspirant established himwelf by doing wel on an initial commision, and hie practice grew much in the same fashion as that of the modern architect. Sangall's caliest commissions are typial. Santa Maria di Loreto. he probably inherited from one of che architects of Julius HL! ‘The church of the Hospital of San Giacomo, 38 we shall see shorty, was designed for a competition, one in which Antonio hhad the advantage of being a tenant and neighbor of the institution.” ‘The monks of Santa Maria della Quercia in Viterbo employed him because they sid they wanted a ceiling as elegant as che one he had built for the pope in the Vatican 12 Thischareh generally md ove been lt by Sangalo in 10 ‘Thi clearly am er, he wasn an aehec 0 that nee ote Ty His sty there aso te 18s ano eae comin ‘teint prewnt cunt [ce my books The Gore dl Beeeere (Watkan Ci. 1954) 8 oe 3 Bo ole ff mt ve founded she urchins ih mentioned among the Hope contort Rome by Francoco Albert Opusaiu de mitbiious nove ef ete Ub ome (Ramet). 18." hospi med propery all slong the Via d Ripe in an area ar has away eer the an are of Rome. Anton toed prop fy nthe mew Via de Pop om te Trastes a ey an 1303 dead ee pl is eat (Ari Ss Rome, Aveo {he Ospedale di'San Graeome deg nual Libr ai Ene © Cha ‘ei and pine for he ree Architectural Practice 188, ‘onsswory." The Farnese Palace is only the frst of innumer able commissions for Cardinal Alessandro Farnese (Later Pope Paul TMD and his sons, eupheminealy called nephews. The alliance of an architect with a distinguished family was a com ‘mon occurrence: Bramante supplanted Giuliano da Sengalio as the architect of Julius Il, Raphael was the favorite of the Medici popes, Peruzai worked for his Sienete compatriots, the CChigi and so forth. But the arrangement entailed no obligation om ether part clients changed architect and vice vera. Clients, in fact. often resorted to competitions in selecting architects for {important commissions. One of the beseknown examples ofthis is the competition forthe design of 8. Giovanni dei Fiorentini, to which Leo X called Sangallo, Jacopo Sansovino, Raphael, and Peruzzi2® Sansovino got the job, but war replaced by Sangalo (cis hard to tell whether an injury or incompetence precipitated this), and after the church was nearly finished, Michelangelo was called in to design a new one. Other compet. tions were eld for completing earlier churches such as San Lorenzo in Florence, San Petronio in Bologna, and Milan Cathedral, Sangallo and Peruzai competed on other occasions: for the S. Giacomo degli Incurabili commission and 1 believe 1, Acoding wo document in the archives of Viterbo dated December 8, [id Amani washed "adTaendmn pao sus tet Eee Since Marte la Querce v= che dete pals fabs exere de ques "cher chet quelo de camera de Pept Leone in Paavo di Ppa a Rome ‘dove ve fr como; erune pl pa dominio" (atm €. Pin Memore«dorument ne ln ac i Santa Mais deli Quer Inicio! aril tre da ste . ISTH competion ir rpored. ty. Vest (ie, VIL 498) and ‘Temata [Pte del pu elie echt ato snes = (ene 1778). 212)n thee Lives of cop Satonnn, nde meson i 8 Teter fom Piero Arete to Senna feproduced by Ciprannont in Sgt siferchteine del Rinacimento (fan, TOS), pS} Modern ‘ie on the eatyhiory ofthe Che salae two By A. Nan he Srehiedela r dput,Yomana di ora pata 90 (108). 38, and he Srey (988)" oad ample Mer ti by at hits San Giant del Frente Ita of Fine Ars af New York Univer. 8a.136 Jans 5, sekeaneas als for Sant Spvto in Sasa Several ofthe design forthe former are preserved, ands comparison of ew of them (gs 23, 26) shows thar both men were working for the same general typeof olution: placing the wards along the longer sides ofthe plot and courts on the interior, and providing churches with Aces 10 the avec. The abuorpton with cently planned hurchesissymptomaticof he period “The greatest setback of Sangalo’ career was the competition forthe cornice ofthe Farnese Palace nthe last yea of is ie ashe was completing the chief masterpiece of his Tong service for Pal ll, Antonie was freed to submit toa reconsideration of his comice design, and for other architec and pin ‘ere invited to submit drawings As everyone knows; Michel ‘geo Uumphed, and. Antonio was to have cased ut his project, but he shory died, ae the Romantic hisovan would Dutt fom shame. Tamagine that this afar maybe atebted {Scour intrigues 16, There is no Merure on the competion for San Giacomo; but ‘ompetng design forthe eample were done Inthe Ue by Well ane Lots and publi in short nouce hn she. Miteingen des ‘Karahivvichen nate on Forma V (910. Ht fy 13 Te only long ite ol eal wig the sal chr a So ‘Mavs im Fontn Parui on the Vis Ripeta (7, uppeeeband ‘ermal 1310-25, The’ Seat Spite compton Ian hypothe ‘fine Chive dicmered plan by Peru (Ue dr, 230 for a Sldentgedchureh wah a0ajining comer ors to be built on tdci proportion wo the edly shaped yb a he resent arch 17. The competion, whih involved Sangalo, Mieangeo, and she fst Pesto dt Vaya Sain del Pt ad Vas secoded| Sythe tater tn hs Life of Sangalo (V, 490 ste acount in Vi, 23, foes with thi). aad ala er bh by art Pim Mica? ile nee tcc 163), HE The ues eS okt pr Kunst, 301009) ein Uhcong the competion, Ta) Gog sr aren en re oh pr. Runa 81198)" 35] abled an won deg fon the Suni Grapische Sammang whith he ssbueso Sani Te thowe foath woror high a1 believe she ation be grundles becrae Set eens and he axe wt art feeble to be ‘ged othe mare Sugalio and ec the shan hea no elation {his prevel stacy of wich hee se wv the Ue, Architectural Practice 187 Asin the preceding century, the duties of the architect reached tar beyond the building of palaces and churches, Say fallo, who wae fortunate in reaching the peak of his career at the Same time a6 is patron, spent mott of it later pets forafying Reme and the papal sates, building entire towns, such as Casto, in the new duchies caved out forthe mip, restoring the Vatican, and designing stings for sundry cleo tions. He even built monumental well for the town of Orvieto Financial relations between clients and architects ae a tery. Where private bulding secou ofthe architct rarely appeats, and alment never se the recpient Oa fee Perhaps he wat pl by grants of property or by casa Sums from the pocket of te head ot family ote arse of an institation or confateroity. Papal commistons, however, were revarded in a more onderiy manner. A monthly spend at tended each supervisory job. In 1530 Sangallo was receving 25 scudi monthly as eepomeestro of Se. Peter’ the sme for forty ing Ancona, and 10 sc forthe Santa Casein Loreto two years later another 85 was added forthe fortification of Rome.” {Te was understood that anyother jobs forthe Holy Se would he done without further nemuneration, But there were exce- tions thi arrangement, Michelangelo wrote in 1955 that he had been fored w work on St, Peters freight year without pay Tn the largest building programs an architect could devote mos of his time to design and supervision because other dates were caried out by a large safl At Se. Peter’, for instance, there was hierarchy that became wore comple asthe build nye fare preserved, the name 18, Antonio creer & ouined by G. Claone, Ler Son Gallo Pai op a Theta yl ba ar pn a ci 10, Pipal Breve of Alay 28 S86" reprodsel by Paso, Stor et Ppl {de Valan ed; Rome, 194), Vs 79 do 0, Breve af January 11598 thi pp. 36H and vera exer author fitter of May lis 130 to Vata (eters, Milan, 58, fom the Archivo Banarrot)* “lo fu meso a fone ly abe Samia Peso e 0 serto cet oto ana mn aamente in dona ch (ranma me dane apne138, JANES, ACRE ing grew" In the 1520's and 1580's ie apparently was organ ized with an architect_ (Sangalo) at the head along with a coarchitect (Peruzs). The execution was in charge of 4 eure: fore (Giuliano Leno) and a computisa (Francesco Megalo later Jacopo Meleghino) immediately below him, if not on a Pat, sho served as paymaster, and for ths reason was a member (f 8 board of three who measured and priced competed work: the mensuratort (Giovanni Francesca da Sangallo and Rainier «4a Pia). The funds alloted by the Camera were distributed by two depastari, or treasurers (Simone Ricaeli, Leonardo Bin) ‘This staff had ite segretaro, whose hand is found inthe records alongside that ofthe computsia, On the job there was a group. (of five to ten soprastanti; who might Also be mensuratort, indicating that this position was higher than what we would call “foreman,” Tt was probably comparable toa junior partner in an architectural or engineering frm. Next there were the sotto Seprastantt, who were foremen and occasionally specialists, as ‘otto soprastante sopra legnami (carpenter). At the bottom of the official hierarchy came the capomaestt directing crews in thie special crafts: carpentry, masonry, carving, ironwork, et Tn this scheme the Renaisnnce architec payed a role similar to his modern counterpart. Hut an organized fabbrice. was exceptional, As rule the architect asumed many of the duties escribed above. He was the chit estimator, determining the sum to be paid for a given construction job; he was often the paymaster, and he might be called on to supply mortar of {aterials for large sums that only later would be reimbursed by the client's treasurer. In doing’ this he astumed some of the duties that nowadays ate atigned to the contractor. However there were contractors, and they served almost the same Tune tion as they Rave served in ater times, For example, when the rebuilding of the Farnese Palace in Rome was started in 1541 the agents of Pierluigi Farnese signed a contract with the Te lining ata ele ram the ety LQ decane on {%e comaracion si Sr Peers daring he pod peblsed by Kal ey (dar Bogenhcte der Se Peer Minheihunge! under da Fabric i San Pleo” [OH dr Kons, Beet 31 (il) Ls Behe fo ses) Architectural Practice 159 impresario Bartolomeo Baronio for its construction It itemizes in detail the responsibilities of both partes The duke isto supply the mortar ready mixed, while the one and brick i to ome fom the contractor, is quality subject 10 review by Sangalloand his ascite eleghino. The pice of construction con walls and vaults is act bythe conn, the measurement being signed to rwo technician one appointed by the dake and one by Baronio. Certain prices related to oofing and moldings, are lete to the architects judgment. The document closes "and in the event thatthe sid masters should make some sion that ‘auies damages to the sd sratare by not working honesty as they ought t do it bal be inthe power and judgmnen ofthe ‘aid master Antonio Sangllo and Giacomo Meleghino to de- Prive them of the work and to give the stricture to other “Antonio's asociaion with Mcteghino on this job was not at ali to bis taste, and it illuminates carlos custom that pe Imited dens to create partnerships among architects who were tnsympathetc to one another: Meleghino was the pope's tady and ot much of ap architect, which fe sfcene explanation for the animosity Since Antonio's many commisions kept isn avay fom Rome for long periods, he did hit bet to Heep in {ouch with Meleghino’sacvitin aswell swith the progres of the constuction. Am amusing letter is preserved ih which 4 hal workman writing from Rome 10 Antonio in Kiet lscuses the design of two windows, which are sketched on the same pg, and proceeds to sepa ‘You ought to knows, Sir that Mater Jacopo Menichino [se] has ‘ben hee atthe palace and has given me a menage fom she Pope that I should make the architraves that gover the pilasters of the entrance toward Santo Gerolaspe (Le, sh) and that T 22. The exc sure of thi document is wow Ie wos plied by pre Gtx fa une ho Deen” ge uh: Dench mae te Artin dS, Rome On Mghiogs cer ee Ke Trey, Stale Se Miceagelo Buon wer Ronn sir BrP Ti, Joh pr Rams Be ‘on (90160 JAMES 5, ACKERMAN should make the cornice there separately [3] [itachat] because there sno stone for it Now, ir, ave te [should dai and Vincenao and Trevetenty send our bet wher. Written on the 5h day of January 1946. Obetiently youre Nando i rfaelo de ‘Asa rule, the leading architects were assed by subordinates wo could be relied on not to meddle in the design, Antouto tad Arsotle and Giovannt Batista Sangalo, for isance, who conastenly helped him to keep an eye on farfung projects and his notes an heir ae often found together on preparatory Stee Along with other adherent these men Kamed what Vase: isdainfully called the Seite Segal, or "Sangalo. Cigue." but shard to ae In the group what we shoul cll an aciteral em™ Even in the tre ces when a les aetect executed drawings or made survey for 2 more dst fused one the relationship seems to have been informal iy fet, closer paalelt tothe moderne are found among Jnr than among architects inthe Rensisance Pats had {havea shop that was slisicaly cohesive, whe arhtects dd bot a evidenced by the bullding ofS. Peers which brought toyeier some unlitely parinereBramame and, Giuliano da Sangalo, Raphael and Fre Gocondo, Antonio and Perus and ‘Vignola Ligari, The High Renaiwance architec managed without a firm and ually without even an of, beaut he did 0 Hie tailed 14. This ewer andthe oo scomptying drawings ae in the Ue ‘raving callecton, Ark. 32. The text I tepodacel by Mize in it il of Vara ite V4 = "The term ned fe ite, VI, 218, Th Sangalo group ms: have incaded Anvoniss racer, Clovis tia Gabe. hs oat Astle sn Franca, Nab de Dacio igi and Amenie Labacc, Simone others The skeen poy wee da wo the fac the mot of ‘ieee he jl Aton eta tr dea thy wt ‘sory that shorly aller Antonio's death the "ciqac® tontented cher Angle wid he sectensour statement Anson mode! for St. Peers ‘ears Weld tha will never cent tobe pare” "Yow ste que Yt Menage spared ane," yo king of seep ade, Architectural Practice 161 Aesigning. It isin the proces of design that his methods are ‘moat at variance with those of later periods, a fact tha i amply ocumented by the many surviving early sixteenth century ravings. In examining a collection of these drawings one's fst, impression is that very few of chem were intended to be used in constructing a building or to be seen by anyone other than the architect. They are neatly all rapidly sketched studies of tenta- tive ideas, sometimes for specie buildings, and sometimes for ideal structures, The fee that are finished may be classed in 0 categories: firs. the large, carefully drawn, and attractively rendered. projects that Wwere made for the cient. These ate Called presentation drawings; they are rare and they cannot have been much use for construction because they almost never include measurements ofa «ale, Moreover, they typealy show the building tha was to have been built rather than the one that was bull. A good example is fig. 27, Antonio's final plan for the Farnese Palace. It is @ large sheet, without the usual scribblings and messusements, and without indiation of sale, though itis identified, "Palace of the Duke of Castro.” The ‘wing facing the square appears as executed (though changes ‘were made in partition walls), while the garden front drawn here does not at all vesemble what sltimately was built, Fig- tre 25 fs, of course, the same sort, though it contains a few ‘measurements, and another wellknown example is Bramante’s parchment half plan of St, Peter's in the Uf, The second type Of finished drawing was intended for use in constrtion, but it is limited to deails-a window, an entablature—and was in tended only to guide masons and cavers, Here again one of the Famese series isa handy example (fig. 28), in which Antonio has dravn meticulously the profiles of window moldings for the use of the stone carvers. They are identified as belonging to windows in the arcade as: "Molding for the capital ‘of the ter (stipite) of said Famese Windows.” ‘The tradition of Yerbal communication between architect and craftsman (pi tally comes wo the fore atthe architect fills the left side of the sheet with instructions in longhand that might readily have been graphically presented. They deal mostly with linear mesoot wee JAS 8, ACKERMAN other drawings fall into the category of pretimina Sketches, and anyone who as tried to raghten out the histor} ofa sitcenthcenuar building from drawings wil know what 2 Ieee of undigested das they create. A sheet by the elder ‘Antonio Sangalo presents a familar confusion (28), Here the aches andthe campanite of San Biagio tn Mostepacano appear together with unidentied door brackets balusters and GEE plan of a. domestic @) score, one piled on top of another. His nepheve docs the same thing ig 31) hough he Sichs wo one project ands spendthrft enough to ll up the sole page with aan eondude fom this evidence only that drawings were tot the chet meant of communication between aeitets and Inider. The enormous expense and ore devoted 1 the construction of models for the larger project sugges that Imhof the designing went on in panic form at ths stages" Builder rather than work with deed specications, got the fn ofthe design from the model, and when they encountered Problems, they simply got the answer from the architet ot Supervisor by word of mouth But the importance of models thould noe be overestimated ke the resentation drewinge they rarely represen the structure that uldmatly vas bul nd in any cate they were made only for the mow grandiose structures, T thnk tat dhe average pace and church as but from rough plansand's batch of det "Whats clrious about High Renaicnce drawings i not shat they are fequendly plans and deta but that they are 69 Seldom anything ele Stine pene where there iva vaulting problem, but wat Ind most prising ts the vary of elev ton drawings and pricy of aden A fear fae ah 26 Anoni's moda for Set wich sil exis, wa bl for him by ‘Anon abace. I ook tm 159 1840 to complete and rey ext fied the ott beewen S50 and 600 eat Fo je from he ary Pid ect rt the le een gh ie Basia cox abot 600 duce CLA "Pey. Sri ou Ateneo Reo Ph pK eh 30a: Zar Baogehichee des St Peet” Joh. pr Kus Behe 088 B15) 2 Beto SF Q9H0) SAL ” eee ees ESSE ens aa eeeaseeasEE eeResaERRRSIE eRRaE eRe ERE Ha rea Architectural Practice 163, Italian phobia of long standing that blighted most of the great Gothic tiretures: Milan Cathedral, San Petronio in Bologna: in Florence, the cathedral, Santa Croce, Santa Maria Novell sna Trinita; Santa Masia sopra Minerva in Rome: and others. ‘The lox of many Renaissance drasrings does not quite explain away this phenomenon, because iti cleat from the surviving ‘ones that the plan dominated architecture as never before oF fince. In the development of a design we frequently find plan studies in which the exterior ofa butlding isnot even indicated, as Is effecively illustrated in Antonio's study for San Giovanni {ei Firentni (fig, 80). In churches the great trend toward the central plan was accompanied by a method of design that can be escribed only a5 centriugal. The architect stares drawing in| the center and works outwatd, and iis not until he has reached 2 final solution that he begins to consider what the outer face Shall be. have chosen two examples ofthis procedure (igs. 1, 532) because i seems to me so revealing of the aesthetic of the period. In the frst, which concaine further studies by Antonio for San Giovanni in Rome, the only sure thing isthe void~a given volume of space~in the middle. Around this architec: tural elements appear to explode outward in all directions: a central plan, a longitudinal plan (Felted to fig. 80), both with variants The sense of centrifugal force is heightened by the ‘virtual absence of exterior walls, Peruza'sseudy forthe crowing Of St Pete's (lig. $2) is more definite because the pies were already there when he started. But the oueward movement is just as tong, and iti emphasized by the fact that elements ose Sefinikion in direct ratio to their distance from the center. The cross section, furthermore is not drawn as the central portion of| great church, nor even as an jolted chapel, si seems on st fight, but asx scene ach as one would view when sanding in the center ofthe space: a painter's concept of architecture, My impression is that the centefugal character all comes fom the tendency of these architects to visualize themselves inthe center ‘ofa given space, looking outward. This i why they were 50 attached to the central plan and, to goa step farther, to sceno- irafia: wo ways of making Ht posible wo view the whole en: ‘ironmene froma single point Faraee£0. ot flan oe cr Sango. te ca Ut Sey of etn Courtey of So ‘tegalee,Forene fa? o ce o od o 4 oc? oo aren 3 a168 {0s 5. soem Even when the architect finally applies himself to the probs Jem of designing the facades, he seldom undertakes to make @ scale drawing of an exterior elevation. He proceeds from the perfected plan to entrance portals, windows, and entablatures (fig. 88) The significance of this procedure Is that the architect thinks of the elevation as a neutral field into which plastic incidents are set at intervals: often, rather than draw lip an elevation, he will explain it verbally im his plan.” As a conse. quence it often happened that the High Renaissance lagade could be expanded or contracted at will, and Raptiae’s work provides a good example of this The Vidon-Caffarelt Palace in ‘Rome was almost doubled in length, the fagade of the Vatican Palace was tripled in sie and twisted into a court (che Corte di San Damaso), and a large part of the design for the Pando. fini Palace in Florence was left out T believe that none of the desig suffers much from this treatment. Tei iaiportane by way of contrast to recall Albert's demand thatthe fagade be devel: ‘oped as an intricate system of interrelating proportions, giving the walla vitality in plane; the failure ofthis principle inthe ) ean cinguecena is another example ofthe ange clipe of the filteenth century * Perhaps proportions of ths sort were 27 Tetering ecimpes ofthis se Peas’ ett wn fr the Palazzo Maint tn Rowe att ehureh plan by Antoni Seago ‘Te ee (UR arch, 268, reproduce by A. Venu, Sire aifarte Uelane (ian, 185), 3, p97) ea pan ofthe ple accompanied Sys texcexplining ine ingen ron tthe porto esopes Nad ‘aly XX height ofthe are with bell pal pe 33 sad ‘ble plato and oe hall hae 05" In Sangul aetc (Oe “ch 1 reproduced by Gab. Fou dels Soprinertenen ale Cates rene, No 1439), se pan of» cera chur dy for SM Monsetratoe) I accoipanted by ube tents "This may We valde pate The tt or cheaper ie the care ent) of he sone ‘en athe sane level the goto he grea thes tl the doe nll ata oir vale (els). ‘The mond way it make oie athe ‘Shlite ah wonboced et ce td hve hs 0 ‘sgh da ou ay eu fa spetre oy Lad ou want or wiscos free roundel And over the i gprs make other sound ole: He who ay teh orig ut ker rh Sonne vetealy fora dance ot 8 tin the projecon of the crocs (on opal evecon to make vai ll hens 2% On Alberts princi of dengn, se Re Widhowers eho Principe inthe ge of Huoantm (Landon, 198)- 7p WOE. HE 233, Sudy fore Window, Mien, Freee, ase Buona ouresy of at Rerance Burd170 JAMES, AokeRaAs too abstract forthe ansitheortcal High Renaissance and had to ‘ait for another humanist, Palladio, to edicover their pace in ehitecrure, With Paladio, elevations and fgades take on Tole that they never again lose. wonder ifthe abonpion ofthe "High Renaimancein Roman rains does ot explain tis pate Architect) drawings alter aniquiy were almost all pans and deals neceaiy, snc 30 few ancient elevations remained flevated. In addition, the study of Vieusivy encouraged the dominance of the plan, since the Hellenistic merle i an fitmetc on foun in the plan of the column, In contri tinction to Albert's geometric harmony that integrates plan and elevation in ne wus sat, Perhaps the character of Renaissance architecture owes much to the fac that its monuments started not rom a complete idea, fined in the symbolism of the bluepring, but from exible impresions canstanly suscepuible to change. “The ultimate statement, like that of the sco, evolved iy the proce of ‘eating the mast itself. This tay of conceiving aehivcture explains alo the peculisly biologic character of allan ‘Renaissance building. The large monaments that took more than a decade to complete seldom followed an orginal concep. tion, but evolved like living organism in thir growth, The svccesive architects at St. Peters while they held Bramante fn reverence, never made the leas attempt to carry out what he ‘ould have wanted, They took what war theve aa inspiration for new ideas and this habit of working with and inthe build ing sel brought te flor of many generations to a cohesive ondsion. How diferent this Is Kom Renasance Franc, where at Fontainebleau, Blois the Louvre, each suecesive fortin of the structures methodically folate from i pred. fear! Tt is not chance that Renaissance aly. had no du CCerceas to prererve is projects the moment they had taken Cerca to preterve it proj ‘When I began to write this paper I expected to fnish with a picture of an architect more like todays But now he appear 0 et quite dierent species What Ihave caled hi rugged 22. Bute maybe concen ta ve Soo Mihm dg nny Shoup the orig chen: Baer Depeta Es ep Architectural Practice m Individuaion is Hlusrated fr in bis unvilingnes wo be bound by thove abstractions we cal plans and levattons second {in hs rofual to evtablich a permanent offce sa’ or even 8 $udio for hit own work; and third in his stpicion of theoret {al principles and bis svosdance ofthe written word, whether i te his or anothers We are acastomed to caricatures of the bohemian painter and seul inthe prove bhinesike architet with ffces in the commercial distri, but in this egncnt of the Renalsance thee roles na seme, were Sead The Roman Remsen ait mow i the technigue and les organied in the practice of fis ealling {han any of his contemporaries in the arte But paradoxically this wat aep toward oablhing aciteccre a rerpeted profesion, braun it repented, far more than the proedes EF paimers or sculptors, Iiberaton fom the bones of the telievl shop seem. AC this sage the development of the rchtees freedom and social statute was more inporlant than ‘he exablishmentof standards of workmanship.