RENAISSANCE ARCHITECTURE IN FRANCE

GEOGRAPHICAL INFLUENCE:
 France (since the Romanesque and Gothic periods) has become one United Kingdom with Paris
as the center.
 There was homogenous development with extended boundaries – in contrast to the variety
displayed in the independent city states of Italy.
 The distance of Paris to Italy delayed the Renaissance adoption in France.

GEOLOGICAL INFLUENCE:
 Good building stone was available throughout France.
 Paris- city of Stone
 London – city of Brick
 Iron (wrought and cast) came into use shortly after 1780.

CLIMATIC INFLUENCE:
 South – sub-tropical
 North – experiences snow
 The result was the employment of large windows, high-pitched roofs and lofty chimneys.

HISTORICAL, SOCIAL, & RELIGIOUS INFLUENCE:

 16th century – Italy became the battlefield of Europe and Florence became the ally of France. In
these wars, the French kings were brought in contact with Italy where thus drawn into the
Renaissance movement.
 PARIS (Capital of New Kingdom of France) – attained pre-eminence in art and literature. This
resulted in the adoption of one national architectural style which was further augmented by the
presence of a number of Italian artist:
o GILILLIANO DA SANGALLO
o FRA GIOCONDO
o DOMINICO DA CORTONA (BOCCADORO)
o LEONARDO DA VINCI
o GIOVANI BATISTA DI GIOCOPO
o FRANCESCO PRIMATICCIO
o G.B. VIGNOLA
o SEBASTIANO SERLIO
 JESUIT ORDER – the chief influence on ecclesiastical architecture in France during the later
Renaissance period; built great churches designed for preaching to large congregation.

ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER:
 The Renaissance style in France started around 75years.
 Three (3) Periods in Renaissance France: Early Period (Period of Transition),
The Classical Period, Late Period
1. EARLY PERIOD (PERIOD OF TRANSITION)
o Combination of Gothic and Renaissance feature.
ITALY FRANCE
- Return to classic forms - Period of Transition
- Places for popes, prelates - Castle in the country for Kings
 - And nobles - Traditional Gothic -pronounced
- Influence of Ancient Rome - Gothic Verticality
- Classical Horizontality - Chateaux
- Churches
2. THE CLASSICAL PERIOD
o This period is notable for the dignity, sobriety, and masculine quality of its for- emost
buildings.
o Ornament is vigorous and reasonably restrained.
o QUOINS – dressed stones at the corner of the buildings; usually laid so that their faces
are alternately large and small.
o CHAINES – vertical strips of rusticated masonry rising between the horizontal string
mouldings and cornice of a building, and so dividing the facades into bays or panels.
o Much play with rustication
o Employment of the mansard roof
o Use of fanciful scrolls, nymphs, wreath and shell, carried out in stucco and papier
mache.
o SCROLLS – a moulding typical in Gothic Architecture
o STUCCO – plasterwork.
o PRINCIPAL ARCHITECTS OF THE PERIOD:
- SALOMON DE BROSSE – Palais du Luxemborg
- ANDRE LE NOTRE – outstanding garden Architect
- CHARLES LEBRUN – a painter who practiced and influenced all the visual arts.
- JULES H HARDOUIN MANSART – master designer/ interpreter of Louis XIV’s
architectural ambitions.

3. LATE PERIOD
o DOMESTIC PLANNING (residence and town hotels)
o ROCOCO (France: Rocaille)
- a style of decorative art that evolved from the baroque, originating in France
and distinguished by fanciful curved and spatial forms and elaborate, profuse
designs or shell work and foliage intended for a delicate overall effect.
o PURISTIC REACTION – restoration of ancient remains.
o PRINCIPAL ARCHITECTS OF THE PERIOD:
- JACQUES GERMAN SOUFFLOT – Pantheon, Paris
- JACQUES DENIS ANTOINE – Hotel Monnaies, Paris
o SECULAR ARCHITECTURE:
1. CHATEAU DE BLOIS – Francois Mansart
2. CHATEAU DE BURY
3. CHATEAU DE CHAMBORD – Domenico da Cortona
- Donjon – the innermost and strongest structure of tower of a
medieval castle.
- Lantern – a small circular or polygonal (prison or cell) turret with
windows all around, crowning a roof or dome.
- Dungeon – a dark, often underground prison, or cell in a medieval
castle.
4. PALAIS DE FONTAINEBLEAU (Gilles le Breton)
5. PALAIS DE LOUVRE, PARIS (Pierre Lescot) – one of the most imposing
palaces in Europe.
 6. PALAIS DE VERSAILLES (Le Vau) – royal residence
7. PETIT TRIANON, VERSAILLES (J.A. Gabriel) – one of the most superb pieces
of domestic architecture of the century.
o ECCLESIASTICAL ARCHITECTURE:
1. St. Etienne du Mont, Paris
2. St. Eustache, Paris (Domenico da Cortana)
3. The Pantheon, Paris (Soufflot)
RENAISSANCE ARCHITECTURE IN GERMANY AND CENTRAL EUROPE
GEOGRAPHICAL INFLUENCE:
 ITALY – from South
 FRANCE - to the West
 Distance from the center of the movement deferred its arrival until some 125 years after in Italy.
 The Different Geographical Conditions reflected differences in architecture.

GEOLOGICAL INFLUENCE:
 Timber, Brick, Stone, Moulded and Ornamental Brickwork
 TYPES OF BRICKWORK:
1. ENGLISH BOND – method of laying bricks so that alternate courses or layers on the face of
the wall are composed of headers and stretchers only.
o HEADER – a brick laid so that the end only appears on the face of the wall.
o STRETCHER – a brick laid so that the side only appears on the face of the wall.
2. FLEMISH BOND – a method of laying bricks so that alternate headers and stretchers appear
in each course on the face of the wall.
3. STACK BOND
4. RUNNING OR STRETCHER BOND

CLIMATIC INFLUENCE:
 The classic forms were modified to suit the northern temperature.
 Windows – large; Roof – steep; Chimneys – for heating the interiors.

HISTORICAL, SOCIAL & RELIGIOUS INFLUENCE:

 The climax on the German Renaissance is marked by the succession of Charles V to the
possessions of the House of Castle, Aragon and Burgundy including the low countries.
 CATHOLICS vs. PROTESTANTS – was brought to an end by the Peace of Augsburg.
 Each state could set up the Religion that they pleased and exile individuals who were of
different religion.
 THIRTY YEARS WAR (1618-1648) the war impoverished Germany, depleted its population and
left France as the leading nation in Europe.
 The result was the Retardation of Building Activity which arrested the development of
architecture.
 The principal renaissance factor was the influence of the universities (Heidelberg) – the chief
seat of the Humanist movement.
 MARTIN LUTHER – dominating figure of the reformation in Germany who was then in stress and
turmoil.
 PREACHING – brought about an increase in the space for the seated congregations which led to
the introduction of galleries (an upper storey for seats in a church).

ARCHITECTURAL CHARACTER:
 The Renaissance style appeared in Germany at about 1950. The periods of Renaissance
development were:
1. EARLY RENAISSANCE – introduction of Renaissance elements into Gothic building.
 2. PROTO-BAROQUE – Italian architects themselves carried the renaissance from North
Italy to Switzerland, Austria and Germany while native architects began to successfully
emulate and produce native versions of style.
3. BAROQUE – architects of Native Origin studied in Rome or elsewhere in Italy and
brought Germany architecture to splendid culmination.
4. ROCOCO – extension of Baroque period wherein architecture and decoration show
great refinement and technical mastery by less vigor and force.
5. ANTIQUARIAN – there is a progress to ancient classical models.
 There was HIGH PROFUSION OF ORNAMENTATION in Church Interiors.
 Ornamentation was DELIBERATE & PURPOSEFUL for ecclesiastical architecture, while for
secular, it was relatively plain except for mansions and country residence.
 NOTABLE BAROQUE ARCHITECTS:
o JOHANN BERNHARD FISCHER VON ERLACH – also a sculptor and a writer.
o JAKOB PRANDTAUER – monastery at Melk, considered as an architectural masterpiece.
o THUMB FAMILY – Christian, Michael and Peter
o ASAM BROTHERS –Cosmas, Damian and Egidquirin
o LUKAS VON HILDEBRANDT
 SECULAR ARCHITECTURE
1. HEIDELBERG CASTLE
PILASTER – a rectangular feature in the shape of a pillar, projecting only about 1/6 of its
breadth from a wall.
HALF-COLUMN – an engaged column projecting approximately one half of its diameter.
NICHE – a recess in a wall, hollowed like a shell, for a statue or an ornament.
2. THE BELVEDERE, VIENNA
- a summer residence designed by Hildebrandt.
3. BRANDENBURG GATE, BERLIN
-by G.G. Langhaus, is in a Greek Revival Style and imitates the PROPYLAEA found in
Athens.
4. WALDSTEIN PALACE, PRAGUE – Bartolomeo Bianco
FENESTRATION – the arrangement and design of windows.
5. TROJA PALACE, PRAGUE – J.B. Mathey
INTERCOLUMNIATION – the space between the columns
 ECCLESIASTICAL ARCHITECTURE:
1. THEATINE CHURCH, MUNICH – by A. Barelli and H. Zucalli, an instance of the developed
Baroque style, based upon the church of the St. Andrea della Valle in Rome.
HELM – bulbous termination to the top of a tower, found principally in central and
Eastern Europe.
2. ST. PAULIN, TRIER – by Balthasar Neumann
3. THE WIESKIRCHE – the most celebrated Rococo church.
CHANCEL – the space for the clergy and the choir, separated by a screen from the body
of the church, or more usually referred to as the choir.