RENAISSANCE IN ART & ARCHITECTURE

(14th to 18th century A.D.)

The renaissance means rebirth i.e. renewed interest in classical Greek & Roman culture. The
Renaissance started in Italy. The period between fall of Roman Empire & Renaissance is called
as middle ages meaning insignificant time between 2 glorious periods. The Renaissance
movement started with a renewed admiration for ancient Greek & Roman literature. Many
people learned the Greek language & researched into manuscripts & books preserved in
monasteries & cathedrals.

In Italy the Renaissance started in 15th century. High Renaissance centered in Florence was in
16th century. The 17th century period was of Baroque art .18th century was dominated by the
Rococo style. Also 18th century is known for the Antiquarian or Neo classical style of art &
architecture.

Renaissance Doctrine

The need to order a design by means of mathematical principles was fundamental to the
Renaissance architect. The arithmetic & geometrical ratios derived by Greeks was used in
special measurements. They also stressed the relation of mathematical order to the measures
of human body. This seemed rational to the culture which was beginning to focus on the human
aspects of the religious world. Writings of 1st century philosopher Vitruvious were reread. He
believed ‘convenience, beauty & durability as the ideals of architecture.

These 3 principles led them to 3 main suppositions.

1. A full faith in classical architecture as the ideal architectural canon.

2. Good art requires the application of reason & logic to the matter i.e. form follows
function.

3. The importance of architect who is the learned man & who understood the principles.

All architects of this era were very particular about aesthetics of their buildings & generally had
square or circular forms, bisymmetry & repetitive module. Rediscovery of hard plaster stucco as
an artistic medium was another feature. The drum was introduced under the dome. Since visual
effect mattered, joints would be covered by classical orders superimposed on the facades.

Main inventions

The 3 main inventions led to the general upheaval of the period. Gun powder changed the
nature of the war fare. Mariner’s compass led to the discovery of America. Printing by movable
type made ancient manuscripts available to the mass of people, which broaden their
perspectives & the new intellectual movement manifested earlier in literature than architecture.

The return to the forms & proportions of ancient Roman architecture first occurred in Italy where
classical studies were more advanced & where surviving Roman buildings could be studied &
measured. New alignment of values & interests evoked a surge of intellectual & artistic
creativity, during Renaissance. Florence was the leading city of Renaissance & the main agents
of transformation was the very rich, wealthy banking family of Medici’s who contributed very
generously to building grand palaces & churches.

Period of Mannerists

The main characteristic of the Renaissance was the employment of classic Roman orders used
both rationally & decoratively. There was well balanced combination of Gothic longitudinal &
Byzantine centralized church plan during Renaissance. By high Renaissance, stage of
elementary learning of Roman decorative system had been passed & architects worked in
freedom of acquired knowledge. True nature of Renaissance as a distinctive style then began to
emerge. In art history this period is known as mannerists.

Early Renaissance in Italy

Filipo Brunellechi was one of the leading architect & sculptor of the early Renaissance period.
He studied ancient Roman ruins in great detail & based his own architecture on same principles.
The Pazzi chapel is the small building in the cloisters of the church of Santa Croce in Florence
designed by Brunelleschi on classical principles. It is an architectural gem which inspired many
later buildings. The real importance of the building lies in the clarity of form.

It has centralized plan covered in parts by short barrel vaults, but mainly by ribbed vaulted dome
on pendentives capped by a lantern. The front porch (vestibule) is based on a square module.

This is repeated in the main building. The depth of the square is doubled & again along the axis
is the central projection for an altar. At the base of the dome are circular windows. Externally
there is cylindrical drum with windows & a tiled, conical roof hides the dome. A smaller
pendentived dome covers the altar. Another small dome is in the center of entrance portico.
Front entrance has 6 columns. Small building is Byzantine in conception, Gothic in construction
& classical in decorative detail. ( Plan, sections )

Palazzo Riccardi, Florence

It is an example of early Renaissance & Michelozzi’s best known work. Initially belonged to
Medici family & later on sold to Riccardi family. The plan has typical arrangements of the rooms
arranged around open courtyard. The main apartments are on ‘piano nobile’ the principle floor
which is approached by unpretentious but generous staircase asymmetrically placed. The more
intimate family rooms are on second floor. Exterior is astylar with gradual effect of rusticated
masonry. Ground storey has heavily rusticated masonry with semicircular arches enclosing
windows. Intermediate floor has channeled masonry with bifurcated windows. Upper storey has
plain ashlar masonry has similar windows. Whole façade is crowned by a bold cornice about
1/8th the height of the building & projecting 2.5m. (Elevation)

Palazzo Pitti

This is the largest palace in Italy except the Vatican designed in early Renaissance period.
It was designed by Brunelleschi but finished only after his death. Later it is converted into grand
picture gallery having Baroque paintings set in elaborate stucco frames painted white & gold.
Plan is typical set around open to sky court. Grand façade is 3 storey high, 660’ in length is of
astylar treatment with a rugged simplicity. The masonry has similarity with Claudian acqueduct
with its massive blocks of masonry & arches of the ground storey. ( Elevation)

High Renaissance

In early Renaissance, the regional character importantly survived. In high Renaissance & proto
Baroque period, it was partially eradicated owing to the great dissemination of ideas fostered by
travel by many a architects to Rome for their training. With Baroque the architecture of the
period became unanimous whether in Italy or France. By the high Renaissance, the stage of
elementary learning of Roman decorative systems had been passed & architects worked in the
freedom of firmly acquired knowledge. The true nature of Renaissance as true distinctive style
then began to emerge. The greatest architectural achievement of this period is the st. Peter’s
basilica in Rome. The dome was designed by Michaelengelo & completed after his death in
1564.

St. Peter’s Basilica

The pantheon & Hagia Sophia dome as we have seen were effective from within but
unimpressive from outside. In St. Peter’s dome, Michaelengelo wished to create a dome where
both exterior & interior were equally effective. St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome is the most important
building of high Renaissance. It is the work of many architects. It was started with Bramante’s
Greek cross plan & proposed dome based on Pantheon with addition of peristyle & lantern.
After his death, many architects came, but finally when Michaelengelo stepped into it, the final
building owes most of its outstanding features to him.

The present cathedral had its origin in the intention of Pope Julius II to have a tomb house for
himself. He was an outstanding personality. He wanted a monument to have the magnificence
associated with papal power, the Christian religion & the Latin race. A competition produced
several designs out of which Bramante’s Greek cross plan was selected. He died in course of
work then many other architects including Raphael proposed Latin cross plan, then Peruzzi & so
on went on adding modifications but finally Mchaelengelo in his 72nd yr took over.

Michaelengelo worked on Greek cross plan; strengthen the piers of the dome, redesigned
surrounding chapels (place of worship in church in honour of particular saint) & apses. He made
whole structure into skillfully unified in geometric volumes. The cube becomes the whole body of
the Basilica. The cylinder becomes the drum of the dome. The half sphere becomes the dome
itself. He not only strengthen the piers of the dome & redesigned surrounding chapels & apses
but also reduced the original indeterminate no of bays on each side of church, suppressed the
surrounding ambulatory passages producing a closely knit pyramidal composition.

The application of the giant order & splaying off of the re-entrant angles furthered the external
unity, while the elimination of the four campanili achieved a less sprawling mass. The effect was
enhanced by raising the level of four minor subordinate domes to group more closely with the
central dome which he planned & began. Drum was completed before his death. He left the
models for the dome & lantern. The vertical lines of the pilasters on the drum lead the eye
smoothly to the curved ribs of the dome, which rise uninterruptedly to the lantern. Here the motif
of the double column is repeated on the smaller scale leading upto the termination of ball &
cross which is the crowning feature of the cathedral.

Exterior is roughly executed in rough travertine stone.

The walls of the interior are brick faced with plaster coloured to imitate marble. The great piers
of nave have gigantic order of Corinthian columns. The nave consists of 4 immense bays, the
crossing of which is covered by massive dome while semicircular apses terminate into short
transepts & sanctuary. Semicircular barrel vaults on all sides of central dome are coffered,
gilded & frescoed. (Plan, section, front elevation)

Renaissance in France

Renaissance ideas reached France much later than Italy. Paris was the capital of the newly
consolidated kingdom of France & attained preeminence in art & literature. This resulted in the
adoption of one national architectural style. The valley of Loire in response to new social
conditions developed famous chateaux of kings & courtiers. Thus principal buildings in Italy
during Renaissance were palaces of popes & nobles, while in France castles for kings &
courtiers. In Italy the influence was of ancient Rome with classical treatment of detail &
ornaments, while the influence of Rome was less manifest in France & influence of traditional
Gothic craftsmanship was pronounced. In Italy straight lines & classical horizontality was
preferred while in France there was tendency for Gothic verticality.

Baroque in France

Baroque period is more pronounced in France than Renaissance. Heavy mouldings, cornices,
sculptural treatment, clashing colours, masculine quality of the buildings imparting grandeur in
architecture, civic design & garden planning marked the Baroque Era. Interior decoration
became rich & luxuriant. Wall panels were with central framed ornaments, or niches being filled
with patterned brick work. Windows grew large even going into steep roofs as dormers. Stone
mullions & transoms were replaced by wood. Exteriors were simple but interiors had brilliantly
profuse scrolls, nymphs, wreaths, shells carried out in stucco were applied to furniture & fittings.

Chateau De Chambord

It is designed by Italian architect, Domenico da Cortona is the most famous in Loire district. It is
semi fortified in character & has a plan reminiscent of a Mediaeval ‘concentric’ castle, being
made up of 2 rectangles one within the other, but with the façade of the smaller on the same
line as that of the outer court which thus protects it on 3 sides, while the fourth is protected by a
moat. This inner block or ‘donjon’ is 220’square, corresponds to the keep of English castle, &
has 4 lofty halls on each floor, finished by elliptical barrel vaulting. At the junction of these halls
is the world famous double spiral staircase by which people can ascend & descend
simultaneously without being visible to each other. It is built up in cage of stone crowned with
stone lantern which forms the central feature of the exterior in the circular towers.
There is much waste of space, as rectangular rooms are planned in circular towers. Vertical
Gothic effect is produced by wall pilasters with unique carved capitals & angle towers with
domes or with conical roofs. The roof is high pitched with ornate dormers & lofty chimneys. It is
example of early Renaissance French building. It is very Gothic with Renaissance detail. It may
be contrasted with the palace of Caprarola by Vignola. ( Plan)

English Renaissance

Owing to the distance from Italy, the birthplace of the Renaissance, England was the last
country to fall under the influence of the movement, which naturally reached this island by way
of France & Netherlands. Inigo Wren, Christopher Wren are some of the leading architects to
foster this great movement in England. In England the ruling dynasties have contributed to the
Renaissance ideas. Renaissance started with Elizabethan period, which followed the Tudor &
was transition style with Gothic features & Renaissance detail. The mansions displayed many
new combinations of features externally.

Early English Renaissance

Towers, gables, parapets, balustrades & chimney stacks produced an effective sky line & walls
were enlivened by oriel & bay window with mullions & transoms. Elizabethan mansions looked
more outwards than inwards, hence gardens developed in front. Jacobean architecture followed
which understood sober regularity of classic columns & entablatures & thus irregularity of
Elizabethan was overcome. But design remained much the same in both periods. Secular
architecture developed than religious as the prosperity was growing.

Renaissance architecture arrived in England during the reign of Elizabeth I, having first spread
through the Low Countries where among other features it acquired versions of the Dutch gable,
and Flemish strapwork in geometric designs. Both of these features can be seen on the towers
of Wollaton Hall and again at Montacute House. It was also at this time that English houses
adopted the concept of a long gallery being the chief reception room. In England, the
Renaissance tended to manifest itself in large square tall houses such as Longleat House.
Often these buildings had asymmetrical towers which hint at the evolution from medieval
fortified architecture. Houses in plan became c shaped with projecting wings on either side of
pronounced porch which had Italianate classical detailing. Some roofs were pitched & some flat
with balustrade as parapet.

Late English Renaissance

Stuart period followed & great reign of architectural genious like Inigo Jones & Sir Christopher
Wre, Palladion who travelled to Italy & trained under Italian masters contributed to real
Renaissance ideas in England. Dutch gables shaped with ogee parapets crowned with
semicircular or triangular pediments, brick work with stone dressings became popular. After
great fire of London, Wren was called upon to design massive construction program. Then it
was beginning of English Baroque which is termed as Georgian period. Georgian architecture is
further divided into Anglo Palladian & the Antiquarian. Antiquarian marks the beginning of Greek
revival & Gothic revival which only matured in Victorian times. Twisted columns, broken
pediments started gracing the structures. Grandeur without fussiness, & employment of
classical details in correct measure started. Curvilinear profiles were replaced by straight lines.

Due to growing prosperity secular architecture of mansions, town houses, educational

architecture of the colleges developed more rapidly than religious architecture. Hatfield house,
Charlton house, Aston hall, Hardwick hall are some of the famous sprawling mansions of this
period with central court & gardens, rooms surrounding, gable roofs with chimneys jutting out
due to the invention of the wall fire place which replaced the central hearth & hence ceiling no
more got dirty due to fire & stories were added to the house. Late renaissance has Whitehall
palace, Greenwich hospital etc.

St. Paul’s cathedral

It is by Sir Christopher Wren & work of late Renaissance, occupying the site of Mediaeval
cathedral destroyed in the great fire. It has Latin cross type of plan having a length of 463’
including apse & breadth including isles is 101’ consist of great central space at the crossing
suitable for vast congregations, crowned by a dome. Choir & nave are in 3 bays, north south
transepts with semicircular porticoes & projecting western portico of coupled columns. Dome is
carried on 8 piers & is of diameter 112’ supported on high drum with whispering gallery. Dome is
of triple construction with inner dome of brick above the floor, while intermediate dome is conical
& made up of brick, strengthen by a double chain of iron supports the stone lantern, ball &
cross, besides this the outer dome also rests on this intermediate cone & is formed of timber
covered with lead. 8 openings are formed in the summit of the outer dome to admit light to the
inner dome.

The exterior is exceedingly effective & groups well with the central dome. The façade has 2
orders, the lower Corinthian & the upper Composite, totalling 110’ in height. The aisles are only
1 storey high & so the part above them is the screen wall introduced to give dignity & to act as a
counter weight to the flying buttresses concealed behind it, which receive the thrust of the nave
vault. The western façade 117’wide is approached by the broad flight of steps which give scale
to the building, has a central 2 storied portico of coupled Corinthian & Composite columns
superimposed, surmounted by a pediment sculptured with the conversion of S. Paul. The
portico is flanked by 2 beautifully proportioned campanile 212’ high above the nave floor, that on
the north containing bell & the one on south containing clock.

Fine, semicircular porticoes to the transepts are also notable. The external dome is probably the
finest in Europe, for the projecting masses of masonry at the meeting of nave & transepts
forming the vestries & stairs to dome, express support from the ground upwards. The peristyle
round the drum is effective with three quarter columns attached to radiating buttress walls.
Above the colonade is the stone gallery, & attic supporting the dome which is crowned with
lantern ball & cross weighing 850 tons, rising the height of 366’ above the pavement. ( plan,
section. Elevation)
Renaissance

The temporal & spatial perspectives of Europeans were enlarged through the discovery of
ancient manuscripts & work of art though contact with hitherto unknown civilizations overseas, &
through the exploration of the extraterrestrial universe. Led by Copernicus & Galileo, the
astronomers showed that the universe was vastly larger than had been supposed, & earth
mainly a planet in solar system. The new intellectual movement thus started in literature first &
then architecture. Classical humanism involved a historical attempt to see the ancient world as it
had actually existed , free from Christian trappings. Effort to understand its values, its literary,
artistic forms helped in due course to promote new creativity & thus a true reawakening in field
of architecture led to beautiful buildings of secular nature, churches, town houses, colleges.
Entire Europe started following a common language & ornamentation & a second golden era
thus manifested.