Italian Renaissance Architecture

 

Dome of Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore
Location: Florence, Italy
Architect: Filippo Brunelleschi
Construction: Between 1420 and 1436
  
    I have chosen to look at the Dome of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore and its ties to the Italian Renaissance. The dome of this cathedral was built more than a century after the cathedral's construction had begun. Arnolfo di Cambio was the first architect hired to build this cathedral and the first stone was laid in 1296. Cathedrals such as this were being built due to an idea from the middle ages. Cities in Italy would build cathedrals larger than the previous to compete with another in terms of wealth or standing. This cathedral in particular was built to compete with those built in Pisa (1093) and Siena (1260). While the cathedral may have begun as a contest of sorts from the middle ages, the dome itself is heavily influenced instead, by the Renaissance movement.

    When I look upon this creation, it makes me jealous of the architect. For this to be constructed Brunelleschi had to create an entirely new process for architecture. Linear perspective is thought to have come into existence around 1415. Brunelleschi would've been 38 years of age during its conception. He would have to create a crane and hoist to complete the work shows how powerful one person can be. Though the sight of this does invoke jealousy, it is also inspiring to know that given time to study and learn I may be capable of something akin to this in my future.

    Brunelleschi utilized several humanist traditions to complete the construction of the dome. He relied on Roman ruins and structures to build the dome. He would also need the idea of linear perspective to solve a problem deemed insoluble. We see this by looking at the white bricks leading to the top of the structure. We can follow the dome's curvature from different angles because of this idea.
 

    The color was influenced heavily by the Renaissance in the dome. Gothic cathedrals utilized little color in their construction. However, the dome we see is bathed in red. This color was tied to the idea of rebirth during the Renaissance. As you look at the surrounding buildings, you see a pattern created by following this idea.

 
 
 
 
 
 

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