Sunday, November 30th, 2008

The Beauty of Renaissance Architecture

Around the 14th century in Europe, the mind set of people started to change from a very barbaric middle age. This was the rise of the Renaissance movement. The meaning of Renaissance is rebirth and this is true because it sort of was a rebirth of classical art and intellectual pursuits.

People of the Renaissance were very particular with beauty. This is evident if you look at the numerous artworks done during this period. If you would travel to Europe, you’d be able to see remnants of captivating Renaissance architecture in all its glory.

Characteristics of Renaissance architecture

The difference of Renaissance and Roman architecture can be difficult to distinguish to the untrained eye. This is because Renaissance structures were revivals of Roman and Greek architecture. Elements of geometry, symmetry, proportion, and regularity was deeply stressed and was rooted in the school of ancient Roman architectural thought. You will notice the constant use of semi-circle arches, aedicule, and domes.

The Pioneer

The birth of Renaissance architecture can be attributed to the Italian architect and engineer Filippo Brunelleschi. You would see some of his first creations in Florence Italy. He is responsible for works of beauty such as the Dome of the Cathedral of Florence (where he is currently buried), Palazzo di Parte Guelfa, Basilica di San Lorenzo di Firenze, and the Pazzi Chapel (one of his last works).

A man of the Renaissance would be learned in a lot of bodies of knowledge. Brunelleschi was not only a man of Renaissance architecture, but was deeply into mathematics, engineering, and painting. He is even credited to be a pioneer of the one point linear perspective in painting. This perspective was a revolution in painting and a lot of artists followed suit.

Evolution of the Renaissance

If you look closely, you would notice slight differences in the architecture of this period. It is actually divided into four phases; Quattrocento, High Renaissance, Mannerism, and the transition of Renaissance to Baroque. It was in the Quattrocento phase that the concepts of architecture was still being formulated and explored. This is when architects started to make use of elements such as proportion and symmetry to structures.

The concepts of classical architecture were further incorporated during the High Renaissance. It was during the Mannerism phase that architects started to experiment the relationship between solids and spaces. They would use architectural concepts to emphasize such relationships and one of the most famous artists to do so is none other than Michelangelo Buonarroti. GP