Early Renaissance Architecture

Architecture- (or Mrs. Amor’s trip

to Florence)

The Cathedral or Duomo The Cathedral or Duomo of Florence as we see it of Florence as we see it today is the end result of today is the end result of years of work that covered years of work that covered over six centuries of over six centuries of history..history..

Its basic architectural project was designed and constructed at the end of the 13th Its basic architectural project was designed and constructed at the end of the 13th century; the cupola that has made it a symbol for the whole of Florence was created by century; the cupola that has made it a symbol for the whole of Florence was created by that genius of the Renaissance, that genius of the Renaissance, Filippo BrunelleschiFilippo Brunelleschi, while the facade that completed it , while the facade that completed it was carried out as late as the late 19th centurywas carried out as late as the late 19th century

The building of the Dome• They had designed the cathedral so large that it was

beyond their knowledge how to construct a large dome over the top, and the area was already built up so there was no room for Flying Buttresses.

• Bruneschelli had lost the commission for the Gates of Paradise (next slide) he was so upset he went to Rome to study architecture (he knew they would have to build the dome eventually. He studied the Pantheon in Rome and with his new knowledge he came upon a solution- a Double Dome. An inner dome of lightweight material, and an outer shell of heavier wind- resistant material .

• To support the dome Brunelleschi devised an ingenius ring and rib support from oak timbers. Although this type of support structure is common in modern engineering, his idea and understanding about the forces needed to sustain the dome was revolutionary. The rings hug both shells of the dome, and the supports run through them.

• Another fear that a lot of people observing the construction had was how to actually get the bricks on the dome to stay up in the dome, and not fall to the ground during the construction. Once again, Brunelleschi had an ingenious idea that is common practice today, but revolutionary in its time. He created a herringbone pattern with the bricks that redirected the weight of the bricks outwards towards the dome's supports, instead of downwards to the floor. By observing carefully the curve of the dome as it took shape, Brunelleschi was able to place this bricks in key areas.

• It took 16 years to build the dome with 50 workers working 16 hour days. Working on scaffolding that had washroom and food stations on top.

The Bell TowerThe BaptisteryThe origins of the temple dedicated to St. John the Baptist, later patron saint of the city, are still uncertain. According to tradition, it was founded in Roman times and dedicated to the god Mars.

Gates of Paradise (on the Baptistery door)

• Lorenzo Ghiberti- (1425-52)• All panels depict stories of the

Christian Old testament or Jewish Bible (Torah) (some are in the Koran as well)

• gilded cast bronze, each panel of the doors is about 79.4 cm square

• This sculpture employs linear perspective, differences in figure size, overlapping, and varying depths of relief, to create the illusion of great space.

• The panels show clearly the brilliant modeling technique and perfect perspective, so that the figures stand out against the architectural background and the work seems almost a painting in bronze.

Cain and Abel

Issac

Abraham and Issac

Joseph