Pazzi Chapel at S. Croce, Florence, Italy 1443

A small Chapter House located within Santa Croce and adjacent to the cloister -a typical location for a Chapter House. A Chapter House’s purpose was supposed to be a learning area for the monks dedicated to that particular church. It was commissioned by the powerful Pazzi family who resided in Florence, not nearly as powerful nor prolific as the Medici family; however they often were contenders with the Medici’s when it came to Renaissance clout. The Pazzi Chapel is such a case where the family gained the opportunity to momentarily be above the  Medici. As naturally follows, the Pazzi family chose the prolific Filippo Brunelleschi as the architect. As a Chapel House and small burial place for the Pazzi family members, the space needed not to be designed as a large Basilica or play off any of the typical design features that follow suit with a basilica. Instead, Brunelleschi designed a center planned space, focusing on his ideals of perfect geometry forming a rational and ordered space. This small, at first, unassuming, Chapter House becomes an icon of early Renaissance architecture.

The Renaissance was characterized by a new interest in Greek and Roman ideals, humanism (focus on the individual), and Neo-Platonism (combining Christianity with Platonian reasoning). The early Renaissance (which lasted from 1400-1492), flourished in Florence with famous artists such as Donatello, Masaccio, and Verrocchio. The most famous architect was Brunelleschi, the genius who was also an oddity; he designed the Hospital of the Innocence, the Duomo of Florence (where he is buried), and the Pazzi Chapel. Because Brunelleschi lived and worked in an era with a renewed interest in Greek ideals, specifically this current of thinking that was Neo-Platonism perfect geometry was paramount in his design. Plato expressed reality as objects, forces, entities, etc. as incomplete expressions of a perfect form. For example, a pine tree, a bonsai tree, and an oak tree are all trees and they must all possess a certain essence that unites these objects even as they all differentiate in form. So, following Plato’s logic, all the different forms of trees in reality share a common essence of being a tree, but because there’s no example of a perfect or ideal tree in reality (a manifestation of this essence), Plato concludes that there must be a separate world where all these ideal essences reside. He calls this world, the “World of Forms”. To understand this more fully, take the concept of the right triangle (or any geometric shape), there isn’t an example of a perfect right triangle anywhere in the world. Any triangle we draw, build, whatever, is inevitably flawed to a minute scale, but the concept of this perfect triangle still exists and mathematically perfect triangles are constantly used. The Christian Church utilized this system of viewing the world because it was rooted in clear reasoning (not necessarily described in my futile description) and from a well respected, historical source; but most importantly it was easy to masquerade aspects of Christianity as being synonymous with Platonic reasoning because Plato’s World of Forms begins to sound an awful lot like the Christian idea of Heaven(to understand this concept further, check out Stephen West's podcast series entitled "Philosophize This"). This is why artists, sculptors, and architects of the time almost always imbued their work with ideal geometry, either underlying (like many painters) or forefront, such as the work of the architect, particularly Brunelleschi. The aim of Brunelleschi was to create a well-ordered, rational space, originating in ideal geometries thus creating a space that was closer to Heaven or Plato’s world of forms.

The geometric forms Brunelleschi primarily works with in plan and section are the circle, square and triangle. The circle at the time is a representation of wholeness and completion, just as the interior sphere within Pantheon of Rome is a symbolic space for the entirety of different deities. Here Brunelleschi manipulates the sphere, levitating it within his space and allowing it to push and pull through the space in an almost playful manner. 

      
As for the façade of the Chapel, it clearly resembles a Roman triumphal arch. The Corinthian columns, prominent barrel vault, and triangular gable on top of the entrance all reminiscence classical orders and harken back to Greek and Roman temple features. The interior has cool gray and white tones -utilizing pietra serena throughout the chapel.

An obscure, but interesting, connection should be made between this beautiful Chapter House Brunelleschi design in 1442 and Renzo Piano’s California Academy of Sciences constructed in 2008, as Piano’s Museum seems to play upon the same themes of the Pazzi Chapel. Both utilize a regular and formal exterior, only hinting (to greater and lesser extents) at the spatial moves that happen within the space as they play with sphere moving throughout the space.

"Pazzi Chapel - Florence." Pazzi Chapel - Florence. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Dec. 2016.

West, Stephen. "Philosophize This! by Stephen West on ITunes." ITunes. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Dec. 2016.

Jodidio, Philip. Renzo Piano. Köln: Taschen, 2012. Print.

Plazzo Medice Riccardi, 1460 AD, Florence, Italy

The palace was designed by Michelozzo di Bartolomeo for Cosimo de' Medici, head of the Medici banking family, and was built between 1444 and 1484. Michelozzo di Bartolomeo was influenced in his building of this palace by both classical Roman and Brunelleschian principles. During the Renaissance revival of classical culture, ancient Roman elements were often replicated in architecture, both built and imagined in paintings. It was well known for its stone masonry, which includes architectural elements of rustication and ashlar. The palace is characterized by clearly defined floors and a huge cornice crowning the roofline, the palace stands out for the arched windows arranged along its front and the partially closed loggia on the corner of the building. Two asymmetrical doors led to the typical fifteenth century courtyard. In 1517, the original building was altered by closing the loggia and adding the two "kneeling" windows per Michelangelo's project. Originally designed as a sort of cube with ten windows for each ground and three big doors in the façade.

The most important section of the palace is the Chapel frescoed in 1459 by Benozzo Gozzoli representing the Procession of the Magi. The frescoes explicitly referred to the train of the Concilium that met in Florence in 1439. Many of the personalities portrayed are wealthy the protagonists of the time and members of the Medici family.

 Since 1972 the exhibition area of Palazzo Medici Riccardi has become a tourist attraction of temporary exhibitions dedicated to the modern and contemporary art. Now the exhibition has been focused on giving the public a greater understanding of the historic and artistic context, consequently proposing exhibitions which are consistent with the Renaissance and Baroque identity of the palazzo.

Source:

Glancey, Jonathan. Architecture. London: DK, 2006. PrintWatkin, David. A History of Western Architecture. Sixth ed. New York: Thames and Hudson, 1986. Print.

"Medici Riccardi Palace - Florence." Medici Riccardi Palace - Florence.Web.

Watkin, David. A History of Western Architecture. Sixth ed. New York: Thames and Hudson, 1986. Print.

Cortile del Belvedere, Vatican 1506

Image: Google Maps

Designed by Donato Bramante, the Belvedere courtyard in the Vatican was a major architectural work of the High Renaissance beginning from 1506 onward.  Innocent VIII began construction of the Villa Belvedere overlooking old St. Peters Basilica, in 1484. Florentine architect Antonio Pollaiuolo designed the villa which offered spectacular views and was the first pleasure house to be built in Rome since Antiquity. When Pope Julius II ruled in 1503, he moved his collection of roman sculpture to the enclosed courtyard within the villa itself. The ancient sculpture of Laocoon and His Sons was brought in 1506 and the statue of Apollo soon joined the collection. Julius commissioned Bramante to connect the Vatican Palace with the Villa. The design is commemorated in a fresco at the Castel Sant’Angelo- the set of terraces are linked by symmetrical stairs to create a sequence of formal spaces that was unparalleled in all of Europe. An innovation of Bramante was the divided stair to the upper terrace with flights running on either sided against the retaining wall to a landing and returning to the center. His corridor-like, three storied wings that enclose the Cortile now house the Vatican Museums Collection and the Vatican Library.

The whole courtyard culminated in the semicircular exedra at the end of the court. This was set into a screening wall devised to disguise the facades misalignment to the facing Vatican Palace façade at the other end. The project was designed to be best viewed from the pope in the papal apartments of the palace.

Plan and Section of Belvedere Courtyard

Bramante died in 1514 when the project was still unfinished. It was finished by Pirro Ligorio for Pius IV in 1562-65. He added a third story to the open-headed exedra at the end of the upper-most terrace, enclosing the central space with a half-dome and created a large niche visible from several elevated outlooks around Rome today. He completed the structure with a loggia that repeated the heicycle of the niche and took its cue from reconstructions of the ancient sanctuary dedicated to Fortuna Primigenia, south of Rome.

Image of the bronze pinecone

The lowest and largest level of the court was cobbled and paved with a saltire of stones laid corner to corner and had semi-permanent bleachers set against the Vatican walls for outdoor entertainment. The upper two levels were laid out with patterned parterres set in wide graveled walkways. The four sections of the upper courtyard have the same pattern that appears in sixteenth century engravings. Sixtus V corrupted the unity of the Cortile by erecting a wing of the Vatican Library which occupies the former middle terrace and bisects the space. It has been suggested that this was a conscious move intended to separate the secular or pagan nature of the Cortile and the collection of sculptures that Pope Adrian VI had collected. Today, the lowest terrace is called Cortile del Belvedere but the separated upper terrace is called Cortile della Pigna after a large, bronze pinecone, mounted in the niccione proposed to have been the finial of Hadrian’s Tomb or to mark the turning point for chariots in the hippodrome.

In 1990, a sculpture of two concentric spheres by Arnaldo Pomodoro was placed in the middle of the upper courtyard. 

Sources:

1: http://www.vaticanstate.va/content/vaticanstate/en/monumenti/musei-vaticani/cortili-vaticani.paginate.1.html

Villa Farnesia, Rome, Italy, 1511

To see an  excellent example of Renaissance architecture in Italy, one should visit the Villa Farnesina. It can be found in the green Trastevere area of Rome on the Via della Lungara along the Tiber River. The rectangular structure represents the concept of the Renaissance perfectly which is why it is so important to architecture even today. 

Exterior view of the villa

The villa was built for a wealthy Sienese banker, Agostino Chigi, and went by the name Villa Chigi. Construction for the building began in 1509 by Baldassarre Peruzzi, an architect and painter, who was responsible for the design and construction. While the exterior was finished in 1511, the interior decorating lasted until 1519. This was because Chigi was an active patron and lover of the arts and wanted the villa to reflect that as much as possible. The location of the villa also worked to Chigi’s advantage as it was not too far from the city center and as a result, he was able to entertain high prelates, noblemen and cardinals. In fact, even the pope himself visited the villa. 5

Plan of Villa Farnesina

One of the things that Chigi made sure to include in the villa is a large garden. The large garden helps the theme of “clean architecture” one sees when looking at the Villa Farnesina. The design of the building is fairly similar and symmetrical as it just a rectangle. The cross section of the building is a square and the main section shows the large rectangle that is essentially two squares. This two square proportion is repeated in the dimensions of the doors and windows throughout the villa except in the mezzanine. 3

Decorating the exterior of the building can be found monochrome frescos that were done by Raphael who was a good friend of Peruzzi. In fact, Raphael was commissioned to decorate the loggia and other things in the villa in 1517. He also had his pupils Giulio Romano, Francesco Renni, Raffaellino del Colle and Giovanni de Udine help him in decorating the villa. The frescos help support the nature theme throughout the exterior of the building. The painting sale can be seen to imitate Roman marble reliefs to give the feel of an ancient monument which is an interesting touch. 1

Triumph of Galatea

One of the main features of Villa Farnesina is the Loggia of Galatea that was done by Raphael. The loggia can be found on the ground floor of the villa through an entrance hall. It depicts the classical and secular myths of Cupid and Psyche and the Triumph of Galatea. The nymph Galatea is on a shell being pulled by dolphins and inspiration for this scene came from a poem by Angelo Poliziano. 1

Hall of Galatea

The Loggia of Psyche is also filled with great artwork. The frescoed images of the groups of collective gods and individual gods have been done by Raphael’s pupils. Mythology was important to these individuals and as a result, the fresco reflects that. 

After Chigi’s death in 1520, the villa was bought by Cardinal Alessandro Farnese, from whom the villa takes it’s present name. In 1714, it became property of the bourbon family and then was bought by the Spanish Ambassador Bermudez de Castro not long after that. In 1928, it was bought back from the Duke’s heirs by the Italian state and then became open to the public for viewing. 2

While a plan or section of Villa Farnesina might not look like much because of the simple geometry, there is a great amount of art work that is decorating the exterior as well as the interior. It also serves as a collection of great paintings seeing that so many different painters and artists contributed, each adding their own style. 

Works Cited

1 D’Ancona, Paolo. The Farnesina Frescoes at Rome. Italy: Edizioni Del Milione, 1956.

2 Hibbert, Christopher. "Rome: Biography of a City." London: Penguin Books, 1985.
3 Hunt, Patrick. "Villa Farnesina, Jewel of Renaissance Rome." Electrum Magazine RSS. N.p., 14 June 2012. Web. 03 Dec. 2016.
4 Millard, George. "Rome." New York: Oxford University Press, 1961.
5 Johnston, David E. "Roman Villas." London: Shire Publications, 1988.

Basilica di San Lorenzo, Florence Italy

Floor Plan

Basilica di San Lorenzo (Basilica of St. Lawrence) is located in Florence Italy. Designed by Filippo Brunelleschi and Michelangelo in the Renaissance style of architecture. Construction was completed in 1470 it is one of the finest examples of the new style.

Renaissance Architecture began in Italy in the 14^th century and lasted through the 17^th century. Based on a revival of ancient thought and culture. The style emphasizes symmetry, proportions, and geometry.  Common elements visible in renaissance architecture are the arrangement of columns and pilasters, the use of semicircles, domes and niches.

The basilica di San Lorenzo was commissioned by the Medici family, an affluent family of bankers and tastemakers during the renaissance. The family gained power from the textile guilds of the time. The family had produced three popes, two regent queens of France. They had become powerful politicians during their reign.

Interior

Like many basilica’s, San Lorenzo follows the same basic design. It is cruciform in plan, with a central nave and side aisle. Unlike early roman basilicas, the side aisles at San Lorenzo have been built out to accommodate chapels. The main axis follows a strict “A” “B” “A” pattern. The transept is somewhat peculiar, breaking from the typical basilica. Chapels have been constructed around the transept, breaking the typical form. Furthermore, the chapels around the transept are not connected. The basilica also has a larger chapel on the south-west corner, further breaking the typical form. Despite the oddities, the basilica is still based off the principals of the period. San Lorenzo still follows a strict, yet simple geometric guide and proportions. ^[1]

The exterior of the basilica is somewhat plain. The façade is made up of brick and stone. The main level along the aisle have blind windows while the clerestory has small, arched windows. The front façade is plain brick and stone construction containing three wooden doors entering into the nave and side aisle. There is also a blind window, however this may have been closed over time. There is also a central tower over the transept like in standard basilicas, although there is a bell tower on the north side. The façade also shows the same strict dedication to form and order. Following the same dedications to the new stile. ^[2]

[1] Roth Leland M. and Amanda C. Roth Clark, Understanding Architecutre Its Elements, History, and Meaning, Third Edition Westview Press 2014. P.365

[2] http://www.aviewoncities.com/florence/basilicadisanlorenzo.htm