Who is the Most Important Early Renaissance Architect, Alberti or Brunelleschi - Essay Example

Whom do you regard as the most important early Renaissance architect, Alberti or Brunelleschi? Discuss with reference to their buildings. Instructor: Course: Date: Whom do you regard as the most important early Renaissance architect,Albert or Brunelleschi? The Rennaisance period was characterized by a rebirth of art and intellectual discourse in Europe1 . It was a period of recovering from the previous social,economic and political turmoil2. Leon Battista Alberti was an Italian architect3 . He came from the Florentine region4 . He contributed to the rise of a new philosophy which emphasized individual ability5 . Filippo Brunelleschi was also from Florence6. He contributed to the rise of a new style of architecture that was inspired by the classical architecture styles7. They both lived and worked during the Italian Renaissance 8. In this paper, the contribution of these great architects is evaluated in an attempt to show the one who had the most impact on the Renaissance era. Filippo Brunelleschi emerged as a leading architect whose work sought to break away from established ideas9. He was born in 1377 in Florence10. His father practiced law and the young Brunelleschi hoped to follow in his footsteps 11. As a young person, he was taught the art of gold smelting and metal work 12. However,his artistic inclination led him on a different path. He was not always successful in his artistic endeavors. Lorenzo Ghiberti defeated him in a competition to design a set of bronze doors13.The doors were for the baptistery in Florence 14. Lorenzo demonstrated greater technical ability than Brunelleschi. The former’s samplehad been done in one piece while the latter’s test piece consisted of several pieces put together15. 1 He was fascinated by the Roman ruins16.This fascination prompted him to travel to Rome, where he studied the ruins17. A study of his work will reveal the influence of the Roman culture in his work. However, like any great artist he merely borrowed from the Roman culture and introduced his own way of doing things. In 1419,Brunelleschi was asked to complete the dome of the Florence Cathedral 18. His impact is measured by the beauty and majesty of the dome. This is because it occupied a significant portion of his life 19. The challenge was great because it required more than architectural ability. A massive construction project like that one requires a good grasp of engineering concepts as well as technical skills. Brunelleschi invented a new hoisting machine for carrying construction materials to the dome20. The construction process took sixteen years21. Fig 1 2 Figure 1 shows how the dome of the Florence Cathedral looks like. The structure is a leading tourist attraction. The massive structure was built with 4 million bricks22. The dome rests on a drum and not on the building as it seems23. Ribbed structures provide support to the two shells at the top of the dome 24. The structure is amazing because the architect was able to find a way to design a structure that is not only beautiful but is also strong. The structure is a defining feature of the Florence skyline eventoday. It is a tribute to the skill and genius of FilippoBrunelleschi. The Ospedale delgi innocenti was built for the purpose of hosting orphans under the care of the Silk Guild of Florence 25. Figure 2 is an illustration of the structure. The building demonstrates the influence of Roman architecture on Brunelleschi’s work. In addition,there is a noticeable Gothic architecture influence. The columns are a testament to its strength. The blue colored terracota medallions highlight the elegance of the structure. The building had a heavy vaulted design with sharp classical lines. The elegance of the structure is enhanced by its catching name. It was referred to as “the hospital of the innocents” 26. At the time of its construction, it was the only one of its kind in Florence 27. An analysis of the building will show an intelligent application of mathematical principles in the structure. Figure 2 FilippoBrunelleschi discovered the linear perspective which defined the artistic and architectural Renaissance. It is important to note that he merely discovered it. Linear perspective was in use long before the Rennaisance period 28 . Linear perspective is used as a visual method to produce an effect of depth and space in drawings and paintings. It is applied to make objects that are closer to appear larger than those far away. It enabled artists to create realistic paintings29. The discovery enabled Brunelleschi to influence a wide group of talented and intelligent People. The mathematical principles are used by designers, artists, architects and mathematicians. If the amount of influence one achieved is used as a measure, then FilippoBrunelleschi will be the undisputed most influential person of the two. It enabled artists to organize what people see in a logical manner. Brunelleschi’s life came to an end on April 15th 144630. Before his death, he designed the Capella dei Pazzi in Florence for the influential Pazzi family. 3 The Renaissance period was characterized by a conflict between the desire to embrace classical art and the desire to adopt new ideas. A compromise which fusedthe two emerged. It was referred to as humanistic architecture.Leon Battista Alberta was born in Genoa31 He was most known for his paintings as opposed to his architectural designs32. However, he did manage to emerge as the leading humanist architect. His work is defined by its evolving style. He was inspired by Vitruvious In order to understand the work of Alberti, his three outstanding projects have to be evaluated. The most outstanding one is the Santa Maria novella in Florence. The structure was a Gothic building. Giovanni Rucellai commissioned its reconstruction. Alberti’s task was to create a façade on top of the existing structure. The façade of theSanta Maria novella was constructed to cover the medieval building. All its dimensions are joined together in a ratio of 2:133. The façade was made of marbles which give it a clear geometric pattern. During the construction process, he laid down a set of guidelines to be followed33.The new construction process used the volute34. Alberti introduced a Roman architectural style to the Gothic building. Most churches at that time were gothic. This technique is one of his lasting influences on architecture. Modern architectural designs have tried to copy the style with incredible success. His guidelines explained the logic behind the design of the building. The roof of the Santa Maria façade is arched. Alberti believed that the beauty of the structure could be attributed to its geometric patterns. This informed his desire to preserve the geometric pattern as much as possible. His design was heavily influenced by his grasp of mathematics. The symmetrical patterns made it possible to divide the building in the ratio of 2:1. Scrolls are placed on the upper tier to reduce the differences in the two widths. The whole façade can be observed as having been heavily influenced by numerical principles. The building borrows from classical and modern styles. The small arches reflect the gothic influence while the large doorway reflects modern architectural styles. The building is colorful as opposed to Alberti’s other structures that relied on architectural patterns to create aesthetic beauty. His structure is a form of rebuke of Brusechelli’s tendency to place semi circular arches on the building tops. The judicious use of ornamentation shows that Alberti was keen on using it as a compliment to the structure’s beauty as opposed to using it as the sole source of beauty. Figure 3 shows the Santa Maria façade. Figure 3 The second project with which to evaluate his influence is the church of San Francesco in Remini. The project was commissioned by SigismondoMaletesta35. The Lord of Rimini wanted it rebuilt as a testament to his life 36. This is an example of one of the defining characteristics of the humanist period. There was an emphasis on individual ability and achievement. After the reconstruction was over the building was referred to as Temple Malastenio. There is a big difference between the interior and the exterior. A logical explanation for this is that the interior was not part of the reconstruction project. Alberti worked on the exterior only. He decided to use a color theme on the temple’s exterior. The redesign was influenced by the Augustan Triumphal Arc. The arc is located near the temple. The sides and the façade are placed on a raised base which make the church to appear elevated. The death of Sigmondo Maletesta led to the end of the reconstruction project. This could explain why the interior was not changed. Even the reconstruction of the exterior was not finished. This is perhaps a caution to the humanist period’s celebration of individual achievement of the limitations of those individuals in death. The building was one of the first projects that Alberti worked on. However, its unsatisfactory conclusion means that it has not influenced modern architecture as it could have. It also limits the amount of influence that Alberto had in the Renaissance era. His selection to build the project could be seen as a testament to his humanist beliefs. Leon Alberti travelled to the city of Mantua at the last stage of his career. He was involved in two projects. The first project was designing the San Sebastiano. A series of alterations and restorations have made it impossible to identify the original plan. This means that Alberti’s work here cannot be studied. The second project involved designing the Sant’Andrea. A study of the two projects would reveal significant differences. The basilica of Sant’ Andrea was commissioned by a man who shared Alberti’s humanist beliefs 37. Lodovico Gonzanga who was a soldier and marquis of Mantua asked Alberti to design the church38. He wanted to place a relic of the blood of Christ in the building. The building of Sant’ Andrea was the defining moment of Alberti’s architectural career 39. . It gave him an opportunity to design a church from scratch and have it built according to his specifications40. The interior was inspired by the Basilica of Manxentious 41. This was another example of the influence of Roman architecture on Renaissance architecture. The church was influenced by both the classical and modern style. In this structure Alberti was finally able to infuse the two. The height of the structure is equal to its width 42. Alberti developed and advanced the theory of ratios in architecture. The building is the most important structure in his career and the one with which he should be judged the most. The building is a testament to his evolution as a humanist. This is because rather than attempt to copy architectural features from the classical era, he adapts them and mixes them with his unique ideas to produce a distinct piece of art. The basilica uses the triumphal arch to define its style. He designed the interior in a different way than was the norm. Most church interiors were Gothic. The walls of the church contained a lot of ornaments. The Sant Andrea was inspired by the Roman style. The building is the defining feature of humanist architecture. Figure 4 shows the interior of the San Andrea. The walls can be seen to be heavily ornamented. There is a space that leads to the altar where it breaks into a dome. 4 Figure 4 Comparing two architects is a difficult task. This is because they work on different projects that are unique and have their own merits. It is difficult to decide which structure is best between the Sant Andrea and the Dome of the Florence cathedral. The determination of which artist or which work of art is best in a given period is a purely subjective practice. However, it is possible to use a set of guidelines for making such an assessment. The first criteria would be an examination of the person’s portfolio. Here questions such as what type of projects did they work on? Have to be asked. The size of the projects needs to be looked at. The second step is to evaluate the level of influence that person and his work had on his peers. The most influential people are able to not only influence the work of their peers, but also the work of professionals in subsequent generations. The third step involves an evaluation of their contributions to other fields of study. An evaluation of the criteria listed above shows that Filippo Brunelleschi is the most influential architect of the Renaissance era. It is important to note that it is Alberti’s, work that became the defining symbol of humanist architecture. His SantAndrea represented an evolution that many accepted to be the defining feature of the humanist period. However, this single contribution is not enough to make him the most influential architect. This is because this structure came at the end of his career. Christianity influenced the Renaissance architecture as well as art. Both architectures did theirmost famous designs for the church or institutions affiliated with the church. They, however, did not confine themselves to Christian culture. They borrowed from classical art to create magnificent buildings that have inspired architects for many generations. Leon Batista Alberti devoted most of his time to other pursuits as opposed to architectural pursuits. FilippoBrunelleschi had a greater impact on the Rennaisance era because he worked on larger and grander projects. His projects are still defining features of Italy. He devoted himself to architecture more and was able to work on more projects than Alberti. The latter got most of his commissions from individuals who shared his humanist beliefs. Filippo Brunelleschi’s buildings are the most known in the world in comparison with Alberti’s buildings. It is difficult to compare the influence of two great architects. They both played a great role in shaping the Florentine culture and history. Alberti wrote about architecture in an attempt to teach young architects as well as to make advance his ideas.Brunelleschi’s influence can be seen in modern architecture. Brunelleschi is the most important architect of the two because his designs influenced all the architects who came after him. This discovery transformed the art of painting. His invention of three- dimensional architecture has influenced the work of architects and artists.Developments in 3D technology would not be possible without a good understanding of the linear perspective which was discovered by Brunelleschi. List of References Duiker,William.,Speilvogel,Jackson., World History, Volume,5th Ed (Thomson/Wadsworth, 2007) Finnan, V, Filippo Brunelleschi: Italian Rennaisance Architect Italian Rennaisance Art. com2014 Retrieved 28 May 2014, Lewis, Richard., Lewis, Susan., Cengage AdvantageBooks: The Power of Art, 2nd Ed(MA: Wadsworth, 2009) Mcdowall,Carolyn Leon Batista Alberti: On Beauty and progressing the Arts 2013 Retrieved 28 May 2014http://www.thecultureconcept.com/circle/leon-battista-alberti-on-beauty-and-progressing-the-arts Seppane, JanneThe Power of the gaze: An introduction to Visual Literacy 2nd Ed(New York; Washington, DC/Baltimore Bern Frankfurt am Main Berlin Brussels Vienna Oxford: Lang, 2006.) Sider, Sandra Handbook to Life in Rennaisance Europe, 2nd Ed(Oxford University Press, 2007). Vasari, Georgio.,The Lives of the Artists 8th Ed (Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, 1998.) Zahoo, A, Margarent Imago Triumphs: The Function and Significance of Triumphal Imagery for Italian Renaissance rulers,2ndEd(New York : P. Lang, cop. 2004) Read More