Week 5; The Roman High Renaissance: Raphael and Early Sixteenth-Century Rome

The Roman High Renaissance: Raphael and Early Sixteenth-Century Rome

Bramante

• originally trained as a painter
• from flat to 3d form
• architect from guild to intellectual

Todi, Santa Maria della Consolazione, 1504-1517
Executed by Cola da Caprarola

• Designed by Bramante, but executed by Cola da Caprarola
• Small centralized dome type, like Tempiettro
• a combination of Bramante’s pier and arch system, with pilasters and tabulature…slight difference in treatment of corner piers (monumental orders) to give way to the triumphal arches.
• Shape of the plan (square with 4 semi-circles) shows slight reference to Bramante’s S. Satiro.

Rome, Palazzo Caprini (“House of Raphael”), ca.1501-1510

• extremely influential architecture not just in Rome, but as a prototype for the modern, classical palace—particularly in Northern Italy.
• 2-story building, typical rectangular blog with a grand story (no border…creating a basement effect) using a rusticated stone that creates patterns over both the openings to the main windows and central doors, as well as being used over the shop entrances.
• A-B-A-B-A rhythm with windows on the first story, and strictly AAAAA pattern on second story.
• Second story has paired doric columns on pedestals, framing a bay with triangluar pedimented windows and an added balcony, which creates a transition between the void and the added architecture.

Raphael (1483-1520)

• active as a painter, but also important in works of architecture

 

Rome, Palazzo dell’Aquila, completed 1520

• takes Bramante’s ideas and makes them more complex, however there are still similar elements to Bramante’s style.
• the ambiguity of the floors is a hint at the development of a style post-Raphael, Bramante, and the high renaissance that becomes known as Mannerism (not entirely here, but will come up in the future)
• plain treatment of the bays, with each being framed by an order, and in between an arch framing a window and portal—or another window depending on the case.
• Piano Nobile is expressed by extreme ornament.
• Alternating pediments (triangular and semi-circle).
• Framed windows with orders to support the adjoined pediment…so you have A-B-A-C-A-B-A-C-A-B-A
• Above the cornice is the ballasters— a transitional element used at the top lightening up the heavy cornice, and providing the size and scale needed to balance the composition as a whole.

Rome, Villa Madama, 1518-1527
Antonio da Sangallo the Younger
Cardinal Giulio de’ Medici, later Pope Clement VII (1523-1534)

• mirrors a many of the Tuscan elements (color, style, etc…), incorporating Bramante’s elements as well—the use of the dome, higher elevation on the second story. What was intended is a dome profile with two towers (referencing the San Pietro in Vaticano).
• Contrast between materials—not so much with color this time, but with the classical elements (doric orders in the corner pieces, barrel vaults to accommodate the alter, and barrel vaults with large rosettes in the transept and apse…all fairly sober and monumental—showing movement from the decorative.
• Interior was completed by Raphael’s followers- based on real Roman paintings discovered during an earlier time at the House of Nero…grotesque motifs and plants, use of stucco and painted decoration illustrate what they imagined an ancient villa to be like—it was about how to live like the ancient Romans…conceived as a high point of what a classical building would look like

Baldassare Peruzzi (1481-1536)

• from Sienna
• works on a number of projects associated with Raphael and his inner circle
• Illustration of Villa Farnesina shows plans for some architectural elements that weren’t included. The drawing also shows fireplace extensions and attic extensions on the roof that appear unvisible to the eye.
• major difference between the drawing and the actual building is the detail work missing on the upper floor—the sober treatment of the facade indicates a lack of funding for the rest of the project, might have also ran out of time
• governing principle talked about by Vitruvius and Alberti—decorum is appropriate behavior…also speaks of the appropriate form for the building (what may be appropriate for a country villa, may not be appropriate for a church or political building)

 

Rome, Villa Farnesina, 1509-1521

• Alberti is to thank for what is reiterated in his writings—the suburban and country villas.
• Villa was outside of the walls originally
• Comissioned by the pope’s banker—Agostino Chigi
• Exterior immediately relates to palace-types (with stories, layers of orders, etc…) but it is easy to see that the plan of the villa is a U-shape.
  • In back:
    • The biggest recent controversy is whether or not the building was supposed to have colored stucco—or if the color was a later additon
    • Basement story is identified by the smaller windows.
    • Main ground story has piano nobile windows because it was utilized as a main, residential floor (instead of business space)…pilasters with tuscan capitals
    • Upper story also has Piano Nobile windows, mezzanine dividing the upper story to the ground story.
    • Slight differentiation over central portal (giving the central axis)
    • Only object contrasting with the tuscan countryside pleasure feeling, is the frieze at the top of the building, however it allows the cornice to be less overpowering and more in proportion to the rest of the residence.
    • corners needed a framing element to signify that the plane could not continue onward.
  • In front:
    • U-shape plan creates wings that extend out of the front.
    • The areas indicate recreational rooms for entertaining.
    • U-shaped 2-story building with tuscan orders and columns.
  • Interior:
    • The space isn’t symmetrical—partially due to the interior staircase
    • Combination of concerted effort to carry the architecture into the painted elements as well. It introduces a vocabulary (garden architecture) into the space.
    • Paintings done by Raphaeland his workshop—loggia of psyche (2 main scenes).
      • Idea of illusionism consistent with the building practices and composition of the urban space, but also with compliments to garden architecture—i.e. the flowered and fruited trellises, which would become a staple of garden architecture—giving a continuity between actual architecture and painted architecture.
      • Main paintings look like stretched canvases that connect to grommets…the sky gives idea of continuation of the garden.
  • Interior-Upstairs
    • holds a variety of some of the most important artists
    • Room of the Perspectives, Peruzzi
      • scene is painted as if you were looking out a window ad the city of Rome across from the river….it extends the interior space of the room into the painted representation.
  • Stable and Guesthouse by the River
    • guests would enjoy dinner, and then Agostino would toss the plates into the river (but the servants had a net below to catch them)

Agostino Chigi-the pope’s banker who commissioned the piece
Stable and Guesthouse by Raphael
Loggia of Psyche, Raphael

• Paintings done by Raphael and his workshop

Room of the Perspectives, Peruzzi

• scene is painted as if you were looking out a window ad the city of Rome across from the river….it extends the interior space of the room into the painted representation.
• idea of illusionism consistent with the building practices and composition of  the urban spaces, but also with compliments to garden architecture- ex. the flowered and fruited trellises, which would become a staple garden architecture-giving a contuity between actual architecture and painted architecture

Antonio da Sangallo the Elder (1455-1534)

 

Montepulciano, Madonna di San Biagio, 1518-1529, 1545-1564

• mirrors a many of the Tuscan elements (color, style, etc…), incorporating Bramante’s elements as well—the use of the dome, higher elevation on the second story. What was intended is a dome profile with two towers (referencing the San Pietro in Vaticano).
• Contrast between materials—not so much with color this time, but with the classical elements (doric orders in the corner pieces, barrel vaults to accommodate the alter, and barrel vaults with large rosettes in the transept and apse…all fairly sober and monumental—showing movement from the decorative.
• Interior was completed by Raphael’s followers- based on real Roman paintings discovered during an earlier time at the House of Nero…grotesque motifs and plants, use of stucco and painted decoration illustrate what they imagined an ancient villa to be like—it was about how to live like the ancient Romans…conceived as a high point of what a classical building would look like

Court of Milan

• important center of making milatary equipment, armor, guns, canons
• needed new architectural elements that were needed to protect them and aid them in battle (towers to shoot arrows), protected walkways for soldiers,
• beginning of 16th century- active in following trends (Leonardo da Vinci brought in as engineer for Court of Milan)  artists are asked to the court for Duke of Milan to make work (artistic, military, engineering)-who was friends of the family Ludovico il Moro.

 Santa Maria presso San Satiro (1478-1486)

• Bramante was responsible for the apse and sacristy
• had to be at an angle to actual church, so made the centralized church plan.
• materials he’s working with-brick (common building material in Milan)
• around the base- low profile dome (like Brunelleschi’s) In the drum he tries to create pediments with windows. very high lantern that mirrors the pilasters on the bottom story. graffito– painted grey and white to immitate relief?
• Classisied elements- round portraits in pilaster mimiced by the freize with heads in roundals protruding outwards. decoritive motifs
• interior has niches with orders in between them
• interior:

1. Bramante’s painting experience comes into play-
2. very shallow apse- so Bramante paints the apse in order to give it an illusionistic view of more space. He paints the ceiling with coffers in order to make it look like apse is receeding in space
3. coffered barrel vaults supported by piers
4. side chapels instead of side aisles because of large, triumph arch-like walkway.

Santa Maria delle Grazie (1484-1506)

• terracota and brick materials
•  Bramante commissioned to make apse
• Leonardo is working on Last Supper in the monastery in this building at the same time
• love of a decorative vocabulary. very sculptural adornment outside.
• triangluar pediemtn windows- like bi-fora windows (semi-Egyptian like bulb column?)

left: Drawing for St. James (Last Supper) and domed building, 1495

right: Tiburio project for Milan Cathedral, reconstruction of engraving, 1487

Leonardo da Vinci

• Leonardo was working as architect for Duke- project to work on lantern of Duomo. Gothic looking just sketches done
• never built anything
• wars- French take over Milan
• Bramante and Leonardo leave Milan for Rome

Santa Maria della Pace, cloister (1500-1504)

• mixed vocabulary of Roman influence
• Cloister– meeting place for recreation, reading, there would be a well, flowers, space for monks to spend free time in
• Roman lettering on friezes

• corner not solved well – tiny column
• unclassical element about Bramante’s design- smaller column over the void of the arch on the first level. arches are supposed to be supportive, column
• upper story- using square columns

San Pietro in Montorio, Tempietto (little Temple)1502-1503

• most iconic building of high renaissance
• dedicated to pope (Alexander) before Julius II
• built for Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain on the spot of the martyrdom of St. Peter
• The borgias movie
• used for commemoration of deaths and martrys
• circular and centered
• Renaissance building, NOT classical
• circular steps (podium on which temple rests)
• 16 columns on first level
• Bramante indicates point of entry by tall doors and cut out walkway
• priest would only go in and maybe some others
• building meant to be viewed externally instead of internally
• Tuscan column, above that- Doric metope frieze. Metope relief- symbols of passion
• first modern building to employ the Tuscan order correctly
• created transitional element from the first to second story- visually soften by the ballastry helps move from soidity of a building to a lighter airier transition. ballaster- indicator of renaissance
• drum- high with niches, alternating shell with rectangular niches
• extreme care to detail, symmetry
• building looks squeezed in between – that’s because it is. Bramante’s original intention was to have the temple surrounded by a circle of buildings and colonade outside
• exterior columns matched by plasters, and visually continued

Juilius II comes into power once temple is completed. decided to make additions to Saint Peters.
Belevedere Court 

• created pleasure garden and museum  to house objects from antiquity
• wanted walkway to palace from apartments would incorporate multiple levels of loggias and stairs because the palace and villa were on different stories
• Bramante creates spiral staircase and applies classical orders to it. superimporition- when do you switch from Doric to Ionic on spiral staircase. Did something that wasn’t done before; combining orders on staircase.

San Pietro in Vaticano, Caradosso Medal 1506-1514

• idea of how they wanted buildings to be built, or buildings that haven’t been built yet

Building of New Saint Peters

• high nave, side aisles
• church was falling down because of high winds
• centralized building, symmetrical
• Problem: biggest church with centralized building plan. Where are all the people going to fit?
• building project that outlasted Bramante’s life and Julius II’s

Santa Maria della Consolazione 1504-1517, Todi

• design by Bramante, but executed by Cola da Caprarola
• small centralized dome type- like Tempiettro plan!  and Guilianno Sangallo
• reminiscant of Tuscan designs – ribs on half domes
• quattro foil plan

Madonna di San Biagio (1518-29, 1545-64.)

• Antonio da Sangallo the Elder
• high drum like Bramante
• enlarges apse
• classical element stonework-pier corner carrying cornice inside
• moving away from color
• Montepulciano, Italy

Palazzo Caprini (“House of Raphael”) 1501-1510

• painter Raphael’s studio was here
• what is different about the House of Raphael design is the simplification and strict symmetry
• influential in Rome and became the prototype of a modern classized palace in Northern Italy
• rusticated stone that creates patterns about arches and over shop entrances.
• Brumante’s use of paired columns on independent pedestals
• added balcony that brideges void between long windows and sturdy bottom
• influenced other artists like Raphael

Drawing of Palazzo dell’Aquila, completed 1520, engraving

• Raphael takes Brumante’s ideas and makes them more complex.
• could read five stories, but supposed to look like three
• ground story is plainer story consisting of bays
• new element-alternating pediments on a story (i.e. arch and triangle)
• elaborate decorations on one level- coat of arms, portraits, etc
• ballasters on top- lightens up heavy cornice

Leo X with Cardinals Giulio de Medici and Luigi de’ Rossi, 1518, tempura on panel

• Leo X is an active supporter of the arts, especially Raphael

Villa Madama 1518-1527

• place to house visiting embassaders and other important people
• outscerts of Rome
• architect- Antonio da Sangallo the Younger- larger role in the story of Papal architecture- assistant to Raphael
• Villa had classical ideas built into it.
• thermal window
• hanging gardens and fish pond