Architecture Renaissance architects visited Rome to study Classical buildings and ruins, like the Colosseum and the Pantheon. They incorporated Classical elements into their own designs, but also tried to create buildings that would appeal to both emotion and reason (Fig. 3.13).
The architects looked to the ancient Roman architect Vitruvius. His mathematical proportions and measurement were based on the human scale.
Media and Areas of
Practice The new appreciation of Classical sculpture led to a preference for marble, which was the medium of choice in ancient Rome.
Bronze also came increasingly into use. It was strong and durable, could be polished in various ways and was very suited to gilding.
The main examples of bronze work in Florence are the bronze doors by Andrea Pisano and Lorenzo Ghiberti on the baptistery and several key works of Donatello.
Gilding: A decorative technique for applying a very thin coating of gold leaf to a solid surface like metal.
Artists and Artworks Architecture
Civic authorities implemented practical building improvements in the city of Florence (Fig. 3.14). Many artists were employed on the cathedral and the baptistery opposite.
Florence Cathedral
Santa Maria del Fiore, the Cathedral of Florence, was traditionally the responsibility of the Calimala (the wool and cloth merchants’ guild). Its construction had been ongoing for most of the 14th century.
Figure 3.13 (above) Classical orders of architecture. Greek temples were built with very strict rules (orders). There were three basic types of column: Doric, Ionic and Corinthian.
The cathedral’s baptistery had been restored in 1200 with green and white marble cladding, and new bronze doors by Andrea Pisano had been installed in 1329 (Fig. 3.15).
