Characteristics of High Rennaissance

The Rennaissance movement was spreading far beyond Florence. Next to adopt
the Rennaissance movement was Rome.
In Rome, the influence and wealth of the Church along with many ancient
buildings to serve as role models, the rennaissance movement was purely
Roman classical in character.
The period of High Rennaissance in Rome, is grand in scale and splendid in
detailing.
Initially classical orders were used in simple and direct manner arranged in tiers on
the façade, but then came on the horizon, Donato Bramante.
Donato Bramante(1444-1514) developed into an architect occupying in Rome
the position that Brunelleshchi had in Florence.
By 1530, Rennaissance had become an independent style that was widely applied
to civic buildings, gardens and to garden art.
Evolution of Church form is seen. The 15th and 16th C architects began to look for
new meaning. The church they thought should represent the cosmos. Alberti in his
book De Re Aedificatoria had identified nine ideal church plans.
In High Rennaissance, Donato Bramante, remodeled many churches in a very
personalized interpretation, using classical Roman elements in a splendid
manner.
 Donato Bramante (1444-1514) Rome
Donato too like Brunellischi is an ecclectic designer.
Born near Urbino, he trained as a painter.
He was called to Milan in 1480 by the Sforza duke of
Milan. He worked with Leonardo, Michelozzo,
Antonio and Filarete in Milan.
He was inspired by the drawings executed by
Leonardo, the ideals of Alberti and Filaretes dynamic
centralized concepts and visions of large scale
projects.
In Milan he worked on rebuilding of a 9th C of S.Maria,
on the domed chancel of S.Maria della Gracia, always
echoing Alberti’s designs.

Bramante moved to Rome in 1499, after the french occupation of Milan. Rome was then
ruled by Julius II. He wished to increase the power of the papacy and simultaneously
employed Bramante, Michaelangeloand Raphael.
Bramante’s prominent body of work in Rome involves
The Pallazzo della Cancelleria.
The Belvedere Court, Vatican.
Tempietto de San Pietro.
Palazzo della Cancelleria-Rome Bramante 1486

• This Palazzo is a sumptuous

development in Albertian and
Urbinesque themes such as the
• Colonaded courtyard, the rusticated
pilaster-façade and a running frieze.
• It is the first big Renaissance building in
Rome, built for Cardinal Riario.
• It was a three storey palace with inner
crotile ,
• It incorporates into one of its wing the
whole of the ancient basilican church of
San Lorenzo in Damaso
 Inner view of Palazzo
Della Cancelleria

Colonaded courtyard and a running frieze.

 Tempietto di San Pietro de Montorio Rome-
A tribute by the 16th Century to its Roman Past

Comissioned in 1502 by the

Ferdinand of Spain
to mark the place where
St.Peter was martyred,
it is in form of a small circular
Roman Temple only 4.5 mts. across
internally, Surrounded by a
Antique Roman Doric peristyle,
and
surmounted by a drum and a dome

Italian High Renaissance 3(c)

 Tempietto di San Pietro de
Montorio Rome-a master piece.

Its design of a central form

echoes a concept that reconciles
pagan theories, humanism,
divinity and represents cosmos.

It also relates to the design of

Early Christian martyria, which
had been erected not to serve as
parish churches but as a mark of a
place with holy associations.

Palladio to whom the Pantheon was significant as

the ‘image of the World’ paid the Tempietto the
exceptional tribute by including it as one of the
‘ancient temples’ in his book Quattro Libri
dell’Architecturra’ (1570).

Italian High Renaissance 3(b)

 Belvedere Court
Vatican Rome.

Among the grandest of all

Bramante’s projects was
the Belvdere Courtyard at
the Vatican built in 1503
for Julius II.
Bramante’s design with its
terraces, loggias,
sculptured courtyard,
open air theatre, orange
trees and fountains is
once again a conscious
attempt to echo the
ancient Roman palaces.

It’s Roman scale triumphal arch, 3-storey high

and semi domed open air niche are
conceptualized to create grandeur and for
architectural effect.

Italian High Renaissance

 Palazzo Farnese by Sangallo
1534
This is one of the most
celebrated Rennaissance
Palace in Rome.It was the
seat of the Cardinal
Alessandro Farnese.
Antonio Da Sangallo was
greatly influenced by
Bramante and
Michaelangelo.

It was a 3-storeyed block in stuccoed

masonary with a 25mt courtyard.
The courtyard was articulated with
superimposed arcades like the colloseum.
The entrance was an imposing barrel-vaulted
Tunnel.
The elevations were 30mt high showing
grandeur of scale like all high rennaissance
Buildings.
Italian High Renaissance
 Plazzo Farnese Rome 1515- by Antonio da Sangallo
Finest of the urban Palazzi of the time, designed by Antonio da Sangallo- a
pupil of
Bramante, a three storey block in stuccoed masonary enclosing a fine 25 mt.
Square crotile.

Italian High Renaissance

3(d)
 Characteristics of Purism

Around this time (1530) two schools of thought existed in Italy.

1) The Purist School led by Andrea Palladio(1508-1580) in Venice and
2) The Proto-Baroque or Mannerist Style led by Michaelangelo in Florence.
• This style was a blend of academic application of pure classism tempered with
originality.
• An imaginitive approach led to a design language of fine proportions human in
scale and extremely classical in spirit
• A style that was less pretentious, not very sensational but yet was harmonious
to the extent of being extremely memorable.
• A contrast was achieved by Palladio between solid and voids in his elevational
treatment which was very attractive.
• Palladio developed a design of the villa for the country home which was in
total contrast to the design of the palazzo-the city home.
• The Palladian Villa was to be enjoyed from all four sides and were designed to
coexist in harmony with the landscape.
• The purist style displays a mastery of color and texture. Simple brick stucco
elevations with the Palladian motif were executed.
• The Churches too designed in the Purist style focus more on form and
proportion. Double-heighted tall columns to articulate the Nave and single-
storey Pilasters to articulate the aisle are reflected on the façade.
Palladio and High Rennaissance Harmony. Purist style- Andrea Palladio(1508-80)
The greatest influence on architecture
is his Famous publication I quattro
libri dell’Architettura. It
publiciszed his ideals in a lucid
illustrated manner.
The book provides illustrations
of classical orders, important
buildings of antiquity as well as
a range of his own works.
He also gave us the famous Palladian
motif which is carried in many
facades
His design of the villa was very
popular.
The work of Andrea palladio has been valued as
the quintessence of High Rennaissance calm and
harmony.
It is a blend of classical academism and originality.
There is no other architect whose work has been
so widely imitated in so many countries for so
long a period.
He believed in mathematical harmonies and their
reflection in the divine order of the cosmos.
He supposed solids and voids had ratios like the
variation in pitches while plucking strings.
He appreciated the laws set forth by Pythagoras.
He was trained as a stone mason and sculptor. In
his thirties he gained the opportunity to visit
Rome and study the monuments of antiquity.
Some of his best examples are
Villa Capra Vicenza,Palazzo Chiericati Vicenza,
Villa Pojana Vicenza,San Giorgia Maggiore
Il Redentore.
 Villa Capra- La Rotunda Vicenza
1552
Non sensational, finely proportioned,
play of solids and voids in elevation,
All elevations given equal importance
A square building with columnar
portico on each face and surmounted
By a shallow dome, a revolutionary
Departure which inspired many
imitations

Purism
The dome adds height and dignity to the
Villa but is not over-powering.
It is intended to demonstrate the beauty of
pure form with its geometrical plan
composed of a square, circle and rectangle.
It is on a small hill and therefore designed
formally with a very theatrical approach.
The four loggias enables one to enjoy the
beauty of the hills surrounding this villa.
 Villa Pojana at Vicenza by Andrea
Palladio

The design displays a mastery

of the humble use of brick and
stucco.
The simplicity of proportion
displays serenity and
architectural logic which are
pillars of the purist style.
The typical palladian motif is
the main element of the
façade.

The Palladian motif is

seen in many of the
Palladian buildings

Purism
4(c)
Palazzo Chiericati, Vicenza by Andrea Palladio 1550

It is a characteristic building, unsensational in its

proportions and elevational treatment. But the
sedate harmonious elevation, classical in spirit, is
original in its treatment, with its contrast
between solids and voids. Purism 4(d)
Palazzo Chiericati, Vicenza by Andrea Palladio 1550

Purism
The church of San Giorgio Maggiore-Andrea Palladio in Vicenza 1565
Purism
Uses the gaint order to emphasise th difference in scale between the nave and the aisles

This Venetian church is a

wonderful example of
Palladio’s work.
It is basilican in design
with a domed crossing.
The western façade is so
designed to emphasize
the basilican church form
behind.
The façade has single
height pillasters on the
ends of the side aisles
and double height gialt
columns engaged on the
nave, reflecting the
respective heights of the
spaces within.

These ‘giant orders’ are a distinctive feature of Palladio’s larger buildings and evoke a
sense of elegant grandeur. Serenity and architectural logic is the hallmark of his style.
The church of San Giorgio Maggiore-Andrea Palladio in Vicenza 1565

Uses the giant

orders to
emphasize the
difference in scale
between the nave
and the aisles

Palladio’s Gaint order- a

column two storeys in
height

Purism
4(e)
 Il Redentore in
Venice 1577
By Andrea Palladio

Here he devises a
subtle method of
interlocking two
seperate
pedimented temple
fronts with engaged
columns.

In Venice, his two major churches, are both domed but both reject the centralized plan of
Alberti’s. Here he devises a subtle method of interlocking two seperated pedimented
temple fronts with engaged columns. Both churches have unusual plans which related to
the need for two choirs placed behind screens. Both structures are imperial Roman where
the vault is supported by the wall mass, hollowed by niches and hung with purely decorative
column.
Interior view of Il Redentore

Purism