Middle English Renaissance

The Middle Renaissance lasted from 1600-1750. This was the time of Restoration, Stuart or Carolean Period, during Charles II and James II's reign, William and Mary, the age of walnut, Queen Anne, and Early Georgian, George I and portion of George II's reign, and Early Chippendale.

Historical Setting of Cromwellian/Restoration:

• Property was destroyed during the Mid 17th century English Civil War. King Charles I was executed in 1649.
• The Cromwell puritan leader reigned for 11 years. This was a very austere period, with no architecture of any consequence. England was considered Puritan.
• In 1660 Charles II came to reign. There were strong ties to Holland and France and Louis XIV.

The Great Fire of 1666:

• A large section of London was burned. Sir Christopher Wren set new standards of design- Baroque Urban design- after everything was destroyed. The design was greatly influenced by the French, in particular, Bernini, and Mansart building palaces and chateaux.

Sir Christopher Wren:

• Wren developed new standards for housing, such as wall thickness, floor heights, and materials (bricks) were specified. He also started zoning and construction regulations.
• He was the most renowned English architect of all time. His masterpiece is St. Paul's Cathedral. He designed 52 churches, which have influenced other church designs. However, he designed protestant churches as opposed to catholic churches.

Historical Setting of William and Mary:

• The Revocation of Edict of Nantes by Louis XIV denied equality to protestants. This lead to many french furniture designers fleeing to England. This then completed the continual style of Baroque. This type of Baroque design had the general outlines of Baroque but without the elaborate detailing in French furniture.
• The period began when Mary Stuart married a dutch husband William III. There were new standards for furniture, in particular, comfort. Beautiful furniture became available to the masses. Upholstery appeared for the first time. and English oak wood replaced the use of walnut.
• William and Mary chairs had straight turned legs or cup turned legs. There was a low, horizontal X-stretcher. The curved cross stretcher was popular. Ball feet, or Ball and Claw feet were below the stretcher. Veneers were perfected during this time, and marquetry and lacquer work was popular. There was an oriental influence. Fabrics used were velvet, brocade, chintz, leather, and needlepoint.

Historical Setting of Queen Anne:

• The 18th century was the golden age of English cabinetwork. This was a prosperous time. Queen Anne was neither influential or interested in design during this period. There were developments in social living such as tea and coffee drinking and parlor games of chance.
• There were simpler interiors of this time. Walls were adorned with silk or paper. William Kent designed with Palladian concepts and Baroque furniture styles. He was a painter, architect, and designer. He spent 10 years in Italy. He was the first English architect to design furniture for specific interiors. His style can be classified as large scale classical decoration.
• The influence of English trade with China resulted in original Chinese furniture, lacquer, Chinese porcelain, corner display cabinets designed for porcelain, the habit of drinking tea, and small tea tables, many of which had tilt tops.
• Mahogany was the choice of wood. It was imported rom Cuba and Santo Domingo. It was easier to work with than walnut. It is firmer and has less difference in grain. Its easier to carve. It absorbs polish more easily and is available in wider boards, which was used without veneering, and therefore less expensive to use. The middle years of the 18th century was the age of mahogany.
• Design typically featured silk, linen, crewel, and embroidery.
• The principle characteristics were curved lines as a dominating motif, Chinese forms in the structure of furniture, lacquer as a finish, feminine and graceful, cabriole legs, stretchers started to be eliminated, and furniture was smaller, lighter and more comfortable.
• The cabriole leg looks like an elongated S cute and was a major line in the 18th century. It looks like an animal leg on ancient furniture. It is found on some Chinese furniture. It was Modeled after the goat's leg, and in french the word means "leap of a goat".
• The most notable design is the chair. It has a distinctive back and leg shape, the splat from seat to the crest is distinctive, and there is no carving, the beauty is in the wood. The general outline is oriental in nature, negative shape resembles a pair of parrots, and the seat is padded.
• Chairs were usually slender and braces with H stretcher, which was later eliminated. The carving of the knee was scallop or shell, or acanthus leaf. The most popular foot is the claw and ball, which originates in China, and is known as a dragon's paw holding a pearl.
• The wing chair, or drought chair, was unchanged for 250 years. The card top table could be folded in half. The surface was plain or embroidered cloth. Each corner had a round depression for candlesticks, and the center of each side is an oval depression for money.

Chippendale, Adam, Hepplewhite, and Sheraton

• These four furniture designers revolutionized the furniture industry in the realms of design, publications, and business practices.
• Thomas Chippendale
• He was the first man, not a reigning monarch, to give his name to a furniture style. He published several books of furniture designs "The Gentlemen and Cabinet Maker's Director" in 1754. He is one of the best known names in furniture design. His signed furniture is very rare. He is known for variety and depth style. He was very prosperous.
• The Chippendale style refers to furniture of several design persuasions made between 1740-1770. Rococo was the prevalent style but was influenced by Orient and Medieval design.
• The Chippendale chair has some attributes that are similar to Queen Anne. Its splat is pierce and often carved in a fanciful design. The most elaborate is the ribband-back, which looks like ribbon bows with flying ends. The splat might look like Chinese frets, Gothic tracery or other designs. It may have a ball and claw or a scroll foot. The cabriole legs were heavier with more pronounced curve and were more elaborately carved with shells, acanthus leaves or volutes. The legs are pierced and carved with bamboo clusters, open fretwork, or tracery. Stretchers were often added to straight legged chairs. The seats were often padded with the seat frames or rails covered with fabric. It often had ears and a high center and had a traditional yoke shape similar to the pagoda roof on the Chinese chairs. The ladder on the back of the chairs were also popular.
• Chippendale furniture was a mixture of styles evident in secretary, bookcase, and breakfronts. They were classical in general form with Chinese or Gothic detail. There are often serpentine fronts and large pieces had broken pediments. The furniture was gilded in the salon, and made of mahogany wood for pieces in the hall, dining room, and library, and lacquered in the bedroom. Fabrics used were tapestry (French was the best), needlework, Spanish leather, Damask, and brocade.

Past Examples:

Current Examples:

Extra Credit:

This is a video on how to make a Queen Anne set of chairs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkHSAEUIGxk

Here is a documentary of the Chippendale style:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RIJfRF8Q4s

Peer Review:

Early English Renaissance

This period lasted from 1550-1660. The Design periods of this time were named after the rulers. This was the age of oak. The periods were Tudor, named after Henry VII, Edward VI, and Mary, Elizabethan was named after Elizabeth I, Jacobean was named after James I and Charles I, and Cromweillian. The Middle Renaissance lasted from 1660-1750. This period was influenced by William and Mary and was the age of walnut. This called the Restoration, Stuart, or Carolina Period, and was influenced by Charles II and James II. The Early Georgian period was named after George I and a portion of George II's reign. This was also called the early Chippendale period. The Late Renaissance period lasted from 1750-1830. The periods of this time were Middle Georgian, named after George II and George III, and was the age of mahogany. Another was Late Georgian, which was during the end of George III's reign. Styles included Adam, Chippendale, Hepplewhite, and Sheraton, and was the age of satinwood. A few other periods were the Regency, influenced by the French empire, and the Neoclassical period.
English architecture was the last to fall to the Renaissance. The first indication of change in style was in ornamentation and then form followed. The English Renaissance was so late because they are isolated form the continent. This also allowed for forms to developed on their own. The climate and materials influenced English architecture as well.
The climate directly impacted architectural design. Gothic cathedrals sheltered the nave and side aisles. French doors opened directly into the church, and the windows were larger in England which allowed for more light and warmth.
The materials also impacted design. Stones of Cornwall and Devonshire are very hard, which meant that sculptured ornament was nearly impossible. The large oak forests in England contributed to the timbered roofs. Their proximity to the sea contributed to the country's woodworking skills, which was greatly seen through boat building.
The Tudor style started from conflict between Henry VIII and the Pope in Rome. The King became the head of church in England. From this laws were set in place to suppress the number of monasteries and confiscation of land. There was an increase in the number of houses and land was given to wealthy merchants and traders. The Tudor style is associated with the timber frame construction. The Tudor period officially marks the start of the Renaissance. Within the Renaissance there was a focus on churches, official buildings, and furnishing programs. A staple in design was the visible signs of luxury and comfort included in the fireplace. This style had a Gothic spirit. It was full of box-like chairs, chests, beds, and trestle tables. A trestle table is thick wood top on four turned and carved legs with heavy stretchers. However, furniture was sparse in this period.
The Elizabethan period's time span stretched through Elizabeth I and James I reign, from 1558-1625. This was a period of great wealth. Many manors and country houses were built. Indigo Jones, and famous builder, was popular at this time, and this was the time of Shakespearean plays. Indigo jones introduced Renaissance architecture to England. His work relies on Italian Renaissance architect Palladio. Building plans were always in the shapes of E, C, or H. There were gateways, long drives, and formal gardens and parks. There was a shift to Renaissance at Hardwick Hall, and there was a shift to more glass than wall. Plans included a great hall, grand staircase, and long galleries with smaller rooms like bedrooms, chapels, and kitchens. The great hall was was 2 stories high, had oak paneling to 8-10' high, an the walls above were clad with armor, portraits, and trophies. The long gallery has a 10' high fireplace, ornamental plaster on the ceilings, it is paneled or covered with tapestries, and is light inside. Smaller houses were also built outside the walls of the castles. The simplest had one room, and rooms were added with wealth. Oak wood was popular until walnut arose at the end of the 17th century. The cupboard developed, which is a series of enclosed shelves with doors on the front. Large and draped 4-poster beds were popular but they didn't have footboards. Beds were large and luxurious. It was the main piece of furniture in the home and was used for entertaining. The Great Bed of Ware was tudor rose and had arcaded panels.
The Jacobean Style was during King James I's reign and was a continuation of the Elizabethan style. Interiors included plaster ceilings and paneling, but now it was painted white. Jacobean furniture had lighter details, was heavily carved, melon-bulbs were slimmed down, there were spiral turns, and upholstery.
Indigo Jones introduced Palladian style to England. Jones was responsible for the acceptance of Italian Renaissance architecture in England. The Palladian Renaissance can be seen at the Banqueting House in London and has classical proportions.
Interiors of this time were masculine and were paneled in natural oak. White ceilings were covered in elaborate plaster molding. The fireplace was a focal point. There was garland of fruit, collage, etc. which can be attributed to the master carver, Grinling Gibbons. There were also oriental rugs and embroidered silk.

Past Examples:

Currenct Examples:




Extra Credit:
This is a brief documentary on the English Renaissance:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_z-CoEEcTxA
This is a short video touring a traditional Tudor home:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGmMgpYY8kk
Peer Review:
Becca: Becca did a  really nice job of covering the main jist of the Early English Renaissance and did a nice job incorporating her images.
Emma: Emma did a great job simplifying the material and I really like her current application images.

French Period 2: Baroque Style

When Louis XIII died in 1643, Louis XIV, who was 5 at the time, was proclaimed King. Louis XIV created a national style of art and also established a school for 60 children under the King's protection that became "Masters" of their craft.

Vaux-le-Vicomte

• Home of Nicholas Fouquet, Superintendent of Finances 1655-61
• in prison for life
• 105 lavish rooms
• 170 acres of gardens
• persian carpets
• crystal chandeliers
• gold clocks
• silver vases
• entertained 6,000 guests
• Architect: Louis Le vau
• garden designer: Andre Le Notre
• painter for the interiors, decorator, and architect: Charles LeBrun
• sculptor: Puget

Palais de Versailles

• original hunting lodge of Louis XIII
• started in 1668- continued for almost a century
• 12 miles southwest of Paris
• housed 10,000 people
• Le Vau designed the central block around the original Louis XIII building
• "A toutes les Glories de la France"
• architect: Louis Le Vau
• painter for the interiors: Charles LeBrun
• sculptor: Puget
• decorative engravings: Jean Berain
• housed 1667 gobelins workshops
• 800 craftsmen
• all decorative furniture for royal residences
• hall of mirrors
• classical architecture and decoration
• classic orders
• rectangular shapes
• regal dimensions 15' ceilings, 11' doors (normal width)
• symmetrical design
• real doors matched with fake doors
• balanced windows with mirrors
• public rooms
• large and dignified
• Galerie des Glaces (hall of mirrors)
• 240' long, 34' wide, 43' high
• barrel vault- Le Brun largest allegorical painting in the world
• windows match mirrors
• enlarge rooms and multiply light
• furniture, chandelier, sconces, planters all solid silver (destroyed 1689)
• interiors
• royal monogram "L" always doubled
• color emphasized architecture
• colored marble pilaster shafts
• paneling usually white, off-white or gray with moldings- carved ornament gilded
• brighter colors in paintings, tapestries, rugs
• furniture against walls
• garden facade
• advancing and receding planes
• floor levels visible on the exterior
• ground level- large round arched windows
• piano nobile- pilasters and columns
• attic (low wall or story extending beyond a cornice or entablature)
• tied to the architecture by Le Notre
• attempt to recreate ancient Roman villas
• reflecting pools project images of the buildings

Furniture

• master of marquetry- Andre Charles Boulle
• chief cabinetmaker
• worked at Versailles where the mirrored walls, the floors of mosaic, the inlaid paneling and the marquetry furniture in the Cabinet du Dauphin (1682-86) were regarded as his most remarkable work
• materials for marquetry were: tortoise shell, metal (brass or silver), ebony
• process
• thin sheet of brass and tortoiseshell-cartoon glued
• design cut with saws
• two sheets separated
• preferred is tortoiseshell ground/brass design
• de premiere partie
• brass ground and tortoiseshell design
• de contra-partie
• brass engraved
• shell colored red or green
• affected by heat and steam
• Andre Charles Boulle
• commode
• cabinet of ebony, metal and tortoise shell
• master of ornamentation
• Louis XIV Chairs
• high backs
• sense of greatness
• wide seat for wide dresses
• bergere-introduced
• enclosed-upholstered french arm chair with an upholstered back and armrests on upholstered frames
• materials from china and japan
• porcelain figures
• vases
• lacquer work
• silk
• screens

Palais de Versailles Grande Trianon

• get away for the king
• located on the Versailles complex
• Peristyle link the two wings

Palais de Versailles Petite Trianon

• dedicated to Marie Antoinette
• symmetry, classical ordering, monumental scale, and center focus

Past Examples:

Current Examples:

Extra Credit:

This is a tour of the Palace of Versailles

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=852eroBwDrA

This is a documentary on the Palace of Versailles

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3a72XmInag

Peer Review:

Angie: You did a nice job covering the whole powerpoint and I like how you labeled your images so we knew what they were of. 

Amanda: You did a very nice job of concisely covering all of the information about the Baroque style. I also enjoyed your current application images.

French Period 1

In other countries interior design was determined by religious and political history of the eras and led by their leaders. The ruler's influence was most pervasive in Renaissance France. Royal "taste" determined design styles and France was central to the Romanesque and Gothic style. The Gothic period gave birth to more masterpieces than any other country. France suffered through difficult times throughout the Gothic and Renaissance periods. The Black death struck France in the middle of the 14th century, and the Hundred Years War was the same time period. This almost lead to the destruction of France's feudal nobility throughout the years 1337-1453 AD.
The French periods consist of 10 different subdivisions. These include:

• Early Renaissance from 1484-1547
• Charles VIII, Louis XII, Francios I
• Transitional- Gothic to Renaissance
• Middle Renaissance from 1547-1589
• Henry II, Francois II, Charles IX, Henry III
• Gradual elimination of Gothic forms
• Catherine de Medici dominates
• Late Renaissance from 1589-1643
• Henry IV, Louis XIII
• Italian Renaissance influence
• Edict of Nantes, 1589 - A landmark in the history of toleration and freedom. It provided that the Protestants might have liberty of conscience anywhere in France.
• Baroque Style from 1643-1700
• Louis XIV
• Golden Ages
• Edict fo Nantes revoked in 1685
• Regency Style from 1700-1730
• Beginning of economy
• Transitional
• Rococo Style from 1730-1760
• Louis XV
• Eliminates classical order
• Smaller curves
• Oriental influence
• Neoclassical Style from 1760-1789
• Louis XVI
• Revival of classical architectural orders
• Straight lines
• Adam influence
• Revolution and Directoire from 1789-1804
• Transistion
• Military motifs
• Smaller curves
• Oriental influence
• Empire from 1804-1820
• Napoleon
• Egyptian motifs
• Grecian and Roman decorations
• Restoration Styles from 1830-1879
• Louis XVIII, Charles X, Louis-Philippe
• Napoleon III
• Revivals of late 18th century
• Decline of good taste

Designing a luxurious room that was consistent and harmonious was a complex job. Supervising and implementing the task required a new type of professional. The ornamaniste or decorator was born. This position required a person that could not only conceive an interior design, but through the process of "engraving" explain the design to a client. The decorator supervise the artisans to produce the highest quality design.

Francois I was a famous patron of the arts. He had a transitional style consisting of gothic forms with Italian renaissance ornament. Some famous works include the Loire Valley, Chateau de Chambered, Chateau de Fontainebleau, Chateau de Blois, and the renovation of the Lourve to Renaissance style. 

Because there was no need for new religious structures, palaces and chateaux were built. For example, the Loire Valley is a park-like setting. Exteriors became important, and sprawling plans of chateaux were popular.

The weather required steep roofs, many chimneys, and many large windows. Roofs often had 2 slopes with dormer windows. During this time, the Mansard roof was designed by Francois Mansart, a French Baroque architect. However, it was typical that the interior did not reflect the exterior style.

Francois I began construction of the Chateau Chambord. This is a royal hunting lodge in the Loire Valley. It has 444 rooms, 84 staircases, 365 chimneys; the estate is 14,300 acres of forest, lakes and grassland enclosed by a 22 mile-long wall. It is the considered the largest and most majestic of the Chateaus. It was the meeting place of Francois I and Leonardo da Vinci. It is home to the famous double stair case attributed to Leonardo da Vinci. I was built by Francois I at the same time as his wing at Chateau de Blois. It is a medieval structure decorated in Renaissance style with our towers. It is partly designed by Leonardo da Vinci with magnificent chimneys, dormer windows, a double staircase that start at opposite sides and never meet. It also uses the fleur-de-lis as a design motif.

The Chateau de Fontainebleau has large structures, formal gardens, lakes, fountains, and elaborate interiors. This is a small hunting lodge transformed into one of the greatest palaces in Europe. It is 55 kilometers from Paris. Galerie Francois I set a fashion in decoration that was mated throughout Europe. It is designed by Italian artists, architects, and designers. It is full of paintings, sculptures, and high relief stucco ornament. There are carved wall panelings and coffered ceiling in geometric patterns. The Chateau de Fontainebleau was extensively remodeled by Francois I and pilasters decorate flat walls. The Francois I characteristics include:

• Medieval in form - square rugged designs
• lots of carved surfaces - continuation of late Gothic - massive in form
• decorative use of elongated nude and partially nude figures
• salamander - King's personal symbol
• "F" in monogram form

Henry II was the son of Francois I. He was married to Catherine de Medici. Catherine was inspired by Francois I. Henry II continued work on the Lourve. He established workshops and apartments for artisans in the Lourve that worked under royal patronage. These included painters, sculptors, goldsmiths, and cabinetmakers.

Chateau de Blois was inspired by Italian prototypes, had depressed arches, low-relief ornamentation, and asymmetrical organization of openings. The Henry IV bedroom had the initial "H" in the flooring. The exterior holds classical pilasters and entablatures. The Chateau's most renowned feature is the spiral in the Francois I wing. Kings Henry III and Henry IV lived here.

Past Examples:

Current Examples:

Extra Credit:

This is a tour of the Chateau de Fontainebleau:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7c3UtqBh-s

This a tour of the Chateau de Blois

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_YNlEKU8Rg

Peer Review:

Angie: I really like your images you provided, they add a lot to your blog post. I also think you did a good job of touching on the most important factors of the first French Period.
Claire: I like that you touched on the fact that this period was inspired by the royals "taste" because I feel that is one of the most important factors of this period.

The Spanish Renaissance

The Spanish Renaissance was during the 16th century and combined Christian with Moorish art. When they Moors finally left Spain in 1607 the production of handicrafts and commerce in southern Spain decreased. Design during this period was influenced by the Early Christians, Medieval, Moorish, and Italian Renaissance (which also influenced the French Renaissance as well). The Moors came from Africa and this group of people had some of the world's greatest geometricians. They incorporated colorful and fancy pieces into their design, they were expert wood workers, and incredible ornamentalists. The Mudejars were a group of Moors that converted to Christianity and became a part of the Spanish Christians.
La Alhambra:

• located in Granada, Spain
• built in 1354 
• last Spanish palace completes before expulsion of Moors
• plain exterior
• numerous courtyards, gardens, fountains, and reflecting pools

La Mota Castle:

• located in Medina de Campo
• built in 15th century by noble christian families
• concrete structure faces with brick

Granada Cathedral:

• 5 aisle building w/ Gothic vaulting and columns

Cathedral de Seville: 

• located in Andalusia, Spain
• largest cathedral of 15th century (larger than the Haggia Sophia)
• demonstrated wealth of city
• held 500+ daily masses

Plateresco phase:

• gothic/renaissance in construction
• delicate ornaments that resemble work of silversmith
• used on exteriors, patios, cures, public buildings, furniture, accessories

Desornamentado phase:

• unornamented designs
• characterized by austerity
• exhibited carefully defined proportions
• applied to courts, ecclesiastical and public buildings

Escorial:

• started by Phillip II in 1562 and completed by Juan de Herrara
• imitation of Temple of Solomon 
• included palace and religious house
• royal place for monarchy
• known for simplicity, sobriety, and plainness

Herrera Architecture:

• named after architect Juan de Herrera
• influenced by Italian renaissance architects like Palladio
• classic forms, plain surfaces, and sparse decorations
• horizontal unified compositions
• nude use of granite

Baroque style of churrugeresco:

• replaced desornamentado with something more passionate
• promoted by a family of craftsmen named Churriguera
• composed of sculptures, wood carvers, and architects
• surface decoration was applied to exterior doorways, interior decorations, and churches
• motifs were natural objects
• classical orders were used in unconvetional ways

Residential design

• influenced by Moorish design
• many modest rural houses were built
• decorations in patios, galleries, doorways, and windows were elaborate and contrasted plain walls
• most artistic features were iron grilles on windows and openings
• colored tiles and painted/carved ceilings

Furniture:

• characteristics: simplicity, boldness, heavy proportions, rectangular shapes, repetitive panels that create a pattern, walnut wood, silver used for ornamentation
• most was pushed against walls
• limited number of pieces
• chairs, stools, benches, tables, chests, beds, cupboards, vagueness

Past Examples:

Current Examples:

Extra Credit:

This is a tour of La Alhambra:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEseJViidy8

This is a tour of Cathedral Seville:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Il-WgOQj-RY

Peer Review:

Angie: You did a really nice job covering the period in a concise and easy to read way. I also like the diversity in your images.

Becca: I really enjoyed your blog and loved all of the images you provided. While words do a great job describing a style and space, a picture really is worth a million words.

Italian Renaissance

Renaissance, meaning "rebirth" began in Florence, Italy. It happened after people returned from the Crusades. This was a revolution not an evolution. During this time, classical forms were refined and adapted for new uses. Local quarries offered an endless supply of beautiful marble. The interiors were furnished with Gothic and Romanesque styles. The renaissance took place in Florence, Rome, Venice, and other cities. The renaissance was a shift from a religious to a secular emphasis on humanity. The Roman-Catholic church had become very powerful and corruption and misconduct frequently occurred. Martin Luther is credited with the reform inside the church. During this time life and the arts of ancient Rome were popular. For example, arts, literature, architecture, and theatre were popular and this time is coined with the invention of the printing press.
During this time there was a movement towards humanism, as seen through the writings of Dante.

• Lorenzo de'Medici: Was a member of a prominent family. He was a business man, a banker, and a patron of the arts.
• Everyone in Italy was interested in the arts, regardless of whether they were rich or poor.
• Residential design becomes popular during this time.
• Comfort, convenience, and beauty became important, as opposed to safety, strength, and protection.

When looking at client relationships it is important to understand that the architects, painters, furniture designers, and sculptors were hired on a long-term basis. They also copied designs from excavations and emphasized the horizontal and symmetry.
The ancient Roman style and details were added to building that were medieval in concept. There was an early emphasis on the interior architecture, not the furniture. The "Renaissance man" was well rounded in education. The Italian Renaissance palace, called a palazzo, was one of the finest achievements of the Italian Renaissance and was a product of the power and influence of prominent families, like the Medici family.

•  The Florence Cathedral:
• Brunelleschi: architect, sculptor, and mechanical engineer
• Started the addition of Florence Cathedral (1420-1436)
• First acknowledged Renaissance architect
• This was the main church in Florence
• Brunelleschi was inspired by the Pantheon
• Palazzo:
• Renaissance palazzo facade: the term refers to the general shape, proportion, and a cluster of characteristics, rather than a specific design
• Emphasis on: symmetry, compound repeated window, and heavy project cornice 
• Palazzo Interior:
• Central courtyard like Roman domus
• No hallways
• Residence on the 2nd and 3rd floors
• Walls pierces with niches
• Living space over a store (similar to the Roman "insula") 
• Palazzo Ground Floor Plan:
• Business shop
• Repair shop
• Summer apartments, kitchen, bathrooms, storage
• Grand staircase to the piano nobile (main living area on the second floor)
• Palazzo Davanzati:
• Located in Florence, Italy
• Transition from Gothic to Early Renaissance 
• Interiors contained:
• Frescos
• Tapiestries
• Fireplaces
• All centered around an interior courtyard
• Palazzo Farnese:
• Located in Rome, Italy
• Originally for Cardinal Farnese
• Completed by Michaelangelo
• Rectangular block - massive
• Interior Courtyard
• Currently home to the French Embassy 
• Exterior
• Ground floor - tabernacle windows
• 2nd story alternating arched and triangular pediments
• 3rd story all arched with triangular pediments
• large cornice
• Palazzo Medici - Riccardi:
• located in Florence, Italy
• Michelozzo di Bartolommeo: architect of Medici family hiome
• floor plans included three guiding principles:
• symmetry: including a central entrance with a vestibule leading to the courtyard, identical array of rooms on each side
• public rooms immediately accessible from main entrance - private rooms deeper into the house
• dividing the Palazzo into smaller apartments - continuous rooms belonging to a single person 
• Villa Rotonda by Andrea Palladio:
• most influential architect in all of the Renaissance
• wrote: "The Four Books on Architecture"
• inspired by Indigo Jones of England and Thomas Jefferson of America
• designed this as "perfect" 
• "The place is nicely situated and one of the loveliest and most charming that one could hope to find. The loveliest hills are arranged around it, which afford a view into an immense theatre... because one takes pleasure in the beautiful view on all four sides, loggias were built on all four facades." - A. Palladio\
• each side has a classical temple front facing including: stairs, 6 columns, entablature, and pediment 
• roman portico
• rooms arranged symmetrically around the dome
• Palazzo Ducale:
• located in Gubbio, Italy
• intarsia: creating decorative patterns with thin pieces of wood or veneer (trompe l'oeil) 
• Architectural Influence
• Andrea Palladio recommended architectural proportions based on the models from the classical world
• Fillipo Burnelleschi clarified the laws or linear perspective. He invented the one-point perspective.
• Leon Battista Alberti was an architect and architectural theorist. He wrote the Ten Books of Architecture, which were based on the ancient roman Virtruvius' urban planning. 
• Michaelangelo was an Italian sculptor, painter, architect, poet, and engineer from 1475-1564. The David was the one of the most renowned works of the Renaissance. He also created the Sistine Chapel ceiling.
• Leonardo Da Vinci was an Italian Renaissance painter, sculptor, architect, musician, scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, geologist, cartographer, botanist, and writer whose genius, perhaps more than that of any other figure epitomized the Renaissance humanist ideal. He was the most diversely gifted person of all time.
• Furniture and Interiors:
• contrasting light and shadow by 3D moldings
• paneling of furniture and surfaces
• fresco to paint perspectives giving an expansion of space
• elaborate turnings for structural support and ornamentation 
• Interiors:
• decorative moldings
• doors and door frames
• elaborate coffered ceilings 
• painted wall and ceiling decorations
• elaborate fireplace mantels
• pilasters were flat decorated columns
• floors were brick, terra-cotta tile, or marble in geometric patterns 
• Furniture:
• furniture was portable and sparse
• had inlays of ivory, lapis, marble, onyx, and other stones
• gilding on furniture
• walnut for finest furniture 
• Chairs:
• Sedia: straight box-like armchair
• straight rectangular legs attached to floor stretchers
• turned baluster or vase-like forms support the front of the arms
• back and seat upholstered in velvet, tapestry, or ornamented leather
• used nailhead and fringe
• Sgabello (stool with a back)
• small octagonal or rectangular seat supported by 3 legs
• dining and all-purpose chair style
• X-chair or Dante Chair:
• X in the front and back separated by floor stretchers and arms
• if folded the back and seat are made of leather
• loose fringed and tasseled cushion
• Savonarola chair:
• several x's
• usually lighter and more delicate in appearance
• The Chest (cassone):
• inlaid panels
• classical orders and moldings
• pedestal, column, entablature
• pairs
• trousseau of a bride
• coat of arms of the bride and groom
• Cassapanca:
• arms
• back
• lid covered with a soft cushion
• appears to be integral with he wall
• first start of the sofa
• Beds:
• textiles were significant
• one massive and box-like with paneled head and footboards
• Tables:
• Trestle Table (most common):
• large rectangle supported on two heavy and elaborately carved pedestals and connected by a carved stretcher
• Florentine Table:
• wood or stone tops
• edged with ornamental moldings (Roman models)
• later copied in the French empire and English Regency
• Other Renaissance:
• french military campaigns in Italy
• Italian Renaissance influenced Spanish and French
• craftsmen from Italy were in great demand

Past Examples:

Current Examples:

Extra Credit:

This is a video on the Villa Rotonda:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvq1cYDqd0U

This is a documentary on Michelangelo:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUvjCYEbdjs

Peer Review:

Angie: You did a great job summarizing the material in a clear and concise way. I also really like your current applications of this period.

Holli: I really appreciate that you put the material into your own words. It is helpful to hear it in a different way when trying to understand and study this material.

India

Architecture/Construction Techniques:

• Stupa- mound of dirt that housed sacred relics
• Acknowledged important people in the Buddhist religion
• Limitations of the stupa- no space for visitors

Great Stupa of Sanchi

Interiors - courtyards

Furniture:

• There is a lack of furniture
• People sat, ate, and slept on the floor

Current Applications:

Extra Credit:

This is a video on the Great Stupa of Sanchi

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRTbouo3ETs

This is a video giving some tips for designing an Indian interior:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=if5--Lci9a4

Peer Review:

Haley: I like that you included both India and China together in one post. It helps to compare and contrast the two cultures.

Holli: You did a good job of including important information while also engaging the reader. I like that you compared Indian and Chinese culture throughout your blog.