Italian Renaissance and Baroque

Italian Renaissance

The Renaissance simply refers to the period when architects and artists looked toward ancient Greece and Rome for inspiration. However, it the overall focus was on how God and interest in humanity were joined, creating attention on both individual and secular institutions. Through sculptures and paintings attention turned to the reality of human form. In architecture, the creation and adaptation of the one-point perspective became dominant. Politically, leaders established the foundation of modern civil and civic societies through the idea of perfecting man, leading to innovative takes in their use of classic forms. The interiors were viewed from the eyes of antiquity with the designs of cabinetmakers, Michelangelo and Raphael.

Interiors

When it came to interior walls, floors, and ceilings the Renaissance period saw the division of a wall into horizontal bands and fields. This concept started where the wall and floor met and a wood-work base made the move from horizontal to vertical. Above this base was a dado-line that encircled the room and supported the main field, visually, through its extension up the wall and ceiling. While most floors were made of wood, fancier rooms established brick or tiled floors and other houses used, uncommonly, Turkish carpet tiles. When it came to the ceiling, however, it was considered a piece of architecture in its own right. In most types of construction, the ceiling joists that ran in one direction were visually dominant and included parallel timbers spanning the length of the room and supporting the floor above.

Furniture

During the Renaissance, furniture was created in one of two categories: those that are clearly derivative of the Renaissance and those considered to be a continuation of medieval forms. The first group typically consisted of large cabinet and beds, whereas the second group was usually tables, chairs, and stools. Renaissance pieces were usually of high contrast in both color and surface articulation. They were traditionally simplistic with the use of elaborate objects in a straight-forward and articulate space. Some historians regard Renaissance furniture as resolutely architectural, but with a clear architectonic profile whose detailing relies on classical architectural designs. Many of these pieces were chests whose function were both storge and easy transportation. The Italian cassone, for example, displays how furniture was not just functional, but also familial, social, and part of a ritual. A women’s cassone was carried through the streets when she married, as a sign of the transference of wealth and prosperity. Cassone were reserved for wealthier families, however, due to the fact they were made in pairs. These pieces of furniture consisted of painted or carved panels that were traditionally related to courtship or marriage.

Baroque

This time period is known for its convergence of patronage and prodigious artistic talent. This type of architecture is usually observed as one style reacting to another style due to their elaborate detailing, inclusion of classical forms, and visual depth. Looking at two architects who were infamous for their Baroque architecture, Borromini and Bernini take these characteristics, usually seen in Renaissance architecture, and create grandeur pieces of art.

Borromini

Francesco Borromini’s construction of the San Carle alle Quattro Fontane church
stands at the intersection of two streets as a sign of Baroque architecture. With its Italian Renaissance façade, broken pediment, and elaborate detail, the San Carle alle Quattro Fontane departs from Renaissance elevations and expresses movement. Trained as a stone carver, Borromini constructed San Carle with a complex geometry and plasticity. Although the church is small, its plan includes no rectilinear features and relies on oval and elliptical shapes.

Bernini

Gian Lorenzo Bernini was a sculptor, as well, before he became an architect. Some of his most famous works include his sculpture of Apollo and Daphne and his design for the Piazza San Pietro. St. Peter’s derives its perimeter lines from complex geometries and overlapping forms in combination with the classical detailing of the Renaissance church. The composition has three parts and features Baroque artworks, paintings, and sculptures. Bernini was tasked with creating the public space in front of Michelangelo’s basilica.

One Step Further

We can see the use of Renaissance architecture in buildings and interiors today. For example, the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C. takes neoclassical elements, like large and heavy columns, to replicate the Renaissance style. The dome resembles that of St. Peter’s Basilica with its representation of democracy and civic virtue. This type of elaborate design and detail can be seen in both Renaissance and Baroque architecture.