Art

Architecture has always been thought of as a great and noble in art history.  Cicero regarded it as one of the liberal arts, that is to say one in which a free man might engage without loss of status (Honour  Fleming, p.88).  Architecture is one of the most notable forms of art because the architect has to strike a balance between beauty and functionality. In this paper, the reader will be given a brief history of the architectural developments from the 13th to the 18th century.  These movements are the Gothic, Renaissance, Mannerism, Baroque, and Rococo movements.  Architecture, like most arts, is affected by the economic, political, and social climate that is pervasive in the place.   Modernism, therefore, is far from a precise term in architectural history because architecture constantly evolves with the architect, who is also affected by societal changes.

The development of Gothic Architecture started in the 12th century and lasted until the late 13th century.  Abbot Suger of Saint-Denis was an important figure of Gothic architecture because he integrated a concept of spiritual ascension toward the understanding of God through the physical medium of the contemplation of the light (Bony, 1983, p. 117). The French King Louis IV heavily relied on the Catholic Church for sufficient unity among his countrymen.  The job fell on Abbot Suger to strengthen the monarchy and the French citizens belief in Saint-Denis as their patron saint (Scott, 2003, p.80).  The Abbey of Saint-Denis was completed in 1144.  It is believed to be the first structure built in Gothic style.

Gothic cathedrals are profusely ornamented with symbols that project the greater glory of God.  Saint-Denis was a light-filled space that was adorned with costly furnishings and gems it caused Suger to say that the church was a way station on the road to Paradise, which transported him from an inferior to a higher world (Kleiner, 2009, p. 341).  Large windows, which are usually stained-glass, are also a common feature in Gothic cathedrals because God is equated with super-essential light (Strickland  Handy, 2001, p. 45).  Flying buttresses, which are also a common feature in Gothic cathedrals, were first used in Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris.  Notre-Dame and other Gothic cathedrals are able to achieve their grand scale because of the buttresses (p. 46).  Gothic architecture is notable because grandiosity is radiated in many of its aspects.  The flamboyant facade, the cruciform plan with the long nave, the emphasis of height, and the pointed arches of Gothic cathedrals are simply overwhelming.  All of these elements contribute to the aura of Gods magnificence (p.44).

Gothic architecture radiates a feeling of gracefulness and lightness, in contrast to its predecessor, Romanesque architecture.  Romanesque churches were built in an austere, bold, no-nonsense style and are often characterized by gloominess and mystery (Watkin, 2005, p. 109).

If the birth place of Gothic architecture was Medieval France, Renaissance architecture was born in Italy. It was in Italy where the medieval veil first melted into the air(Burckhardt, Burke  Middlemore, p.9).   Renaissance was the start of modernity and at the same time, the revival of antiquity.  Medieval thought was very ecclesiastical and theological.  In the late 13th century, humanism was gradually formed.  According to Francisco Petrarch, this period was the birth of the sons of modern Europe (p. 9).  Religion was still a dominant force in the peoples lives but they started to focus on the multifaceted human.  Different branches of science flourished Europe experience an artistic and cultural boom.  There was also an air of nostalgia for Greek and Roman antiquity the reason Renaissance structures have traces of Ancient Greek and Roman elements.

Filippo Brunelleschi is considered the father of Renaissance architecture he became famous for building the Basilica di San Lorenzo in Florence, Italy in 1412 (Strickland  Handy, 2001, p.57). He established the Renaissance template with his Foundling Hospital in Florence (p.58).  He was also the first architect in the Renaissance era to incorporate a dome in his structures. People considered him a madman but he was able to do the job he was a pioneer in putting domes in buildings.  Brunelleschis dome is similar to the Gothic dome with respect to the outline but its enormous scale can be likened to that of ancient Romes (Strickland  Handy, 2001, p.57).  The dome is a common element in most Renaissance churches, such as the famous Saint Peters Basilica by Donato Bramante.  Like all High Renaissance structures, Saint Peters Basilica is more Roman than the ones built in the Early Renaissance.  Matters of proportion, a very important element in Renaissance architecture, were dealt with skillfully and subtly (Moffet, Fazio  Wodehouse, p.326).  Renaissance structures were based on repetition and balance from the spacing of the columns to the general structure of the building.  Details of the structure, inspired by ancient Roman architecture, were created with great precision.

It is easy to differentiate Gothic structures and Renaissance structures.  Gothic structures tend to be taller because of its vertical emphasis renaissance structures have more horizontal emphasis.  Gothic architecture was exuberant, flamboyant, and magnificent Renaissance architecture reflected balance and rationality.  Buildings had simple, clean lines, repetitive patterns, symmetrical dimensions and details created with precision.  

Many historians divide Renaissance architecture into three phases Early Renaissance, High Renaissance and Mannerism (Strickland  Handy, 2001, pp.57-63).  Early Renaissance began around 1412, the time Brunelleschi built Basilica di San Lorenzo.  High Renaissance came at around 1500.  Mannerism was a reaction against the Renaissance standards of harmony and sterile rationalism (Strickland  Handy, 2001, p.63).  Michelangelo Buonarroti, who is widely known as a sculptor, was a prominent figure in Mannerist architecture as well. The Laurentian Library, his most mannerist work, possesses distorted Renaissance ideals of balanced proportion and stability out of the window, setting the interior in disquieting motion (Strickland  Handy, 2001, p.63).  Michelangelo installed an eye-catching staircase that fans out Vasari said that Michelangelo made such bizarre breaks in the outlines of the steps, and departed so much from common use of others, everyone was amazed (p.63). Columns were constructed in a different way as they were recessed into the walls.  The vestibule is also tall as it is wide, which is unconventional for a Renaissance structure.  Michaelangelo utilized all the Renaissance concepts of architecture and distorted them.

Michelangelo also renovated Saint Peters Basilica, which was initially Bramantes masterpiece.  He thickened the exterior walls, illuminated the interiors, and unified the space by removing the secondary spaces (Paoletti  Radki, 2005, p.510).  He used pilasters around the buildings curves and corners to create rippling effects and added a diagonal wall unit to eliminate the sharp corners.

The corruption of the church brought about the Reformation and Counter-Reformation in the late-16th century.  There was too much discontentment for the Church to handle so as part of the Counter-Reformation movement, the Church used the arts to reinforce the teachings of the Catholic Church.  Baroque architecture was dynamic, dramatic, openly propagandistic, overtly emotional, and long on sensory appeal (Moffet, Fazio  Wodehouse, 2003, p.356). It was very popular among new orders of the Church, such as the Jesuits.  Baroque architecture is also a popular form of colonial architecture, as it was brought by the colonizers to their colonies to build churches and propagate the Christian faith.

The ceiling of Il Gesu, the headquarters of the Jesuits in Rome, has a fresco of the Adoration of the Name of Jesus and visions of clouds, draperies and human bodies (Moffet, Fazio  Wode House, 2003, p.358).  Preaching is also heard more clearly because of the shortened nave and suppressed transepts.  Il Gesu also emanates dynamism, with pairs of pilasters that step out from forward-projecting planes.
Baroque architecture was also utilized in secular structures, such as Versailles in France and the Piazza del Popolo. The Chapel of Versailles has an apse that is as high as the nave, which gives the central space a feeling of fluidity (Kleiner, 2009, p.578).  This is common among Baroque structures.  The royal gallery is defined by a row of Corinthian columns and the ceiling is ornamented with fresco paintings.  The magnificence of Versailles represented Absolutism.  Also a secular Baroque structure is the Piazza del Popolo.  The obelisk at the point where three radial streets converge injected drama and monumental focus (Moffet, Fazio  Wodehouse, 2003, p. 360). The stairs is also dramatic, formed with gentle curves and counter-curves.

The death of Louis XIV, the French King under whose reign Versailles was built, signaled the end of the Baroque era and paved the way for Rococo Architecture. Rococo Architecture dates from the last years of Louis XIV to the late 18th century (Bussagli, 2005, p.151).  The style began with decoration of interiors, with walls encrusted with branching ornamentation such as trailing branches, leaves, flowers, and vine tendrils, enlivened with birds, cherubs, and Chinese motifs (p.151). These ornamentations were generally made of stucco. Rococo style was also pervasive in furniture and decorative objects.  Lightness and playfulness were the dominant moods in Rococo Architecture, as opposed to the heavy drama of Baroque Architecture.  The interiors of Hotel de Soubise in Paris are decorated in Rococo style the ornamentation is meant to simply delight the eye rather than drawing noble sentiments from the people (Cunningham  Reich, 2009, p.402).

It is interesting how architecture has evolved and developed like a child. It does not evolve drastically. Rather, it gradually outgrows its old state and it takes long.  Architecture will constantly evolve it is impractical, therefore, to brand one era of architecture as modern.