Cinquecento Art and Architecture: Renaissance to Mannerism
Cinquecento Art and Architecture
The Rise of Rome
Since 1500, the artistic significance of Rome grew, almost entirely unseating Florence. Popes now exercised patronage of the arts. Pope Julius II called upon Bramante to design the new St. Peter’s Basilica. Bramante had previously worked in the decorative style of the Quattrocento, but in Rome, he was captivated by the majesty of Roman ruins. He decided on an art in which the architectural structure was the only dominant element, as seen in the circular temple of San Pietro in Montorio. The austere simplicity and elegance acquired a truly Roman robustness, a characteristic that defines the plastic work of the Cinquecento.
Bramante and St. Peter’s Basilica
Bramante conceived St. Peter’s with Roman grandeur, designing two perpendicular aisles with equal arms and a large dome at the center. The project seemed designed solely to support this grand dome. Upon Bramante’s death, Raphael took charge of the works, largely following Bramante’s plans. Later, Pope Paul III entrusted the works to Michelangelo, who amended the project, removing a series of towers and turrets and placing the dome on a drum. This design became the model for Western domes until the 19th century. Michelangelo also added a single entrance with a portico featuring lintels and a double row of free-standing columns, reminiscent of Brunelleschi’s Pazzi Chapel.
General Characteristics of Cinquecento Architecture
- Predominance of power plants with Christian symbolism.
- Monumentality: man ceases to be the measure of buildings.
- Two stages with different characteristics:
Bramante
- Characteristics of his style:
- Importance of decoration in the Milan stage.
- Architectural simplicity.
- Order, measure, proportion, and mass.
- Contrast between empty and full, and play of light and shadows.
- Works: San Pietro in Montorio, St. Peter’s Basilica.
Michelangelo
- Characteristics of his style:
- Greater concern for volumes than spaces.
- Regular planning (Capitol Square).
- Hints of the Baroque: giant order, illusions, delusions, imbalances, etc.
- Works: New design of St. Peter’s Basilica, the Laurentian Library, and the Piazza del Campidoglio.
Other Notable Architects
- Antonio da Sangallo (Palazzo Farnese).
- Vignola (Il Gesù).
- Palladio (La Rotonda).
Cinquecento Sculpture
The delicacies and love of detail often found in Quattrocento sculpture gave way to a monumental and simplistic grandeur. Flat and subtle relief almost disappeared, replaced by rounder forms larger than life. Tuscany’s most impressive representative of this style was Michelangelo.
Michelangelo: A Master of Sculpture
Michelangelo’s work is varied and complex, spanning poetry, architecture, painting, and especially sculpture. Throughout his life, he pursued the ideal of beauty, almost always using white, compact marble. His figures are archetypes of humanity, often grand in scale.
Early Works
Michelangelo created his first works under the protection of the Medici. This early period is still classical, as evidenced by The Battle of the Centaurs. He then moved to Rome, where he sculpted his first Pieta for St. Peter’s Basilica. However, the most significant work of this time is his David.
The Tomb of Julius II
The work that most interested Michelangelo was the mausoleum commissioned by Pope Julius II during his lifetime. He was unable to finish it, completing only the Moses and other figures, including The Slaves.
Later Works and the Pieta
In the last years of his life, Michelangelo’s spirituality led to intense religious expressions, and he was drawn to the theme of the Pieta. These later works are dramatic, as seen in his final piece, La Pieta Rondanini.
The Transition to Mannerism
Michelangelo broke the balance between beautiful form and expressive movement, favoring motion, which would become a constant in the Baroque. This shift marked the beginning of Mannerism.
Characteristics of Mannerism in Michelangelo’s Work
- Use of marble.
- Maverick search for beauty.
- Physical and spiritual grandeur (terribilita).
- A delicate balance between form and expressive movement.
- Manifestation of the finest feelings to the most dramatic attitudes.
- From the final form to the unfinished form, which disturbs the balance between body and spirit and foreshadows Mannerism.