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Renaissance Architecture? Gothic, Renaissance and Roman?
I am really confused about Renaissance Architecture. We are learning about the Renaissance but I don't understand the Architecture. Are Gothic, Renaissance and Roman Architecture anything to do with the Renaissance, are they types of Renaissance architecture? Can you just explain it as simply as possible please. Also if you know any other information on the Architecture I would be very grateful if you told me! Thanks in advance!
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- Gothic and Neo-Classical (which we find in the Renaissance) are two different things. Although the Renaissance originates in Italy we find it spread across Europe partly as a result of publication and of gentlemen undertaking the Grand tour. The north european cathedrals are all gothic of one sort or another - occaisionally you have the term Romanesque - ie Durham Cathedral - but this is an allusion to Roman engineering - as imported into the country after the invasion - rather than any scholarly recreation of ancient atrchitectural styles. Think of Westminster Abbey and then think of St Paul's Cathedral (both in London - loads of pics on line) - you should see many obvious differences. Gothic is all about pointed arches, tracery, pinnacles, flying buttresses, fan vaulting and so forth and multi-stemmed pillars. (Structural logic is very much part of the style). Neo classical is all about round arches, domes often, and almost always the use of columns conforming to the five classical orders (Doric Ionic Tuscan Corinthiian or Composite) with strict rules on proportions and design of details, use of pediments and so forth. The Renaissance is all about neo-classicism - broadly a revival of interest in Greek and Roman original designs such as the Parthenon, the Pantheon, the buildings of the Capitoline Hill and the Colosseum - which were being 'rediscovered' at the time - along with the writings of a 1st centrury AD Roman engineer called Vitruvius. The chap who led the way in the Renaissance is Andrea Palladio and his version of neo-classicism was spread throughout Europe by the four books he published and the many buildings in Vicenza and Venice that he designed and built. (Google Villa Rotunda). Other buildings appeared in Florence - eg San Lorenzo and the Laurentian library by Michelangelo. Most designs are pagan temples adapted for (then) modern building types and much of it is pure invention. The style was very popular and evolved as it spread - Mannerism being one strand, and the Baroque being another (St Paul's Cathedral is English Baroque) - also Rococco design - all essentially similar but distinguished by different emphasis on decoration and theatrical effects - but all distinctly separate from Gothic. (It is confusing - there are gothic buildings in Venice including Doges palace and San Marco but these pre-date the Renaissance). During the Renaissance period - England was rather estranged from Europe so buildings of the period (the so-called Prodigy Houses) are essentially gothic but some bits of classicism began to appear sporadically. It would be Inigo Jones in the 17th century who brough the style to Britain with the building of the Banqueting House in Whitehall.
