he paved the way for the cultural and social revolutions of the Renaissance itself, through his complex synthesis of inspiration and analysis, his bold reworking of the classical past to the needs and aspirations of the present.
this whole project connects to and may start the Renaissance from its impact, and parallels to it with its call back to the classics and innovation
memorial plaque nearby celebrated his “divine intellect.”
religion motivated this project, and the intellect is what drive the new era
Brunelleschi was jailed on a technicality regarding unpaid union dues. But soon after, he was released, and the cupola continued skyward at the average rate of about one foot per month
the feud and anger fuels motivation and drive to complete the dome quickly and successfully out of spite
in sonnet form. The poem calls Brunelleschi a “dark, deep wellspring of ignorance” and a “miserable and imbecile beas
writing insults in the form of a SONNET. very different and strange, but wildly entertaining and dramatic. this feud ran deep, and luckily did not compromise the quality of the work, but perhaps fueled it to be even better
complete with illustrations. He claimed that Brunelleschi, through “ignorance and presumption,” had deviated from the original plans for the cupola, which was therefore “spoiled and put in danger of ruin.”
VERY petty and strange to our views, but could be much more of a serious insult at the time, though again again, could just be the dramatics for storytelling
Brunelleschi, miraculously on the mend, returned to the work site and pronounced Ghiberti’s work so incompetent that it would have to be torn out and replaced.
oh mood
Brunelleschi’s biographers tell an amusing tale about how he finally outmaneuvered Ghiberti.
again, could be just the drama, but this shows how intense the rivalry was, and how strong the consequences were from it. and how i could view it as both childish,and extremely relatable
called in scabs from Lombardy, and relented only when the masons returned, hats in hand, and agreed to resume their jobs—at reduced wages.
could be legend making things more dramatic, but there is a contrast and different side to him, but may also be seen as tough as a positive trait showing leadership and non tolerance of disrespect
took particular care of his workers, both for their safety and to ensure that the dome progressed as rapidly as possible. He ordered that their wine be cut with water to keep them sharp on the heights (this provision was revoked under pressure by dissatisfied workers) and added parapets to the suspended platforms to prevent them from falling
value of workers. does not just see them as disposable, and shows an appreciation and value for skilled laborers and craftsmen. Also shows how people worked, drinking wine while on construction sites
he’d shape a model out of wax or clay or carve up a turnip to illustrate what he wanted.
had many skills and not just architecture, but could use art to demonstrate his vision
herringbone brickwork, little known before his time, into the texture of the cupola, giving the entire structure additional solidity.
structure and technical mixed with design. i don't know if this technique was used more commonly after this, but can imagine it was used more often after such a success with its use here
including a certain Leonardo from the nearby Tuscan town of Vinci
renn. people did not just come up with new fresh ideas, but could be inspired and trail off of works that existed before as a transition.
so unlike the angular lines of the Gothic, symbolized the Florentine Republic’s freedom from tyrannous Milan, and even more so, the nascent Renaissance’s liberation from the airless constraints of the Middle Ages.
the dome is such a drastic change and can be looked at as the winds of change, bringing the city into a new historical era with its accomplishment
became the city’s drama in miniature. The dome’s progress was a reference point for life in the city—events were predicted to occur and promises were to be kept “before the Dome is covered.”
almost artisically, the dome represents the city, and even though unfinished, had an impact and can reflect on the life at the time
Ghiberti had won. (Much later, an admiring Michelangelo would refer to a second set of Ghiberti’s doors as “the Gates of Paradise.”) By this time, Ghiberti was the most illustrious and politically connected artist in Florence
part of Brunelleschi's motivation and success could have been driven by the motivation to beat Ghiberti
Rome measuring and sketching the ancient monuments and noting, in cipher, their architectural secrets
while renn art went back for a love of the classics like rome, architecture looked back for educational purposes and technicals
ingenious clocks, including what may have been one of the first alarm clocks in history
reminds me of davinci's "tinkerings", which the article later references that davinci looked at bruschenellis work
apprenticeship, he had mastered drawing and painting, wood carving, sculpture in silver and bronze, stone setting, niello, and enamel work.
use of apprentices to learn trades, and Brunelleschi learned under any different teachers
Yet he refused to explain how he’d achieve this, fearing that a competitor would steal his ideas
may seem paranoid, but with the intense rivalry with Ghiberti, it seems reasonable
a short, homely, and hot-tempered goldsmith named Filippo Brunelleschi
characteristics recorded so we could tell the dramatic story as if it were a fictional tale
, according to early legend, proposed that a mountain of dirt mixed with coins serve as scaffolding, to be cleared away free of charge by the money-grubbing citizenry after the dome was complete
while it is "according to early legend" this seems more exaggerated than the truth, and adds to the dramatic flair in storytelling, but also can have some truth in reflecting on the economic climate and divide between social classes
a lush tapestry of legend was woven around it, turning the story of the cupola into a parable of Florentine ingenuity and a central creation myth of the Italian Renaissance.
the drama of the era is a staple of the renn. also shows we feel the need to have a certain event that sparks the change of a time period, and make it more dramatic hor the history books
200 gold florins—and a shot at eternal fame—for the winner.
more of the church commissioning artists and crafters before the renn
built at all on the octagonal floor plan dictated by the existing walls
the octogon was also not center, and had no equal meeting point
Yet these were the only architectural solutions known to work in such a vast structure.
shows the era before the renn., which some view as the "dark ages". although there were great works of art and architecture, it was not at the same levels that needed certain key breakthroughs
ensuring the church would be “more useful and beautiful, more powerful and honorable” than any other ever built, as the grandees of Florence decreed.
rivalries exist between powers fighting for dominance, and this in a way parallels to the conflict and rivalry between Brunelleschi and Ghiberti
1296 to showcase the status of Florence as one of Europe’s economic and cultural capitals, grown rich on high finance and the wool and silk trades.
Money has always equaled power, along with being in competition with other powers to prove who has the most money/power than the other