Christopher Columbus

The History Channel's documentary on Christopher Columbus, 4 part series

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hBJHg_DzFM

Spanish Renaissance

The 16th century was the most brilliant era in Spanish history. During this time, you can see a fusion on Christian Spain and Moorish art called Mudejar. This was the era of Ferdinand and Isabella and the voyages of Christopher Columbus to the New World. The Spanish were successful navigators and traders which resulted in fabulous amounts of gold and silver. At the start of the century they were at the height of their power and very rich, but by the end they were bankrupt. The art and architecture of this time was influenced by Early Christian, Medieval, and the Italian Renaissance. There were two schools of art in Spain at the time, The Moors, and the Christian Spanish. The Moors were the worlds finest geometricians, they were colorful and exuberant and expert wood workers. They were expelled in 1607 which was a great loss to the handicrafts and commerce of Southern Spain. Allhambra Granada was the last palace completed before the Moors were expelled. It is a fine example of Moorish architecture and decoration. The Cathedral of Seville was the largest in the world in the 15th century. It contains 80 chapels which conduct 500 masses daily. You can see a blending of Moorish and Christiain architecture as well as a Gothic/Renaissance blend. Rejas are the decorative iron grilles used in this and many on the residential and public buildings of the time. There was two main phases of design during this time, the Plateresco and the Desornamantado. The Plateresco phase, or silversmith's style is Gothic or Renaissance in it's construction. It consists on minute and delicate ornamentation. The Desornamantado phase, or unornamented, was a reaction to the Plateresco and was a powerful style and could be seen in public and government buildings. Designers used careful proportions with this style of building. The Baroque style was also developed during this time after the death of architect Juan de Herrera and his Herrera style which used classic forms, plain surfaces and sparse decoration. The Baroque style replaced this and Desornamantado with more passionate design. It included surface decoration, motifs of natural objects, and used the classical orders in nontraditional ways. The Spanish are known for their cabinetwork and their inlay work is one of their finest achievements. Their style was simple but bold with heavy proportions and crude carving. They liked repetitive designs and silver ornamentation as well as the use of wrought iron. The Sillon de Frailero, or Monk's Chair, was a walnut armchair that was simple and rectangular with a leather seat and back as well as tassel ornamentation. The Vargueno was a distinctive cabinet designed as a receptacle for valuables. The Walnut Papelera was used to store important documents. Tables had iron braces and splayed legs, beds had wood turning that resembled iron work and often no footboard.

Classic Examples:

El Escorial

Granada Cathedral

Sillon de Frailero, Monk's Chair

Modern Examples:

Peer Review:

Mackenzie: I really liked how she had lists of elements that can be seen in Spanish design with pictures to illustrate them.

Nicole: Her information was spot on and her pictures were great

Solving the Mysteries of Brunelleschi’s Dome

Solving the Mysteries of Brunelleschi’s Dome

http://www.archdaily.com/477161/video-solving-the-mysteries-of-brunelleschi-s-dome/

"A new hour long documentary for PBS’ series, Building the Great Cathedrals, explores the mystery of how, in the 15th century, Florentine architect Filippo Brunelleschiconstructed one of the largest domes the world had ever seen. Winning what could be considered one of the earliest architectural competitions, Brunelleschi developed a unique system that allowed construction on the dome to occur while services were being conducted in the cathedral 100 metres below. The team in this episode model this freestanding structure in an attempt to understand just how Brunelleschi achieved such a feat of Renaissance engineering."

Italian Renaissance

Renaissance literally means rebirth. The Italian Renaissance began in Florence, Italy around 1400 and lasted until around 1600. The classical forms were from ancient Rome were refined and adapted for new uses. During this time, the idea was to furnish interiors of Gothic and Romanesque structures. There was a shift at this time, from a religious to a secular emphasis. The Roman Catholic Church had become very powerful but also corrupt. Reforms within the Church began with Martin Luther. The arts, literature and architecture were huge parts of the Italian Renaissance, and the printing press was invented which made copying books much easier. The Medici family was a very powerful and influential family of this time. Lorenzo De Medici was a businessman, banker, and patron of the arts. Everyone, rich or poor, at this time were interested in different forms of art. Residential design became popular during this time to show off the wealth of the family living there and it begins with the wealthy businessmen. Wealthy families hired long term employees, these included architects, painters, furniture designers and sculptors. There was an emphasis on horizontal and symmetrical design at this time. The Polazzo was a style of architecture of the time that included three horizontal divisions, compound windows, and a heavy projecting cornice. There was a central courtyard like the Roman Domus, no hallways, living quarters on the second and third floors, and walls with niches. The ground floor might include, shops, summer apartments, kitchen, bathrooms, and storage. There was also a grand staircase to the Piano Mobile (the main living area on the second floor). The Florence Cathedral was built by Brunelleschi in 1420-1438 and is the main cathedral in Florence; it was inspired by the Pantheon, but the dome is more of an egg shape. Burnelleschi is the first acknowledged renaissance architect. Andrea Palladio was the most influential architect of all the renaissance. He wrote the four boojs of architecture and inspired Indigo Jones as well as Thomas Jefferson. He designed the Villa Rotonda and described it as perfect.

Classic Examples:

Villa Rotonda

Florence Cathedral

Palazzo Farnese

Modern Examples:

Capitol Building

Palazzo design

Peer Review:
Haley: I liked how she talked about the emphasis on interior architecture like the ceilings and fireplaces.
Karri: I liked how in-depth her information was and he pictures were excellent