The birth of the Renaissance took place in Florence in the late fourteenth century and ended in the seventeenth century. Translated from French, the literal meaning of the word renaissance is rebirth. After the intellectual decline of the dark ages, there was a resurgence and rediscovery of Greek and Roman learning and classic texts. Renaissance culture embraced noble beliefs from antiquity and encouraged the liberal arts. As interest in classic writings was reawakened, the influences of Arabic works waned. This new age brought a new way of viewing life and revived interest in the arts and sciences. Humanism emerged, emphasizing man’s potential and placing his accomplishments at the center of all things. The Renaissance quickly spread through Europe, bringing about tremendous cultural changes in the arts, literature, music, philosophy, politics, science, religion, mathematics, engineering, medicine and architecture.
As the birthplace of the Renaissance, the artistic achievements of Florence blossomed and its economy thrived. Florence enjoyed well-established trade routes and was rich with natural resources. Nearby marble quarries provided sculptors and builders with a reliable source of raw materials and dyes for artists were abundant in the markets of Florence. The trade of premium wool and textiles contributed to Florence’s wealth. Additionally, it was considered a successful banking center, with many bank branches throughout Europe. The most successful of these banking families was the powerful Medici family, who influenced both politics and the arts for 400 years. As the middle and upper classes grew, there was a focus on savoring the pleasures of life. Prosperity brought both governmental and private support of the arts, through which public buildings and churches were enhanced. Humanists aspired to recreate the allure of ancient Greece. The wealthiest engaged in competition to gain status by funding the most magnificently adorned chapels and building projects. This competition helped to usher in the Renaissance, as artists and workers converged on the city, seeking support for their art and trades.
Though its wealth is an important contributor to the rise of Florence’s Renaissance, the modern forward-thinking city was fiercely independent and proud of its government; as the only republic on the Italian peninsula, individual opinions and thoughts were respected and valued. The culture of individualism in Florence was critical for the development of Renaissance Humanism.
The seeds of Renaissance thought in Florence thrived also because of the large assemblage of creative talent there. Among the artistic geniuses and thinkers born in Florence are Brunelleschi, Ghiberti, Nanni di Banco, Donatello, Filippo Lippi, Verrocchio, Dante, the Medici’s, Machiavelli and Ghirlandaio. Others were born nearby in Tuscany: Fra Angelico, Uccello, Masaccio, Piero della Francesca, Andrea del Castagno, Botticelli, Signorelli, Michelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci.
The city of Florence is brimming with beautiful examples of Renaissance art and architecture. Renaissance architects’ theories and practices were influenced by classical Roman ideas. Their training often included a visit to Rome to examine the Colosseum, Pantheon and other ruins. Renaissance structures reflect the architectural elements of domes, arches, columns, pilasters, pediments and entablatures or horizontal support devices. Architecture from this period uses a unit of measurement based on a human scale, featuring balanced design and mathematical dimensions. Prior to the Renaissance, architects were considered skilled laborers. With the influence of Humanism influenced, their projects began to favor reason and emotion, elevating their status to artists.
The first architect of the Renaissance is Filippo Brunelleschi (137-144). Born in Florence, he began as a goldsmith. He competed for a commission in 1401 to complete a set of bronze doors of the Baptistery of Florence Cathedral. After losing to Ghiberti, his main competitor, he shifted his interest and talent to architecture. Traveling to Rome with the sculptor Donatello, they studied Roman ruins for a deeper understanding of design and scale, while learning how to build arches and columns. The system of linear perspective and proportion is attributed to Brunelleschi. This approach produces an illusion, giving a flat surface the appearance of depth. Parallel lines come together at a vanishing point on a horizon line. During the Renaissance, he was the first architect to employ the classical orders of columns. In 1415, Brunelleschi was commissioned to build the ribbed dome on the existing Florence Cathedral, the Santa Maria del Fiore. His rival, Giotto, also competed for the commission, but was appointed Brunelleschi’s assistant. Construction began on the Cathedral, also called the Duomo, in 1296 in the Gothic style. The dome is considered to be the first architecture using Renaissance design, incorporating new and old principals. Brunelleschi designed the dome to be the largest in the world with a double shelled structure supported by pillars. Its enormous size prevented using traditional building techniques with scaffolding. He invented a process to raise the heavy building materials which used a complicated series of gears and pulleys, fueled by oxen turning a wooden tiller. The dome, unparalleled in its time, was completed in 1436 and is considered Brunelleschi’s most important work.
The streets of Florence are filled with many streets and views which are practically unchanged since the birth of the Renaissance.
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Florence was founded in 59 BC by Julius Caesar. As with any old city, many of its buildings and structures have been expanded, repaired and changed. As a result, many building in Florence incorporate both Renaissance and earlier architectural styles, which is a theme in Renaissance art and architecture. Brunelleschi was commissioned to design the Pazzi Chapel of the Basilica di Santa Croce in 1429. He died in 1446 and it was never completed. The Santa Croce is another example of mixed styles combining Gothic, Gothic Revival, Italian and Renaissance architectures. The Loggia della Signoria, an open air room constructed to display sculptures in 1382, was built in the late Gothic style by Talenti and Dami and is considered to be a pre-curser to Renaissance design; Its’ arches and colums are a strong theme in Renaissance style. The influence of Renaissance style in Florence extended beyond the Renaissance Period. In 1897 and 1903 Augusto Passaglia (1838-1918) was commissioned to create doors for the Santa Maria del Fiore. His relief casting in bronze was representative of the importance this theme in Renaissance art since the beginning of the Renaissance period.
