Brunelleschi and The Romans: A Comparison of Technique

Brunelleschi's inspirational Pazzi Chapel clearly illustrated Roman influence on architecture during the Renaissance. The Pazzi Chapel's overall design was influenced by Brunelleschi's study of building designs in Rome, geometric engineering, and stylistic elements such as: arches, columns, and the importance of light.

Filippo Brunelleschi gained much of his architectural signature from his studies in Rome. He was already making a name for himself in Florence before he started working on a design for the Baptistery doors. “After Lorenzo Ghiberti had won the competition (1401) for the Baptistery doors, the runners-up, Donatello and Brunelleschi, both left for Rome to study sculpture and architecture respectively” (Meek np). It was actually a blessing in disguise that Brunelleschi lost the bid for the doors because it led him to move to Rome for a period of time. This exposed him first hand to the ancient Roman buildings and the specific architecture in their designs. According to PBS, “Brunelleschi spent the next 10-years living rough in Rome with his good friend, the sculptor Donatello, studying the ruins of the great city” (“Filippo Brunelleschi” np). A decade is a long time to absorb a narrow field of architecture. It is inevitable that he picked up on the design elements and incorporated them into his own. Through independent study, Brunelleschi could truly focus on what interested him and thus making it a passion of his. After his time spent in Rome, Brunelleschi moved back to Florence where he was “responsible for initiating the rediscovery of ancient Roman architecture” because he “understood its inherent principles and he employed them in an original manner” (Meek np). As a result it is indisputable that Brunelleschi’s ...

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...d new thinking, and Brunelleschi was no exception. After many years studying in Rome, he combined ancient Roman architecture with his own flare to create a signature style. His works inspired architecture for many years to come. One of the most influential and recognizable buildings is Brunelleschi’s Pazzi Chapel. This particular structure borrowed on many aspects of Roman architecture including geometry, light, arches, and columns.

Works Cited

Castex, Jean. Architecture Of Italy. Greenwood Publishing Group, 2008. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 5 Feb. 2012.

"Filippo Brunelleschi." PBS. Web. 5 Feb 2012 .

Meek, Harold. "Brunelleschi, Filippo." Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online. 5 Feb. 2012 .