Mannerism and Architecture

 Mannerism and Architecture 

We use the word mannerism to describe the transition period between the first 1500 crisis and the developments of the Baroque style. 

Mannerism is explained well in this quote from John Summerson in his book 'The Classical Language of Architecture':

"For our purpose, which is to consider architecture as a language, what we want to know is the extent to which Mannerism coloured the language and enriched the vocabulary"

The last line is the most important, as mannerism enhanced the views which the Renaissance created to a significant extent, and for that it deserves its own appreciation; maybe even to the same extent that the renaissance period had.

The direct definition of Mannerism:

From the word Maniera:

- A characteristic or customary mode of acting

- A mode of procedure or way of acting

- Method of artistic execution or mode of presentation

Maniera is a historiographical invention and is attributed to Giorgio Vasari, who used it to describe the tendency to be expressive 'having style'. 

Mannerism was a period in which the classical idea started to waver and to be seen as a historical product. Architects of this time, started to move away from the classical style and form their own composite designs with only the basic shell of the classical style remaining. You could look at this period as the second renaissance, as it was a rebirth from the first rebirth.

Mannerism as a style

There were three main treaties (books) of the Mannerism period:

Sebastiano Sergio (1540)

Vignola (1562)

Palladio (1570)

These treaties were characterised by numbers and geometric applications. They had no theoretical digression and were made so that they were ready to use in practice.

The style of mannerism is characterised by a strong dichotomy; on one had it is a codification of precise rule and a notion of common ground, but it is also a style where the rules are meant to be escaped from and tension between the old styles and the mannerist views was expected.

"It is a departure from the strict grammar of antique- a departure in the direction of inventive modelling"

- John Summerson describing Vignola's Castello Farnese at Caprarola 

Leonardo Benevolo in his book 'The architecture of the Renaissance' states that "every attempt to localise the borderline between the two cultures (High Renaissance and Mannerism) at on precise moment,... seems doomed to failure". Here, Leonardo is stating that because thief the fluid nature of both the Renaissance and mannerist architecture, finding a differentiating line is almost impossible as they both take aspects from each other to help fuel their designs. 

However, Benevolo goes on to state "Yet a watershed does exist between the two cultures, dependant in fact on their different relationship with he work of the masters; at first the 'perfect style' was a future ideal, then it became a past ideal". The common ground they have with each other is the view of the perfect style. This architects of the high renaissance period believed that a perfect style was still to come, and the mannerist architects believe that the perfect style had already passed by.

Mannerism is seen as a departure from the strict grammar of the antique, and a style which focuses more on the direction of inventive modelling. 

Now I will focus on the great architects and designers present during the period of mannerism.

Michelangelo

Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni was a painter, sculptor, architect, poet and engineer between 1475 and 1564. 

He trained as a painter in Florence in the court of Lorenzo de'Medici from 1489-92. He executed several works for the Medici family and worked on the family church S. Lorenzo, below and left. 

From 1508 he's was tasked with decorating the vault spaces of the Cappella Sistina in Rome, above and right.

He also began modifications to the Biblioteca Laurenziana in 1524 with the vestibules, and returning in the 1550s with the completion of the staircase. 

This piece of work from Michelangelo is characterised by the excessive height of the room along with the blank windows. The staircase impedes rather than encourages ascent which is all part of the show in this building. It is considered more of a theatrical set rather than a fully functioning building; most of the columns are not load bearing and are just for aesthetic purposes. This could be a call back to Michelangelo's artistic history; and the elaborate fakery is merely part of the display. 

Michelangelo can be compared by a fellow artist from the high Renaissance, Raphael and the parallels between their designs. Raphael's work is harmonious and follows the high renaissance styles, and can even be described with Vitruvian works. On the other hand, Michelangelo's work is more of a fantasy, focused more on the feeling and the personal connection to a building; his works are far from the Vitruvian model and his columns are not even a classical order, but ones he has designed himself. This jump from mathematical law to personal experience is extremely important to the period, not just form architecture but for a wide range of disciplines. 

When Michelangelo was in Rome, architecturally his most important work was that of the Capitoline Palaces, Porta Pia, the church Santa Maria degli Angeli, and the continuation of St Peter Cathedral.

The Campidoglio on top of the Capitoline hill, has been the centre of Roman political life for centuries. This project of Michelangelo's is considered one of the most brilliant of all renaissance town-planning schemes.

Michelangelo exploited the accidental orientation of the palaces to create a trapezoidal Piazza with an inlaid pavement forming a raised oval pattern in the centre. The oval was still a novel from at that time and Michelangelo's use of it here would have a vital role in Baroque planning in the future. The flanking palaces were characterised by giant order pilaster along with subsidiary ones to create an impressive and imposing atmosphere to the sight.

Michelangelo, though best know for his priceless additions to the art and sculptural worlds, needs to also be appreciated for his architectural skill. Michelangelo had a unique skill of seeing the work of others and being able to improve it to suit the time; for example Michelangelo improved the design of Bramante of the new St Peter's Cathedral. Michelangelo was not afraid to step outside the box and break the classical rules in order to make a design the best it could be; a true mannerist architect if their ever was one. We all need to learn from Michelangelo in order to understand the importance of adaptation and development, even if it breaks the design rules of the day.

Giacomo Barozzi da Vignola

Vignola began his career as an architect in Bologna, supporting himself with painting and making perspective templates from craftsmen. His first trip to Rome in 1536 was significant because here he made measured drawings of Roman temples and had the idea to make illustrated versions of Vitruvius's works. 

Then between 1541 and 1543 he was called upon by Francois I to Fontainebleau; it was here he met fellow architect and Bolognese Sebastiano Serlio.

His first major commission was the Villa Giulia, a retreat from Pope Julius III on the edge of Rome. He worked on this project with Bartolomeo Ammanati and Michelangelo under the supervision of Vasari. 

It was a plain fronted building but was backed by an impressive hemispherical wing with colonnades forming one end of a court. This use of geometry is a call back to the early renaissance period in Italy, which would have been greatly appreciated by the Pope.

Vignola adopted a compositional device that would be typical in the future baroque style; he contracted and darkened the last bay of the nave to create can impressive contrast between the nave and the burst of light from the dome.

Vignola also introduced the oval plan to church design with the S.Andrea and S.Anna dei Palafrenieri. Again this plan form would be fundamental in future Baroque design.

Vignola is an architect which may not have brought much to his own style; but instead had completely influenced a new style that would appear in the future. Vignola's work is important as like Michelangelo, he tried something new and did it successfully.

Giulio Romano

He was the chief architect at the court of the Duke of Mantua; Romano followed Serlio's romantic idea about rustication and used it in all of his buildings. Romano though not responsible for the invention of rustication, did elevate it to a whole new architectural level. 

The Cortile della Cavallerizza also known as Palazzo Ducale (above) constructed between 1538-9 is a prime example of Romano's use of rustication in a building.

Summerson states that Romano's work:

"Represents a flight from everything Bramante stood for is pretty obvious. It is irrational, Impressionistic- It recalls ruins. It recalls ancient buildings left half-finished"

But I believe that this unfinished ancient look is what makes them even more impressive and beautiful.

Palladio

Andrea di Pietro dell Gondola was an architect active in the Republic of Venice between 1508 and 1580.

He was given the more antique name of 'Palladio' by Trissano to create an allusion to the Greek gods. He was heavily influenced by Greek and Roman architecture, primarily by Vitruvius. Palladio is also considered the most influential individual in the history of western architecture; which I will explore now. 

Palladio's Treatise

Palladio's treatise 'The Four Books of Architecture' contributed to his recognition and the widespread diffusion of his own architectural style around the world; which already made him quite influential. In these books he provided illustrations of the classical order, classical buildings of Roman antiquity and some of Palladio's own work as well. These were all done in plan, section and elevation with measurements and descriptive text; which was a unique level of detail for the time. 

It also gives the reader a sense that Palladio's own work is on par with antiquity, through the use of harmonic Greek spacial proportions: 1:2, 2:3 and 3:4. It would also suppose that solid and voids have musical ratio, and acquire a visual harmony analogous to music. 

First Commission

His first commission was the re-fronting of the medieval town hall in Vicenza in 1549. 

Palladio used the Venetian window openings of Sansovino's library in a dramatic way and brought a unique style to the facade of the town hall.

Palazzo Chiericati

The Palazzo Chiericati constructed in 1550 was one of a series of palaces build by Palladio in Vicenza. 

Even. though most of these buildings were just re-frontings by Palladio, they all represented his treatise. 

The linear pattern of overlapping planes, and the use of Michelangelo's giant order of columns were very much in the mannerism style, and are quite impressive projects.

Below is two of the other palazzo's: Thiene and Valmarana also in his classic style.

Arrival in Venice

Palladio arrived in Venice in 1560, and almost immediately made great improvements to the refectory of the Monastery. In 1565 he was asked to prepare a model for a new church; he followed the same pattern of a colossal temple front placed before the nave, and the use of small order before each of the aisles. 

The pattern of this design may be represented as two superimposed temple fronts, a major and a minor. 

Redentore Church

The Church he planned became the Redentore Church on the island of Giudecca in Venice.

Palladio had rejected the central plan dear to Alberti, with the front facade being inspired by the Pantheon in Rome; only enhanced be being on a wide plinth. The Church dominates the skyline of the island with 15 steps up to reach the entrance. This was a link to the Temple of Jerusalem, and in Palladio's own words:

"The ascent will be gradual, so that the climbing will bring more devotion"

The amount of thought put into the design of this building is suggesting a full circle has been made. The Renaissance period began with an increase in classical style design; the mannerism movement sought to escape this and be more theoretical with their designs. Palladio has mixed the theoretical and spiritual side of architecture with the more mathematical and classical style of the early Renaissance within the Redentore. It can be seen that Palladio has bridged the gap between the early renaissance and the mannerism movement with a single building.

Villas

Palladio also made a number of villas with a considerable variety of forms based on the themes of the Roman baths. However due to lack of knowledge, Palladio made the incorrect assumption that Roman villas were fronted with supported porticos and decided to incorporate them into his own villas.

The Villa Rotonda constructed by Palladio between 1566 and 1570 demonstrated the beauty of pure form with its geometrical plan composed of a square, circle and rectangle; along with four symmetrical portico faces. Even if not strictly accurate, it cannot be denied that this building is a pure work of art.

Renaissance outside of Italy

Even though the mannerism style is considered its own, it comes under the umbrella of the renaissance period and can be considered a late renaissance style. That being said, Italy was the only country to have consistently stuck with the tradition of the harmonious classical style. 

Gothic architecture was the dominant form of architecture in the rest of Europe, and persisted after the Renaissance period had finished. The knowledge of the renaissance style did reach the gothic style after 1500 and influenced ornamental details, similar to how gothic architecture inspired renaissance architects. 

France was the only other country to even come close to Italian renaissance architecture.

Overall the mannerism period of the renaissance era is an inspiring one. Even though it had directly taken from the high renaissance style, it chose to break away from it and form its own subdivision, with possibly some of the most influential architects, sculptors and artists the world has ever seen. An I believe that it deserves its own unique place on the timeline of great architectural eras.