Florence Baptistery
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| - | '''Filippo Brunelleschi''' ([[1377]] – [[April 15]], [[1446]]) was one of the foremost architects of the [[Italian Renaissance]]. All of his principal works are in [[Florence]], [[Italy]]. As explained by Antonio Manetti, who knew Brunelleschi and who wrote his biography, Brunelleschi "was granted such honors as to be buried in [[Santa Maria del Fiore]], and with a marble bust, which they say was carved from life, and placed there in perpetual memory with such a splendid epitaph." | ||
| - | === Invention of linear perspective === | ||
| - | Brunelleschi is famous for two panel paintings illustrating geometric optical [[Perspective (graphical)|linear perspective]] made in the early 1400s. His biographer, [[Antonio Manetti]], described this famous experiment in which Brunelleschi painted two panels: the first of the [[Florentine Baptistery]] as viewed frontally from the western portal of the unfinished cathedral, and second the [[Palazzo Vecchio]] as seen obliquely from its northwest corner. These were not, however, the first paintings with accurate linear perspective, which may be attributed to [[Ambrogio Lorenzetti]]'s ''[[Annunciation (Ambrogio Lorenzetti)|Annunciation]]'' of 1344. | ||
| - | The first Baptistery panel was constructed with a hole drilled through the centric vanishing point. Curiously, Brunelleschi intended that it only be observed by the viewer holding the unpainted back of the picture against his/her eye with one hand, and a mirror in the other hand facing and reflecting the painted side. In other words, Brunelleschi wanted his new perspective "realism" to be tested not by comparing the painted image to the actual Baptistery but to its reflection in a mirror according to the Euclidean laws of geometric optics. This feat showed artists vividly how they might paint their images, not merely as flat two-dimensional shapes, but looking more like three-dimensional structures just as mirrors reflect them. Unfortunately, both panels have since been lost. | + | :''For the baptistry with the same name in Siena, see [[Battistero di San Giovanni (Siena)]] |
| + | The '''Florence Baptistry''' or '''Battistero di San Giovanni''' ([[Baptistry]] of St. John) is a religious building in [[Florence]] ([[Tuscany]]), [[Italy]], which has the status of a [[minor basilica]]. | ||
| - | Around this time, linear perspective as a novel artistic tool spread not only in Italy but throughout western Europe, and quickly became standard studio practice up to and including present time. | + | The octagonal Baptistry stands in both the [[Piazza del Duomo, Florence|Piazza del Duomo]] and the Piazza di San Giovanni, across from the [[Santa Maria del Fiore|Duomo]] cathedral and the [[Giotto]] bell tower ([[Campanile di Giotto]]). It is one of the oldest buildings in the city, built between 1059 and 1128. The architecture is in Florentine [[Romanesque architecture|Romanesque]] style. |
| + | The Baptistry is renowned for its three sets of artistically important [[bronze]] doors with relief sculptures. The south doors were done by Andrea Pisano and the north and east doors by [[Lorenzo Ghiberti]]. The east pair of doors were dubbed by [[Michelangelo]] "the Gates of Paradise". | ||
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| + | The Italian poet [[Dante Alighieri]] and many other notable [[Renaissance]] figures, including members of the [[Medici]] family, were baptized in this baptistry. | ||
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- For the baptistry with the same name in Siena, see Battistero di San Giovanni (Siena)
The Florence Baptistry or Battistero di San Giovanni (Baptistry of St. John) is a religious building in Florence (Tuscany), Italy, which has the status of a minor basilica.
The octagonal Baptistry stands in both the Piazza del Duomo and the Piazza di San Giovanni, across from the Duomo cathedral and the Giotto bell tower (Campanile di Giotto). It is one of the oldest buildings in the city, built between 1059 and 1128. The architecture is in Florentine Romanesque style.
The Baptistry is renowned for its three sets of artistically important bronze doors with relief sculptures. The south doors were done by Andrea Pisano and the north and east doors by Lorenzo Ghiberti. The east pair of doors were dubbed by Michelangelo "the Gates of Paradise".
The Italian poet Dante Alighieri and many other notable Renaissance figures, including members of the Medici family, were baptized in this baptistry.
Unless indicated otherwise, the text in this article is either based on Wikipedia article "Florence Baptistery" or another language Wikipedia page thereof used under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License; or on research by Jahsonic and friends. See Art and Popular Culture's copyright notice.
