1. Examine the significance of the dome of the Dome of the Rock in the history of early Islamic architecture. What was the purpose of the building and how does its form and decorative development respond to these demands? What were its architectural precedents for the building and how were these precedents re-interpreted or transformed into a specifically Islamic tradition?…
All of his life’s work, including his apprenticeships, schooling, and design, seemed to have prepared him for this monumental assignment. For more than a century, the roof of the dome was open to the elements. The assignment had dismayed many an architect during this period. Several domes had been constructed using cement, but the formula for concrete had been lost during the Dark Ages. The architects were also leery of using the common flying buttresses of the Gothic style; they wanted the design to reflect the clean lines and simple style of their Greek and Roman past. Brunelleschi solved the dome-shaped puzzle with the idea to build two domes - a lighter, outer dome and a heavier, inner dome. The outer dome was constructed using brick and mortar placed in a herringbone pattern to eliminate the need for a central support. The inner dome was made using sandstone beams and marble from local quarries. This choice of materials had a hand in his winning of the commission, as it greatly reduced the cost of labor and…
Successful sculptural forms are created through careful attention to common artistic elements and techniques. In order to discover an artist’s intentions while looking at a sculptural piece, it is vital to note the artist’s visual cues. Such visual cues may include form, shape, texture, material, lighting, space, and dynamism. In addition, classical sculpture is commonly comprised of well-balanced idealized forms, with a sense of naturalistic beauty and elegance in mind. Great sculpture also must convey a strong sense of gracefulness and stability. The Lansdowne Bust of Athena of Velletri very successfully exhibits artistic qualities and sculptural…
I chose Brunelleschi’s discovery of the design for the Florence Cathedral’s dome. Brunelleschi had no formal architectural background but when the contest for creating Santa Maria’s dome was announced with a prize of 200 gold florins and possible eternal fame, Brunelleschi grabbed at the opportunity. Filippo Brunelleschi was determined to win the contest and have his double dome design used for the cathedral. Brunelleschi was certain that his design would win because it solved all of the questions being asked. People were asking, “how can a dome be built 150 feet across while starting 180 feet above the ground?” Other concerns included what kind of dome besides the traditional gothic style dome could solve this problem, and could a thousand-ton…
Spoils from the Temple in Jerusalem, Relief from the Arch of Titus, Rome, c.a. 81 C.E.…
Ancient World Civilizations – Ancient and Modern Architecture Assignment: The Pantheon Porch in Rome and the Wentworth Hall Entrance…
Athough from two entirely different cultures and entirely different times, the Pantheon and the Parthenon share similarities, along with a world of differences, in form, function, themes, ideology, and messages about their respective civilizations. By comparing these two structures, it is easy to see why knowledge of context and culture is important to understanding and interpreting art.…
Bibliography: “Apollo, Augustus and Actium: Emerging imperial themes in Temple of Apollo”. M. Fabius, Ancient Worlds: The Roman World. http://www.ancientworlds.net/aw/Article/1208292 (accessed on May 12, 2013) Augustus, Monumentum Ancyranum edited by E. G. Hardy. Oxford: At the Clarendon Press, 1923. Crouch, Dora. P. History of Architecture: Stonehenge to Skyscrapers. USA: McGraw-Hill, Inc, 1985 Gurval, Robert Alan. Actium and Augustus: The politics and emotion of civil war. USA: The University of Michigan Press, 1998 Grundmann, Stefan, 2nd revised ed., The Architecture of Rome: An architectural history in 402 individual representations. London: Edition Axel Menges, 2007. Hekster, Oliver and John Rich. “Octavian and the Thunderbolt: The Temple of Apollo Palatinus and Roman Traditions of Temple Building. The Classical Quaterly 56 (2006): 149168 Phillips, Darryl A. “The Temple of Divius Julius and the Restoration of Legislative Assemblies under Augustus”. Phoenix 65 (2011): 371-388 Roller, Duane W. “The Temple of Mars Ultor: What Was Being Avenged?”. Ohio State University(2009), http://www.camws.org/meeting/2009/program/abstracts/09C1.Roller.pdf (Accessed on May 12, 2013) Sear, Frank. Roman Architecture. London: BT Batsford Ltd, 1989. Stamper, John. W. The Architecture of Roman Temples: The Republic to the Middle Empire. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005. Thorpe, Martin. Roman Architecture. London: Bristol Classical Press, 1995. Ward-Perkins, John Bryan. Roman Imperial Architecture, Victoria: Penguin Books Australia, 1981…
Roman was known for their architectural accomplishments. Works like the Colosseum, the Aqueducts, the Pantheon were a few among many of their notable magnificent. The two innovations enabled Rome to attain those achievements were the invention of concrete and arches. In this paper, I attempt to look into their origins, their effect on Roman's life and what was the most notable works result from these inventions.…
The Parthenon in Athens and the Pantheon in Rome are two of the greatest pieces of architectural and historical masterpieces. Both structures were created to be a place of worship not only for one but many different gods. These two buildings are 1,280.2 kilometers apart but they had so much in common. Similarities in the two buildings is the vast number of columns built. The columns in Parthenon were carved out of blocks stacked on top of each other, whereas the ones used in the Pantheon is made of one solid block of granite, which was brought from Egypt. Both had statues and carvings of gods, which were worshiped by the cultures. The most obvious difference is their shape, the Parthenon is rectangular, and the Pantheon…
The most impressive part of the design is in its dome, where the complex corners and curves of the plan are pulled upwards like a tent. Standing at the center of the church and looking upwards, it’s beautiful shape is revealed, and the pronounced entablature makes the visitor want to flow around the space, following its shape. The dome is filled with natural light, which elevates the space into a spiritual…
The pantheon is made up of two principal parts; the porch; which is a highly idealised and more greek interpretation and the circular building which is much more Roman in it’s display. The pantheon follows traditional Roman architecture designed with a portico held up by eight Corinthian columns almost 12m high. The monolithic columns shafts are made of Aswan grey granite contrasted with the white pentelic marble of the capitals.The porch is supported by these Corinthian columns and is made out of white marble which is also seen on the circular building to seemingly connect these structures together. The porch displays several relief structures to add to the architecture of the building and features several depictions of objects that would have been used on sacrifices such as axes, dishes and boxes. Researches and analysis have gauged that the pediment placed above these columns would have had some sort of inscription or…
It was a building of the ordinary classical type. It is rectangular with a gabled roof which is supported by a colonnade on all sides. There were eight columns in the first rank and two pairs of four behind. The building was rebuilt completely with a few alterations made in the early 3rd century. The building is circular and constructed of concrete which is faced with bricks and has a great concrete dome (or roof), rising from the walls. At the front there is a porch of Corinthian columns supporting a gabled roof with a triangular pediment.…
Built in the courtyard of San Pietro in Montorio in Rome in 1502, the Tempietto is a small commemorative tomb for St. Peter. Drawing from the style of early Greek temples called a tholos, the Tempietto uses a centralized plan of a peristyle enveloping a cella. Harkening back to the classical obsession with symmetry and proportion, Bramante achieved an incredible harmony and balance between the dome, drum and base. Additional features such as the stylobate, steps, colonnade and dome all are derived from classical architecture. The columns are an example of the Doric order. The circular temple supports a classical entablature, consisting of a frieze with triglyphs and metopes, which consist of symbols of Christian passion. Although antique models provided the inspiration for all its details, the combination of parts and details were new and original, especially the fusion of the antique with new Renaissance styles. For example, Bramante adds a dome, which had a renewed interest in the Renaissance, to a tholos design which traditionally did not include a domed roof. The Tempietto is the perfect example of the Renaissance relationship between ideal ancient geometry, perfection and the divine. The connection between ideal ancient geometry and the divine was very important to Renaissance artists who strove to create exemplars of the perfection of heaven, using geometry and symmetry. Including classical elements as a connection to the divine, Bramante’s Tempietto fosters a link between architecture from antiquity and the expression of the Renaissance Christian faith. Comprised of the intricate mixture Greek influence, Renaissance architectural ideals and Bramante’s own person style, the Tempietto is a clear example of the innovation and thought behind Renaissance buildings, which sets them apart from their…
he Pantheon (/ˈpænθiən/ or US /ˈpænθiɒn/;[1] Latin: Pantheon,[nb 1] [pantʰewn] from Greek: Πάνθεον [ἱερόν], an adjective understood as "[temple consecrated] to all gods") is a building in Rome, Italy, commissioned by Marcus Agrippa during the reign of Augustus as a temple to all the gods of ancient Rome, and rebuilt by the emperor Hadrian about 126 AD. It is one of the best-preserved of all Roman buildings. It has been in continuous use throughout its history, and since the 7th century, the Pantheon has been used as a Roman Catholic church dedicated to "St. Mary and the Martyrs" but informally…