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Filippo BrunelleschiItalian architect
Country:
 Italy |
Biography of Filippo Brunelleschi
Filippo Brunelleschi was an Italian architect and sculptor of the Italian Renaissance. He is most famous for his discovery (or rediscovery) of linear perspective and for the construction of the dome of the Florence Cathedral. In addition to his architectural works, Brunelleschi excelled in sculpture, mathematics, engineering, and even ship design.
Filippo Brunelleschi was born in 1377 in Florence, Italy, where his major surviving works are still located. Little is known about his early life, with sparse information provided only in the works of Antonio Manetti and Giorgio Vasari. His father, Brunelleschi di Lippo, was a notary, and his mother was named Giuliana Spini. Filippo was the middle child of three. He was educated in literature and mathematics, preparing to follow in his father's footsteps and become a cog in the state apparatus. However, the young man joined the Arte della Seta, the silk guild, and by 1389, he became a master goldsmith.
In 1401, Brunelleschi participated in the competition organized by the Arte di Calimala to create new bronze doors for the Florence Baptistery. Each of the seven competitors presented their bronze relief on the theme of "The Sacrifice of Isaac." The winner was chosen to be Lorenzo Ghiberti, whose work was deemed superior in terms of technical mastery. Ghiberti used a single piece in his work, while Brunelleschi used multiple parts fixed on a plate, and his relief weighed 7 kilograms more.
Not much is known about how Brunelleschi transitioned from working with noble metals to architecture. After experiencing the bitterness of defeat in the Arte di Calimala, Filippo arrived in Rome, where he likely studied ancient sculpture meticulously. During this period, he was accompanied by Donatello. For several years, possibly from 1402 to 1404, both masters conducted excavations of ancient ruins. The influence of ancient Roman authors can be seen in the works of both Filippo and Donatello. According to biographers, Brunelleschi created a wooden "Crucifixion" in the main Dominican church of Florence, Santa Maria Novella, as part of a friendly competition with Donatello.
In 1419, the Arte della Seta commissioned Brunelleschi to construct the Ospedale degli Innocenti, a Foundling Hospital for orphaned infants. The architect eschewed marble and decorative inlays but freely interpreted ancient forms. The arcades of the building's loggia opened toward Piazza Santissima Annunziata. A row of columns on the corners received pilasters with an entablature extending over all the arches. The rhythm of the columns was "calmed" by maiolica medallions depicting swaddled infants. Although Brunelleschi borrowed various elements from Roman models, his works are considered the most "Greek" in terms of the entire Renaissance architecture. It should be noted that he simply could not have been familiar with Greek architecture.
After returning to Florence, Brunelleschi faced the challenging task of constructing the dome of the Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral according to Arnolfo di Cambio's design. The Gothic octagonal pointed arch was already difficult in itself, but additional difficulties arose from the construction of special devices necessary for the work at height. With his technical and mathematical genius, Brunelleschi informed the Florentine council that he was prepared to build a lightweight dome using stone and brick. The structure was assembled from multiple parts and required an architectural element in the form of a lantern to be added on top. Brunelleschi also offered to create several unusual mechanisms for the construction.
Towards the end of 1418, a team of four stonemasons presented a model of the dome to demonstrate how the original would be built without continuous formwork. The original octagon, which defined the characteristic silhouette of Florence, had a diameter of 42 meters and consisted of two shells. The majestic pointed arch was consecrated by Pope Eugenius IV. During the serious construction phase, Brunelleschi made sure that the workers did not leave their positions during breaks. He personally delivered food and diluted wine to them at height. This was a practice usually only given to pregnant women at that time. The architect believed that the workers' descents and ascents would exhaust them and decrease their productivity.
Brunelleschi was one of the first to receive patents for his inventions, including elevators. He also received the first modern patent for the river transport vessel he invented. He excelled in mathematics, engineering, and the study of ancient monuments. Brunelleschi invented hydraulic equipment and complex clock mechanisms, but none of these have survived to the present day.
In 1427, Filippo constructed the enormous ship "Il Badalone" for transporting marble from Pisa to Florence up the Arno River. However, the ship sank on its inaugural voyage, along with a significant portion of Brunelleschi's fortune.
Brunelleschi is credited with the invention (or rediscovery) of linear perspective, which revolutionized painting and paved the way for naturalistic tendencies. In addition to his architectural works, Filippo was involved in urban planning. He was responsible for the strategic placement of several of his buildings in relation to nearby squares and streets, ensuring "maximum visibility."
As an example, in 1433, the demolition of buildings in front of San Lorenzo was authorized to create a market square with a view of the church. For the Santo Spirito church, Brunelleschi proposed orienting the facade either towards the Arno River to please the eyes of travelers or towards the north, facing a large piazza ready for construction.
Filippo Brunelleschi died on April 15, 1446. A crater on Mercury is named in his honor.
