Most people know that the Renaissance was a golden age for architecture. But not many people know of the secret behind this period of architectural advancement. Almost all of the architecture of the Renaissance was filled with math. The Renaissance is a period of time from about 1300 to 1600 that followed the Dark Ages. Renaissance means rebirth, and that name is fitting, considering during the Renaissance art, literature, science, and architecture flourished. Many names of architects or structures that you know probably come from the Renaissance, such as Brunelleschi or the Florence Chapel. But this important architecture couldn't have happened without math. Mathematical discoveries greatly affected architecture in the Renaissance.
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He was one of the first architects to use math to create his own new and distinct style. Brunelleschi is most famous for the Florence Cathedral, but another one of his great works of architecture was the Pazzi Chapel. Brunelleschi was one of the first architects to use perspective in his designs and he did exactly that in the Pazzi Chapel. Dr Roann Barris, an art history professor, says that Brunelleschi made every part of the structure measured and proportioned identically, but also recessed the windows to create illusions using perspective. This was important because Brunelleschi was not only one of the first Renaissance architects to understand perspective and ratios, but he was also able to change the way they were used. Recession of the windows was an uncommon idea, but it was ingenious considering that it easily changed the focal points of the structure. This was an idea that would be used by other architects such as Alberti and Palladio later on. Even though these ideas were extremely complex and revolutionary, most people did not realize this when looking at Brunelleschi's structures. Similar to most Renaissance architects, his designs actually appear quite simple. Experts from the Metropolitan Museum of Art say that Brunelleschi purposely used complex proportions as to make his structures look deceivingly simple. This is unsurprising; harmoniousness, simplicity, and balance were all very important in Renaissance architecture. But achieving these ideals was extremely complex and required great mathematical knowledge in and of itself. Filling the structure with new mathematical ideas as Brunelleschi did was an attempt to enhance this idea of simplicity. Brunelleschi incorporated many new mathematical ideas into his designs and had influence on many later Renaissance
During …show more content…
He was one of the first architects to use math to create his own new and distinct style. Brunelleschi is most famous for the Florence Cathedral, but another one of his great works of architecture was the Pazzi Chapel. Brunelleschi was one of the first architects to use perspective in his designs and he did exactly that in the Pazzi Chapel. Dr Roann Barris, an art history professor, says that Brunelleschi made every part of the structure measured and proportioned identically, but also recessed the windows to create illusions using perspective. This was important because Brunelleschi was not only one of the first Renaissance architects to understand perspective and ratios, but he was also able to change the way they were used. Recession of the windows was an uncommon idea, but it was ingenious considering that it easily changed the focal points of the structure. This was an idea that would be used by other architects such as Alberti and Palladio later on. Even though these ideas were extremely complex and revolutionary, most people did not realize this when looking at Brunelleschi's structures. Similar to most Renaissance architects, his designs actually appear quite simple. Experts from the Metropolitan Museum of Art say that Brunelleschi purposely used complex proportions as to make his structures look deceivingly simple. This is unsurprising; harmoniousness, simplicity, and balance were all very important in Renaissance architecture. But achieving these ideals was extremely complex and required great mathematical knowledge in and of itself. Filling the structure with new mathematical ideas as Brunelleschi did was an attempt to enhance this idea of simplicity. Brunelleschi incorporated many new mathematical ideas into his designs and had influence on many later Renaissance