preview

Instauratio Romae Research Paper

Good Essays

“Bramante was the first to bring back to the light of day the good and beautiful architecture that had been hidden since the time of the Ancients.” Palladio
The history of Donato Bramante (1444-1514) reveals one of the most influential architects of the Roman High Renaissance . Bramante’s relationship with Pope Julius II profoundly influenced his technique and a symbiosis existed between Bramante, Julius II, and the city of Rome itself. With the Pope as Bramante’s benefactor, resources for rebuilding were available on a grand scale and the motivation to carry forth the Instauratio Romae was in place. Despite his uncompleted projects, Bramante imbued sixteenth-century Rome with imperial glory due to his use of the principles of classical …show more content…

His first commission from Julius, the Cortile del Belvedere, circa 1504-1505, demonstrated the audacious nature of the Pope’s Instauratio Romae. Julius desired to link the old Vatican Palace to Pope Innocent VIII’s summer home, the Villa Belvedere 300 meters to the north. Spanning the intervening sloping valley was considerable work and Bramante had to design an enormous scheme of two and three story loggias to link the two buildings. The uneven terrain was simplified by a succession of terraced courts delineated on each side by these stacked loggias or corridors of Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian orders. The uppermost story ended in the courtyard on a single level. As Julius II strived to be the pope-emperor, he requested that the whole complex be built like an imperial acropolis and appear as a single massive unit. [figure 3] Bramante sought to revive the symbolism of Roman triumph through this comparison, for only the ancients had built on the scale of the Cortile del Belvedere. The upper court contained some of the most famous sculptures in history. The lower open terraces were reserved for performances, gladiatorial games, and bullfights. Both Bramante and Julius died before its completion and the building has since been greatly altered, but the scale and intended uses of Cortile del Belvedere indicate Julius’ desire to be the second Caesar and Bramante’s willingness to comply with his

Get Access