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| CONTENTS | ||
Chapter I | ||
| Introduction | ||
| PAGE | ||
Character of the Fine Arts of the Renaissance not hitherto correctly set forth—The Fine Arts always an expression of the conditions and beliefs of a people—Mediæval Christianity as a source of artistic inspiration—Conditions that gave character to the Fine Arts of the Middle Ages—Artistic productions of the Renaissance qualified by the immoral tendencies of the time—Luxury and extravagance of Florence at the close of the fifteenth century—The Fine Arts made to minister to sensuous pleasure—Best classic art unknown in the Renaissance time—Mixed influences actuating the artist of the Renaissance—The Renaissance and the Middle Ages compared as to development of the individual—Lack of aptitude for construction among the architects of the Renaissance—The Italian genius for painting—The painter's habits of design shown in the Renaissance use of the orders—Classification of architectural styles—Painting the best art of the Renaissance—Yet Italian painting of the sixteenth century is not all of exemplary character—Best art of the Renaissance founded on the earlier Christian art—A retrospective movement not a vital force in artistic development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
1 | |
Chapter II | ||
| The Dome of Florence | ||
Exhibits a wide departure from older dome constructions—Sources of the architect's inspiration—General character of earlier domes—Remarkable construction of the dome of the Florentine Baptistery—It probably supplied the chief inspiration to both Arnolfo and Brunelleschi—Brunelleschi's departures from the Baptistery scheme—His structural system and his own account of it—No Gothic character possible in a dome—The dome of Florence a daring innovation—Its general dimensions—Brunelleschi's great ability as a constructor—His achievement of the work without the usual centring—Consideration of the dome as a work of art—The inherent weakness of its form—This not appreciated by the early Italian writers—Precautions taken for its stability—Signs of disintegration—Uncertainty as to its duration—Opinions of the early Italian writers as to its security—Structural integrity essential to good architecture—No classic character in Brunelleschi's dome—Inferior character of the classic details of the lantern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
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