16th Century Architecture

To discuss 16th-century architecture as at once classicist and anticlassicist, it is necessary to introduce the element of mannerism as what Hauser calls an "undercurrent" of style of the period. Mannerist works, whether architectural or strictly artistic, represent an abstraction from previous styles--in this case architectural classicism. But Hauser, who sees manneristic parallels between sixteenth- and twentieth-century design, cautions against making too much of mannerism as a defining form:

[T]he necessary consequence in formulating a definition of the style is that, while due attention will be paid to its aspiration to grace and beauty and its tendency to the sophisticated and affected, injustice will necessarily be done to the other equally important factor, namely its aspiration to expressionism and spiritual depth; and consequently the real criterion of mannerism will be the exquisite and artificial, thus unacceptably restricting if not actually distorting, the concept. Spiritualism and formalism are just as inseparably linked in mannerism as are the principle

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he pier begins at the bottom of the corbels. The third story windows depart from the Roman style and point toward a break from absolute classicism. These windows are not arched but square. They are decorated with a cornice and flanked by decorative corbels. These windows alternate with niches comprising a narrow, rounded, and highly decorated arch frieze that is entirely sculptural and not at all functional. The dormers on the dome of St. Peter's reflect classical symmetry but not absolute repetition of classical design. Alternating with unbroken pediment window arches are windows with rounded pediments, which do not have an equivalent in classicism. This represents a break with the past as far as design is concerned. For one thing, it adds design interest to what might have become a monotonous feature of design. One could argue that another architect might have simply used squared pediments to frame these windows, thus making the design perfectly acceptable from a classical point of view but also making it almost too regular. It turns out, however, that the rounded pediments have the effect of integrating the windows beneath the base of the dome with the shape of the dome itself. Thus decoration for its own sake enters
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St Peter's, Teatro Olimpico, Greek Roman, Palladio Michelangelo, Additionally Clark, , Italy Jacquet, Palladio Palladio's, Hauser Arnold, Vitruvius Pollio, st peter's, rounded pediments, jacquet 1970, scaena frons, classicist anticlassicist, roman arches, classical roman, balustrade height stylobate, base pediment, roman architecture, balustrade height, dome st peter's, classicist anticlassicist features, decoration own sake, squared rounded pediments,
Approximate Word count = 1776
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page)

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