{The Renaissance (again) [continued (4)]}{– The Perfect Circle [continued (3)]}[1st May 1991]

[Redbook9:239][19910501:0800rr]{The Renaissance (again) [continued (4)]}{– The Perfect Circle [continued (3)]}[1^st May 1991]

19910501:0800

[continued]

‘The flexibility of the early years of the Vitruvian tradition did not outlive the High Renaissance. The whole point of Mannerist architecture is that it deliberately breaks the rules in the search for emotional effect * or even shock: Michelangelo’s vestibule to ** the Biblioteca Laurenziana (1524[ce] onwards)*** exemplifies this trend. But contemporary with Mannerism is an inclination to codify Vitruvian “rules” into a pedagogic system; such anti-mannerist retrenchment is a feature of the thought if not the practice of Pirro Ligorio (c[irca] 1500-83[ce]), the designer of the Villa d’Este at Tivoli (c-irca]1565-72[ce). We should call his architecture “mannerist”, but he speaks of “stupidities” in the work of his contemporaries and continually looks back to the achievements of the High Renaissance. Attitudes such as this helped to maintain the potency of the Renaissance tradition.’

****

*G~-R~

**(See illus[tration], ibid [] 684)

***64G~1520[ce]

**** – ibid [Encyclopaedia of Visual Art 4:] 630

[continued]

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