Bramante and the Aesthetics of High Renaissance

Thesis: Bramante an Italian architect and painter whose work centered around the classical style of the ancients (www. wga. hu/index_co. html). Because Bramante is also attributee to the drawing of The Interior of the Church(www. wga. hu/index_co. html) The engraving was done by Bernado Prevedari. (www. wga. hu/index_co. html). Continuing to analyze the Church of Santa Maria, Bramante added the tribune to east end of the large church. The church was previously built in Gothic style in 1463, but was later torn down and Replaced by a Renaissance structure, to house the tombs if the Sforza Dynasty.

We will also look at other works and the semblance of these works by Donato Bramante. Bramante or Bramante Lazzari an Italian painte and architect was born in July 1444. He was born at the Monte Asdruvaldo in Urbino,(www. nndb. com/people/700/000084448). As a child Bramante showed a great taste for drawing and he was placed under the tutuledge of Fra Bartemmeo also called Fra Carnavale. Bramante was soon absorbed by architecture and studied under Scirro Scirri, an archtect in his native place as well as under other master.

Bramante set from Urbino executing works of varying magnitudes as he proceeded through several of Lombardy. (www. nndb. com). Bramante finally reached the city of Milan in Rome where he was attracted by the fame of the great Duomo. While in Milan Bramante devoted himself to the study of ancient buildings, both in the city and as far south as Naples (www. nndb. com). Bramante was commissioned by the Cardinal Caraffa to rebuild the cloister of the Convent della Pace. The Cardinal then introduced Bramante to Pope Alexander VI.

Bramante then executed for the Pope the Palace of the Cancelleria or Chancery. (www. nndb. com). Bramante was one of the most important architects of the papal court. This comes from the work he done for Pope Alexander VI and under Pope Julius II, Bramante undertook the redesign of the Vatican Palaces around the Belevedere courtyard. (lib-art. com/artgallery/755-donato-bramante. html). The repositioned fresco of Men at Arms and the wood panel Christ at the Column are at The Bera Gallery Houses.

The Christ at the Column is the only painting that can be attributed to Bramante. (www. lib-art. com). Bramante’s work again can be seen at the Sforza Castle which contains Bramante’s symbolic fresco Argus which he painted with Brammantino. (www. lib-art. com). Most of Bramante’s art is attributed to his architecture in the Church of Santa Maria. Bramante is attributed with the tribune, the exterior of the church,the exterior of the church as well as the interior of the choir.

Although there is no record that connects Bramante’s name with the present apse, transept, crossing,and dome they are attributed to him under the influence of Leonardo da Vinci whose radical architectural ideas they represent. (www. lib-art. com). Bramante executed numerous smaller works at Bologna and Rome, among these smaller works which are specially mentioned by older writers, the cloister of San Pietro a Moontario. Bramante took part in the greatest architectural enterprise ever attempted it was the rebuilding of St. Peter’s.

This was done under the order of Pope Julius II and Bramamte’s design were completed and was pushed so fast that the four great pillars and their arches were completed before his death in 1514. (www. answers. com/topic/donato-bramante). Bramante was known for the classical style architecture. His work paintings as well as architecture represented his classical thoughts as well as his philosophy. (www. artcyclopedia. com). Bramante not only did paintings he specialzed in architecture. One of his first master pieces was the Tempietto, sits in the coutyard in Montorio. Bramante worked from a historical typology. www. wga. hu/index_co. html). As you look at Bramante’s works such as The Tempietto, His work on the Church of Santa Maria as well as The Piazzo Ducale, (www. lib-art. com), we see the architectural elements known to Bramante, these elements acknowledge a debt to classical structures. In conclusion we see that Bramante had a knack for art whether it was in a painting such as Christ at the Column, Heraclitus and Democritus to the pillars and columns of the Church of Santa Maria or the the Church of St. Peter. Bramante and his classical style of architectue influenced other painters and architects.