Vitrivius’ Rules.
In antiquity, the dimensional relationships in architecture were derived from the music theory. Renaissance architects took the proportions of the human body as their starting point. They studied and sketched Roman structures and followed the guidelines from Vitruvius’ Architectura.
We welcome you to the March 2022 edition of ” Through Different Eyes “.
All year around, Brinkman Fine Real Estate invites you into a carefully curated portfolio of properties in The Netherlands and beyond, each one a masterpiece of architectural distinction.
We look forward to seeing you soon.
Palladio, Villa Rotonda, 1566, Vicenza.
VITRUVIUS’ RULES
Bramante, Tempietto, 1502, Rome.
In antiquity, the dimensional relationships in architecture were derived from the music theory. Renaissance architects took the proportions of the human body as their starting point. They studied and sketched Roman structures and followed the guidelines from Vitruvius’ Architectura. Around 25 B.C., Vitruvius, in his Architectura, described the proportions of the ideal human body and how architects could make use of these proportions. According to Vitruvius, a human is the measure of things. Fixed proportions result from the harmony of the cosmos. The unit of measure for temples should be determined by the thickness of the columns. Based on this knowledge, one determines the distance between the columns; this has to be 2÷ column thickness. And so architects continued to calculate, from the base of the columns to the capital to the entablature. In the Renaissance, these rules were elevated to the classical, Vitruvian rules.
In addition to perfect dimensions, symbolism also played a larger role. The humanist, Neoplatonic school of Cosimo de Medici in Florence saw connections between the philosophy of Plato and Christianity. Just as a human fits precisely into a circle and a square, the Platonic cube, sphere and cylinder reflect universal order and harmony. To achieve divine harmony, measurement was required. Every Renaissance architect had to apply a modular system and good proportions as canon. Certain ratio numbers expressed cosmic harmony. Brunelleschi and Alberti preferred to use basic geometric shapes such as the square and circle. Shapes like the triangle also took on symbolic meaning. A triangle referred to the Holy Trinity; the circle is a perfect form without end and a dome the symbol for the cosmos. Following Plato, the Neoplatonists were convinced that a mathematical structure underlies all creation, but their mathematical approach to harmony remained infused with medieval spirituality.
In the renaissance, beauty was seen as: “A rational arrangement and fusion of the proportions of all the parts of a building, such that each part has its absolutely fixed form and size and nothing can be added or removed without disturbing the harmony of the whole.” Modules brought harmony to a design. Central construction was preferred whenever possible; the more symmetrical lines in a design, the better. Decorations were drawn from the classical language of form, but applied within the set standards of regularity and symmetry.
Text: Anna Vlaardingerbroek
Student History of Art
Source: Kleiner, Fred. S. Gardner’s Art through the Ages: A Concise Western History. 4th print. Boston: Cengage Learning, 2017.
DE SEYLENDE HOOP
Spuistraat 253
Amsterdam, North-Holland
‘The Strength of a Distinctive Design’
A beautiful three-story apartment located in one of the few remaining warehouses on the Spuistraat, dating back to 1774. The character of the historic warehouse is well preserved and recognizable throughout the apartment. Chipped brickwork and visible beams provide an authentic atmosphere to the rooms. The apartment was distinctively renovated in 2015 with the help of interior architect Ingrid Wijnen, who brought unity and peace throughout this spacious apartment. The side windows on the upper floors provide the apartment with lots of early daylight from the east. The floor timber of the attic, which was partially removed at the front of the apartment, provides an enormously spatial experience and light in the afternoon. In the evening, you can see the sun go down from your rooftop terrace, just near the Westertoren.
