Landmark Renaissance church, burial place of the Medici, with a library designed by Michelangelo.

Florence: A Journey Through Renaissance Masterpieces

Accademia Gallery

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Riccardi Medici Palace

Central Market

Cappelle Medicee

Basilica di San Lorenzo

The Baptistery of St. John

Piazza del Duomo

pier macri

Ralph Hershberger

David Schmucki

Szabo Istvan

Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore

Piazza della Repubblica

Fontana del Porcellino

Juan Pablo Duque Ordoñez

Photoshop italia

Alessandra Calligaris

Carlos De la mora

Piazza della Signoria

Ervin Lulja

David José Scarabelotti júnior

Brunella Spinelli

Abderrazzak Zahri

Jonas Stankus

Fountain of Neptune

Palazzo Vecchio

Loggia dei Lanzi

Uffizi Gallery

Museo Galileo

Ponte Vecchio

The Boboli Gardens

Piazzale Michelangelo

Leaning Tower of Pisa

The Basilica di San Lorenzo in Florence, Tuscany, Italy, stands as a profound testament to the Medici family's influence, serving not merely as a church but as their parish church and eventual mausoleum. Brunelleschi's Old Sacristy, a pioneering example of Renaissance architecture, showcases his innovative use of mathematical proportions and geometric harmony, setting a new standard for sacred spaces. Michelangelo's New Sacristy, intended as a counterpoint, reveals a more dramatic and emotionally charged aesthetic, housing the tombs of Giuliano and Lorenzo de' Medici, each adorned with allegorical figures representing Day, Night, Dawn, and Dusk. The unfinished façade, a perpetual source of speculation, was originally intended to be clad in marble according to Michelangelo's designs, a project ultimately abandoned, leaving a stark contrast to the richly decorated interior. Donatello's bronze pulpits, depicting scenes from the life of Christ, represent his final masterpieces, showcasing his mastery of expressive realism and narrative storytelling. The Laurentian Library, designed by Michelangelo, is accessible through a separate entrance and is renowned for its innovative staircase and meticulously planned reading room, a sanctuary for humanist scholarship.

Introduction

The Old Sacristy, or Sagrestia Vecchia, within the Basilica di San Lorenzo, represents the oldest part of the current church and the only section completed during Brunelleschi's lifetime, making it a pivotal landmark in Renaissance architecture. Designed by Filippo Brunelleschi, its construction predates the main basilica, with the Medici family financing its completion by the early 1440s. This square, domed space, opening off the south transept, served as the burial site for several members of the Medici family. Brunelleschi conceived the Old Sacristy as a harmonious fusion of a sphere atop a cube, symbolizing the heavens and the human world, respectively.

Donatello's significant contributions between 1428 and 1443 include polychrome stuccos integrated within Brunelleschi's design. The sacristy features eight tondi, circular reliefs by Donatello, depicting the Evangelists and scenes from the life of St. John. The interior reflects a geometrically precise design, embodying the early Renaissance ideals of proportion and unity. The Old Sacristy is hailed as the first accomplished cultural and artistic message of the early Renaissance, setting a precedent for a new architectural style centered on proportion, unified elements, and classical orders. A notable feature within the transept is the small planetarium painted on the dome's interior, believed by some to depict the celestial alignment above Florence in July 1442, showcasing the moon, planets, and stars against a dark blue backdrop.

Old Sacristy

The Basilica di San Lorenzo houses Donatello's two bronze pulpits, his last works, which depict the Passion and Resurrection of Christ. Created in the 1460s, these pulpits showcase Donatello's innovative approach to religious art in his later years, marking a departure from established artistic rules. Vasari noted their "great strength and ingenuity," though Donatello, due to his age, left their completion to his pupil Bertoldo di Giovanni.

Remarkable differences exist between the two pulpits. The Passion Pulpit on the left is fairly homogeneous, while the Resurrection Pulpit on the right displays some irregularities. Art historians have suggested that reliefs from the right pulpit were originally designed for the tomb of Cosimo the Elder. The fifteen reliefs, some dating back to the seventeenth century with wooden cores covered in bronze, were not initially conceived as a unified work.

The pulpits feature unequal heights, varying numbers of scenes, and dissimilar frames, with one pulpit displaying wild horses at the corners of the frieze while the other lacks this detail. Donatello's assistants, including Bertoldo di Giovanni and Bellano, contributed to the completion of the pulpits, making it possible to discern different styles within the reliefs. These pulpits stand as a testament to Donatello's artistic freedom in his later career, pushing the boundaries of Renaissance art within the Basilica di San Lorenzo.

Donatello's Pulpits

The Basilica di San Lorenzo in Florence, despite its architectural significance, is notably marked by its unfinished façade, a state that has persisted for over five centuries. Originally, the church's construction followed a typical pattern, prioritizing the completion of the east end for religious services, a common practice given the lengthy building campaigns of the time. In 1515, Pope Leo X, a Medici, initiated a design competition for the façade, ultimately commissioning Michelangelo.

Michelangelo produced several drawings and a detailed wooden model, completed around 1517, which is still on display at the Casa Buonarroti. However, the project stalled, and the commission was rescinded in 1520, possibly due to the intended use of expensive Carrera marble or the prioritization of Michelangelo's work on the New Sacristy.

Over the years, numerous attempts have been made to revive the façade project. These included an offer from Anna Maria Luisa de’ Medici in the eighteenth century, designs by Pasquale Poccianti in 1837, and a competition in 1900 funded by Francesco Mattei, which resulted in a design by Cesare Bazzani that was ultimately rejected due to public disapproval. More recently, in 2011, Mayor Matteo Renzi considered a public referendum to complete the façade according to Michelangelo’s plans, but this never materialized. The unfinished façade remains a topic of debate, with arguments ranging from preserving its historical authenticity to finally realizing Michelangelo's vision.

Michelangelo's Unfinished Façade

The Basilica di San Lorenzo owes much of its existence and artistic grandeur to the Medici family's patronage. As their parish church, the Medici invested heavily in San Lorenzo, transforming it into a monument that reflected their power and cultural influence. Giovanni di Bicci de' Medici initiated the reconstruction in 1419, commissioning Filippo Brunelleschi, whose innovative Renaissance design marked a turning point in architecture. The Medici's financial backing was crucial, especially for the Old Sacristy, which became the family mausoleum.

Later, the Medici Chapels, including the New Sacristy designed with sculptures by Michelangelo, and the opulent Chapel of Princes, further solidified the family's presence. Lorenzo the Magnificent continued this legacy, commissioning Verrocchio to create the tomb of his father Piero and uncle Giovanni. Lorenzo also fostered artistic talent, with artists like Leonardo da Vinci, Sandro Botticelli, and Michelangelo benefiting from his support. His diplomatic acumen extended to the arts, as seen when he sent Ghirlandaio, Botticelli, and Pietro Perugino to Rome to paint murals in the Sistine Chapel, interpreted as solidifying the alliance between Lorenzo and Pope Sixtus IV. Lorenzo himself is buried within the Medici Chapel, a testament to the family's enduring connection to San Lorenzo.

Medici Patronage

The Basilica di San Lorenzo in Florence stands as a key example of Brunelleschi's innovative approach to Renaissance architecture. Originally consecrated in 393 AD, the 15th-century rebuilding was commissioned to Brunelleschi in 1419 by Giovanni di Bicci de' Medici, marking a departure from the Gothic style and a return to Romanesque Proto-Renaissance principles. Brunelleschi's design, though completed with alterations after his death, showcases his focus on harmony and perfect proportions.

The basilica's design incorporates Corinthian arcades and flat ceiling panels, reflecting a revival of classical architectural elements. The Old Sacristy, completed in Brunelleschi's lifetime, exemplifies his architectural philosophy, representing the human world as a cube and the heavens as a sphere above. The floorplan is based on a square created by the crossing of the nave and transept.

However, the basilica's construction faced challenges, including funding shortages and design modifications after Brunelleschi's death in 1446. The chapels along the side aisles were not completed according to his original vision, leading to later criticism regarding the columns and steps along the aisles. Despite these deviations, San Lorenzo remains a significant illustration of Brunelleschi's architectural principles and his impact on the development of Renaissance architecture.

Brunelleschi's Renaissance Architecture

Basilica di San Lorenzo

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