San Sebastiano is an Early Renaissance church in Mantua, northern Italy. Begun in 1460 according to the designs of Leon Battista Alberti, it was left partially completed in the mid-1470s, by which time construction had slowed and was no longer being directed by Alberti. As a consequence, little remains of Alberti’s work apart from the plan, which is considered one of the earliest and most significant examples of Renassiances centrally-planned churches. The plan is in the shape of a Greek cross, with three identical arms centering apses, under a central cross-vaulted space without any interior partitions. The church sits on a ground-level crypt which was intended to serve as a mausoleum for the Gonzaga family.[1]
Facade of San Sebastiano church.
The complete absence of columns in the façade signified for Rudolf Wittkower[2] a decisive turning-point in Alberti's interpretation of architecture, moving beyond his statements in De Re Aedificatoria where he considered the column the noblest ornament of building. The façade concealing a narthex that runs the full width of the structure is precisely as wide as its height from the entrance level to the apex of the pediment; it may be fitted with the perfect geometry of the square. The temple front has been converted by Alberti into wall-architecture, as Wittkower noted, and a complete series of pilasters, like pillars embedded in the wall, has been elided to the two outermost, and the two flanking Pellegrino Ardizoni's clumsy doorway,[3] which overlaps them and ill suits its space.
Inside view.
A surviving letter of 1470 from the patron, Ludovico III Gonzaga, Marquis of Mantua, to the on-site architect agreeing with Alberti's proposal to reduce the number of pilasters on the portico[4] illuminates Alberti's plan of 1460.
The two outer staircases were added in the twentieth century; prior to 1925 old photographs show the entrance was a single stair to the quattrocento loggia appended to Alberti's design. Wittkower demonstrates that Alberti's plan comprised a set of stairs the full width of the façade leading to five doors (three of which have been filled in as dysfunctional balconies).
The most unexpected motif in the façade is the central break in the entablature presented by the window opening, doubtless intended to be arch-headed under the arched entablature that joins the outer sections, a motif that Wittkower conjectured Alberti knew from the side elevations of the Roman triumphal arch at Orange.
^Franco Borsi. Leon Battista Alberti (New York: Harper & Row, 1977)
^Rudolf Wittkower, Architectural Principles in the Age of Humanism, (1962) 1965: pp 47-53, p 47
^"Ardizoni finished the church to the best of his poor ability... Careless and without imagination, he here copied exactly the frame of the central door which leads from the vestibule into the church" (Wittkower, 1965:50f).
^Wittkower's reconstruction of Alberti's original intentions (Wittkower 1965 p 52 fig. 7) features the order of six pilasters dividing the façade into the five bays still represented by the doors.
sebastiano, mantua, sebastiano, early, renaissance, church, mantua, northern, italy, begun, 1460, according, designs, leon, battista, alberti, left, partially, completed, 1470s, which, time, construction, slowed, longer, being, directed, alberti, consequence, . San Sebastiano is an Early Renaissance church in Mantua northern Italy Begun in 1460 according to the designs of Leon Battista Alberti it was left partially completed in the mid 1470s by which time construction had slowed and was no longer being directed by Alberti As a consequence little remains of Alberti s work apart from the plan which is considered one of the earliest and most significant examples of Renassiances centrally planned churches The plan is in the shape of a Greek cross with three identical arms centering apses under a central cross vaulted space without any interior partitions The church sits on a ground level crypt which was intended to serve as a mausoleum for the Gonzaga family 1 Facade of San Sebastiano church The complete absence of columns in the facade signified for Rudolf Wittkower 2 a decisive turning point in Alberti s interpretation of architecture moving beyond his statements in De Re Aedificatoria where he considered the column the noblest ornament of building The facade concealing a narthex that runs the full width of the structure is precisely as wide as its height from the entrance level to the apex of the pediment it may be fitted with the perfect geometry of the square The temple front has been converted by Alberti into wall architecture as Wittkower noted and a complete series of pilasters like pillars embedded in the wall has been elided to the two outermost and the two flanking Pellegrino Ardizoni s clumsy doorway 3 which overlaps them and ill suits its space Inside view A surviving letter of 1470 from the patron Ludovico III Gonzaga Marquis of Mantua to the on site architect agreeing with Alberti s proposal to reduce the number of pilasters on the portico 4 illuminates Alberti s plan of 1460 The two outer staircases were added in the twentieth century prior to 1925 old photographs show the entrance was a single stair to the quattrocento loggia appended to Alberti s design Wittkower demonstrates that Alberti s plan comprised a set of stairs the full width of the facade leading to five doors three of which have been filled in as dysfunctional balconies The most unexpected motif in the facade is the central break in the entablature presented by the window opening doubtless intended to be arch headed under the arched entablature that joins the outer sections a motif that Wittkower conjectured Alberti knew from the side elevations of the Roman triumphal arch at Orange See also editTempio MalatestianoReferences edit Franco Borsi Leon Battista Alberti New York Harper amp Row 1977 Rudolf Wittkower Architectural Principles in the Age of Humanism 1962 1965 pp 47 53 p 47 Ardizoni finished the church to the best of his poor ability Careless and without imagination he here copied exactly the frame of the central door which leads from the vestibule into the church Wittkower 1965 50f Wittkower s reconstruction of Alberti s original intentions Wittkower 1965 p 52 fig 7 features the order of six pilasters dividing the facade into the five bays still represented by the doors 45 09 N 10 47 E 45 15 N 10 78 E 45 15 10 78 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title San Sebastiano Mantua amp oldid 1019313344, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
