Waterhouse, Percy Leslie: The story of architecture throughout the ages: an introduction to the study of the oldest of the arts for students and general readers (London: B. T. Batsford, 1924)

RENAISSANCE ARCHITECTURE

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stamping his own individuality more strongly
on his native city than Arnolfo. When we take
our stand upon the hill of Samminiato, the
Florence at our feet owes her physiognomy in a
great measure to this man. The tall tower of
the Palazzo Vecchio, the bulk of the Duomo,
and the long, oblong mass of S. Croce, are all
his. Giotto's campanile, Brunelleschi’s cupola
on the dome, and the church of Orsammichele,
though not designed by him, are all placed
where he had planned.”*
Arnolfo’s plan of the cathedral embraced a
huge dome—a classical feature—to be carried
upon an octagon, 143 feet in diameter ; but he
died before the dome, as he had designed it,
could be constructed, and he left behind him no
information as to the method he had intended
to adopt for covering the octagon. Nothing
further was done until, in 1417, as the result of
a public competition, the task of constructing
the dome was intrusted to a young competitor
named Brunelleschi. Now, the story of Brunel-
leschi is the story of the origin and growth of
Renaissance architecture in Italy.
The Renaissance, or revival of classical forms
in art and literature, was the result of a great
national and intellectual movement which
manifested itself in Italy during the fourteenth
century, and thence spread over the whole of
Western Europe. Many causes contributed to
the revival:—the fashion, which became general,

* Symonds : “ The Renaissance in Italy.”

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