Architecture As a Form of Erudition: Early Modern Priest-Architects Susan Klaiber
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Articles Architecture as a Form of Erudition: Early Modern Priest-Architects Susan Klaiber isjunctions between contemporary Catholic Darchitecture and the liturgical and representational needs of the Church often relect conlict between the client’s sacred concerns and architecture’s secular culture, or divergence between the architectural needs of other denominations and those speciic to Catholicism. But historically this was not always the case. A look at the early modern era—the period of Renaissance and Baroque architecture, and of the Counter Reformation— reveals a substantial tradition of the Church producing its own architecture, with architects drawn from the ranks of priests and other religious. Although such arrangements did not guarantee a lack of conlict between architect, clients, and donors, the practice generally met the needs of the Church in a period of rapid expansion. These priest-architects represent a unique architectural culture set somewhat apart from the rest of the early modern era, during which the architectural profession changed profoundly and secular architects sought to distance themselves from their origins in the crafts and trades through a process of professionalization. This involved, among other things, establishing a body of architectural literature, bringing architecture into the learned discourse of scientiic scholarship, and founding architectural academies. Priest-architects contributed to this process in the secular world, but also within the context of religious institutions. The new religious orders founded in Photo: Angelo Costanza the sixteenth century, both before and Sant’ Irene Church, Lecce, Italy by Francesco Grimaldi, begun 1591 after the Council of Trent, were at the heart of the priest-architect phenome- in decision making. Yet architects from teenth century, generally had obtained non.1 The orders of regular clergy, such the orders could always help evaluate their architectural training outside the as the Jesuits,2 Barnabites,3 and The- plans, fill in as construction superinten- order. These men with a background as atines,4 as well as the newly reformed dents, or provide designs themselves, craftsmen, such as the Jesuit Giuseppe branches of medieval orders, such as particularly when funding was precari- Valeriano (1542 – 1596) who originally the Capuchins and Discalced Carmel- ous. This essay furnishes an overview trained and worked as a painter, gen- ites, frequently drew on the architec- of some of these men and their build- erally joined the new orders later in tural talents of their own members ings across Europe from c. 1550 to 1750, life.5 The Theatine Francesco Grimaldi when constructing new churches, and situates their work within the insti- (1543 – 1613) also entered the order houses, and other institutional build- tutional culture of the religious orders. late, at age thirty-one, but had already ings. To be sure, the orders also em- The first generation of Jesuit, Barn- been ordained a priest prior to joining ployed secular architects during this abite, and Theatine architects, active the Theatines.6 Grimaldi provided the period, particularly when generous from the mid-sixteenth century first plans for Sant’Andrea della Valle local patrons played a prominent role through the early decades of the seven- in Rome, designed several churches in Sacred Architecture Issue 24 2013 11 Articles buildings for the Jesuits, foremost Sant’Ignazio in Rome (begun 1626), the church of the Collegio Romano, but also at least portions of other buildings for the order, such as San Vigilio, Siena, and Sant’Ignazio (now Saint-Charles- Borromé) in Bastia on Corsica.11 Al- though Sant’Ignazio was not complet- ed entirely to Grassi’s plans, it stands as a monument to the architectural- mathematical scholarship and practical skills promoted in the Jesuit curricu- lum at the Society’s colleges. Under Grassi, the Jesuit order insti- tutionalized the connection between architecture and mathematics, appoint- ing the professor of mathematics at the Collegio Romano the order’s con- siliarus aedificiorum. The consiliarus re- viewed all plans for new architectural projects within the order, with his ap- © The Trustees of the British Museum proval necessary before projects could Giovanni Francesco Grimaldi, black chalk drawing of Orazio Grassi’s proceed. The consiliarus commented Sant’ Ignazio Church under construction, Rome on the plans, and when necessary, made suggestions for improvements— Naples, and the Theatines’ Sant’Irene next century. These men were usually these were generally practical and eco- in Lecce (1588). In contrast to Vale- trained in mathematics through the nomic in nature, rather than aesthetic. riano and Grimaldi, Lorenzo Binago educational programs of the orders— The plans were submitted in dupli- (1554 – 1629), the first prominent Barn- mathematics in its early modern sense cate to the consiliarus, with one copy abite architect, joined the order while of quantifiable crafts and activities returned to the building site, and the young, at age eighteen. Yet Binago also such as mathematical seems to have had previous training in astronomy, perspec- drawing or architecture, since his earli- tive, and architecture est known drawing—made a year after (“mixed mathemat- entering the order—is already quite ac- ics”), in addition to complished.7 the developing field These priest-architects began to es- of what is now known tablish architectural identities for their as pure mathemat- religious communities as the orders ics.9 Thus equipped, moved from the temporary quarters the priest-mathema- of their earliest years to create perma- ticians pursued vo- nent architectural presences in rapidly cations as teachers expanding networks of churches and and scholars within houses across Italy and throughout their orders, and they Europe. Such early churches were often participated as archi- simple, since the immediate functional tects or consultants in needs during expansion and financial many of their orders’ constraints overrode wishes for more building projects. elaborate designs. Grassi’s career After this first generation, the Jesuit in the broad field of Orazio Grassi8 (1583 – 1654) marks the seventeenth-century transition to the later type of institu- mathematics unfold- tionalized scholarly priest-architects. ed primarily at the By the early seventeenth century, the Collegio Romano, new orders had established them- where he briefly con- selves as centers of learning and educa- sidered establishing tion as well as patrons of architecture, a Jesuit architectural constructing not only churches and school, but became convents, but also colleges and semi- most famous for his naries, hospitals, libraries, and other clashes with Galileo institutional buildings. The traits mani- Galilei regarding Photo: SXC 10 fested in Grassi’s career came to char- comets. Grassi San Lorenzo, Turin, by Guarino Guarini, 1670-80 acterize most priest-architects over the designed several 12 Sacred Architecture Issue 24 2013 Articles other retained for the order’s archives; general logistic assis- these plans are now all preserved in the tance.16 For his two large Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris.12 secular projects for the In addition to architectural skills cul- Prince of Carignano, the tivated for the order’s own immediate Palazzo Carignano and needs, the Jesuit colleges throughout the Castello of Racconi- Europe often instructed their secular gi, the surviving draw- pupils in military architecture, such as ings show at least two the art of building fortifications. This or three other draftsmen met a future need for young men plan- besides Guarini. These ning to pursue a military career, and draftsmen seem to have was therefore included within their been secular architects mathematics curriculum.13 hired by the patron to Similar architectural needs, educa- assist the priest busy tional programs, and—sometimes—in- with numerous publica- stitutional mechanisms led to similar tion projects as well as architectural cultures in other early other duties beyond the modern religious orders, particularly building site.17 those associated with the Counter Ref- After publishing phi- ormation. For these orders, architec- losophy and geometry ture fit into a larger vision of the schol- textbooks, and smaller arship that priests would normally works on astronomy, pursue, and indeed could be consid- fortifications, and con- ered a kind of apostolate for the order. struction measurement, In this sense, when a priest designed Guarini finally seems to churches for his order—or other build- have turned to writing ings for its patrons, thereby also sup- his architectural trea- porting the order indirectly—he was tise during the last five doing work that was part of his voca- or six years of his life. 14 tion as a priest. Indeed, right up to the Getty Research Library / Internet Archive The Theatine Guarino Guarini (1624 end of his life, Guarini Juan Bautista Caramuel’s treatise Architectura civil, – 1683) is perhaps the best-known of remained a scholar: he recta y obliqua, 1678, Part IV, Plate VI these architects, joining the ranks of died in Milan appar- major secular architects such as Bernini ently while there supervising the pub- works in diverse disciplines and trav- and Borromini in histories of Baroque lication of his two-volume astronomy eled extensively throughout Europe; he architecture. Yet precisely this success treatise Caelestis Mathematicae (Milan: became bishop of Vigevano in Lombar- has obscured his origins