'"" ^ 'J^. rfCur'. Fig. I. — Venice. S. Maria della Salute. (See pp. 88-90.) BAROQUE ARCHITECTURE BY MARTIN SHAW BRIGGS A.K.I. B. A. " iAulhor of " In the Heel of Italy WITH 109 ILLUSTRATIONS NEW YORK ; ' McBRIDE, NAST & COMPANY ^ y 1914 ,iMvMV NA (^Ay n^/i/j reserved) In all ages there have been some excellent workmen, and some excellent work done.—Walter Pater. PREFACE is commonly supposed that the purpose of a preface is to IT explain the scope of a book to those who do not read so far as the first page. There is a touch of cynicism in such an opinion which makes one loth to accept it, but I prefer to meet my troubles half way by stating at the outset what I have emphasized in my last chapter—that this book is not in any way an attempt to create a wholesale revival of Baroque Architecture in England. It is simply a history of a complex and neglected period, and has been prepared in the uncertain intervals of an architectural practice. The difficulty of the work has been increased by the fact that the subject has never been dealt with as a whole in any language previously. Gurlitt in his Geschichte des Barockstiles, published in 1887, covered a considerable part of the ground, but his work is very scarce and expensive. To students his volumes may be recommended for their numerous plans, but for details and general views they are less valuable. In recent years several fine mono- graphs have appeared dealing with Baroque buildings in specific districts, and very recently in a new international series the principal buildings of the period in Germany and Italy have been illustrated. But these books have little or no explanatory letterpress. The bibliographies at the end of each of the following chapters have been compiled with care, and will assist those who wish to carry their researches further than the limits of this modest volume. My thanks are due to the Editors of The Builder and The Journal of the Royal Institute of British Architects for their courtesy in allowing me to use much literary material and many illustrations already published in the form of articles. I also wish to acknow- ledge here the kindness of those friends who have assisted me in the preparation of this book, M. S. B. Mill Hill, August^ 19 13. CONTENTS PAGE I. The Nature and Origin of Baroque Architecture 21 Derivation and significance of the words " Baroque " and " Rococo." Limits of Baroq,ue period. A development from late Renaissance types in Italy. Current and past opinion on the style. Various authorities cited. The real facts. Importance of Baroque archi- tecture in Italy and elsewhere. Need for closer study of the period, State of Italy in the seventeenth century. Social and religious, conditions. The Counter-Reformation. The Jesuits and other religious orders, inliuence ot spam, 'ihe later Renaissance archi- tects. Michelangelo, Palladio, Vasari, and Vignola. Th^ir pnsii-ian in regard to the Baroque period. II. Roman Popes and Churches . -33 State of Rome before Counter-Reformation. Rome the birthplace of Baroque art. Sixtus V and the pompous spirit of his age. Vandalism of the Papal builders.' Wealth and power of the seventeenth-century Popes. Their building schemes. The principal Baroque churches in Rome. S. Peter's, S. John Lateran, S. Maria Maggiore, the Gesii, S. Luigi dei Francesi, S. Maria della Vallicella, S. Andrea della Valle, S. Ignazio, S. Maria della Vittoria. Borromini's churches. S. Carlo alle Quattro Fontane, S. Ivo alia Sapienza, S. Filippo Neri, S. Agnese. S. Maria in Campitelli, S. Luca e Martina, S. Carlo al Corso, S. Maria della Pace, SS. Vincenzio ed Anastasio, S. Antonio de' Portoghesi, S. Girolamo della Caritk, S. Maria di Montesanto, S. Maria dei Miracoli, SS. Domenico e Sisto, S. Carlo ai Catinari. Late churches. S. Croce in Gerusalemme, S. Cecilia. III. The Work of Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680) . 48 Principal architect of seventeenth century in Italy. His close connection vnth the Papacy. Birth and youth. Early sculpture : Cardinal Borghese and Cardinal Barberini (later Urban VIII) his first patrons. His marvellous versatility. He is disgraced owing to an accident at S. Peter's. Returns to favour. His varied work, fame, and death. His architecture analysed. Always sculpturesque. Comparison with work of Michelangelo. His churches, at Castel Gandolfo, at Ariccia, and on the Quirinal. Their interior decoration and treat- ment. His work at S. Peter's—the belfry-towers, colonnade, the Scala Re^a, baldacclAno, reredos. Palazzo Barberini. Palazzo Chigi. Palazzo Ludovisi, Designs for the Louvre at Paris. His journey to France. Decorative details and sculpture. Monumental tombs. Influence of Bernini on posterity. His unique relation to Rome. CONTENTS PACB IV. Roman Palaces and Gardens . -59 Official palaces of the Papacy. The Vatican, Lateran, Quirinal, etc. Propaganda, Palazzo della Consulta. The earlier private palaces. Palazzi Borghese, Altemps, Gius- tiniani, Lancellotti, Ruspoli, Zuccari. Private palaces of the seventeenth century. Palazzi Sciarra, Rospigliosi, Mattel, Barberini, Monte Citorio, Pamfili, Altieri, S. Calisto, Madaraa, Spada. Later examples. Palazzi Doria, del Grillo, Toni, Bolognetti, Corsini. General principles of palace design in Rome. Difference between palaces and villas in Italy. The origin of the villa. Principles of garden design. Various examples described, in Rome, and at Tivoli, Frascati, Bagnaia, and Viterbo. Minor civic architecture. Number and importance of Roman fountains. Baroque " town-planning " in Rome. V. Genoa . .72 Interest of Genoese architecture. History of the city. Condition during seventeenth century. Great wealth and prosperity. Close intercourse with Spain. The " Street of Palaces." Alessi and his buildings. Birth and early career. His Porta del Molo. S. Maria in Carignano. The Via Nuova. Palazzi Cesare Cambiaso, Lercari-Parodi, Rosso, Adorno, Giorgio Doria, Serra, Spinola. Characteristics of Alessi's work. His influence. Another tendency towards Baroque art. Rich mural decoration introduced from Lombardy. Castello and his work. Rocco Lurago and the Municipio. Palazzo Bianco. Bartolommeo Bianco. Palazzi Balbi-Senarega, Durazzo-Pallavicini, and the Universita. Palazzo Reale. Albergo dei Poveri. Baroque churches. S. Ambrogio, SS. Annunziata, S. Maria di Castello, S. Salvatore, S. Siro, S. Giorgio, S. Torpete, S. Carlo, S. Pietro dei Banchi. Civil buildings. The Porta Pila and Borsa. Genoese villas and gardens. Their distinctive features and romantic situation. Gardens of Palazzo Doria. Villas at Sampierdarena, Pegli, San Francesco d'Albaro, and in the city itself. VI, Venice ...... 83 The unique position of Venice. Criticism of Venetian architecture, Ruskin and his teaching. Condition of the city during the seven- teenth century. A great centre for pleasure-seekers. The decadence in social life and its effect on art. Great prodigality of the noble ' families. First indication of Baroque influence. Two famous bridges. 10 CONTENTS Late Renaissance churches—S. Giorgio Maggiore and the Redentore. S. Maria della Salute, one of the greatest of Baroque churches. Ruskin quoted. Longhena and his work. S. Maria ai Scalzi. S. Maria Zobenigo. S. Lazzaro. S. Moise. S, Eustachio. S. Maria For- mosa. S. Maria dei Gesuiti. S. Maria dei Gesuati. The pompous Baroque tombs in Venetian churches. Principal Baroque palaces. Palazzi Rezzonico, Pesaro, da Lezze, and Labia. The Dogana. The villas and gardens on the mainland near Venice. The Brenta. VII. Northern Italy and the Papal States . 97 The importance of local tradition in the different States of Italy. Geographical division of subject. Turin almost a Baroque city. Its ancient plan. Influence of France very noticeable in architecture, especially in Castello del Valentino. Principal architects in Turin, Guarini and Juvara. Their various works. Pellegrino Tibaldi and his buildings in Northern Italy. Birth and training. Collegia Borromeo at Pavia. Churches at Milan. Novara, etc. Character of his architecture. Other architects in Milan. Ricchini and his palaces. Alessi's Palazzo Marino. The Seminario. S. Alessandro. Villas and gardens in Lombardy and on the Italian lakes. Isola Bella. Villa d'Este, Cernobbio. Castellazzo. Baroque buildings at Brescia, Varese, and Cremona. Scanty memorials of the style in Florence. Pitti Palace and Boboli gardens. Other buildings. Tuscan villas. Verona, Vicenza, and other Venetian towns. The Gran Guardia Vecchia at Verona. Bologna and the Papal States a favourable district for studying Baroque architecture. The seventeenth-century school of Bolognese painters. Their work in church-decoration. The church of the Madonna di San Luca, near Bologna, an interesting example. Street- arcades. Baroque gateways. Minor examples in Parma, Ancona, Viterbo, Orbetello, Civita- vecchia, etc. VIII. The Kingdom of Naples .... 108 Differences between Northern and Southern Italy. Former historical boundaries adopted as a division in this work. The slow progress of the Renaissance south of Rome. Mediaeval tradition surviving, mingled with new Spanish influences. The Spaniards and Jesuits in the kingdom of Naples. The cjty of Naples and its art. Lack of local talent. Painters imported from Bologna and elsewhere. Florid character of Neapo- litan churches. San Martino a typical example. Other churches, " Guglie " and fountains. II CONTENTS PAGE The church of Montecassino. The great palace at Caserta. and Lecce a remarkable instance of a Baroque city. Situation characteristics. Principal buildings described. Other Apulian cities. Barletta and Foggia. Sicilian towns. Palermo and its interesting school of modelhng. Serpotta's works in stucco. A Baroque church at Messina recently destroyed. The cathedrals of Syracuse and Catania. Benedictine convent at Catania. Baroque palaces, villas, and fountains in Sicily. Malta The city of Valetta and its importance in the Baroque period. Fortifications and gateways. The "auberges" of the Knights of S. John. IX. An Analysis of Baroque Architecture in Italy 121 Treatment adopted in this chapter. The uneven progress of the Baroque movement. Advance in planning and design of churches. Lighting. Domes, belfries, and external features. Decoration of fa5ades and interiors.