Donato Bramante

Donato Bramante was a famous Italian architect and painter who is best
known for his work on St. Peters Basilica [1]. Born in 1444 to a farmers
family, he began his artistic career under the guidance of the noted
Renaissance artists of Mantegna and Piero della Francesca [2]. In his
early studies he was most interested in the rules of perspective [2].
Although his architecture skills eventually surpassed his artistic skills, his
early art training can be seen throughout his buildings [2].

Barmante moved to the city of Milan in approximately 1474 to continue

his architectural development [3]. The city of Milan was filled with
buildings of the gothic style which influenced Bramante during the
creation of several churches in the city [2]. His works were noticed by
the Duke Ludovico Sfora and Bramante completed many works for his new
patron [3]. In addition to essentially being Sforas personal court
architect, Bramantes relation with Sfora culminated with the rebuilding
of the church of Santa Maria presso San Satiro. Bramante also built the
structures of Santa Maria delle Grazie, cloisters of SantAmbrogio, and
Palazzo Caprini among other smaller works in Milan. As the French army
invaded Milan in 1499, Barmantes patron, Sforza, fled and Bramante
followed suit moving to Rome where he spent the rest of his life [2].

Once in Rome, Bramantes talents were soon recognized by Cardinal Della

Rovere. The cardinal becoming Pope Julius II gave Bramante a very
powerful and wealthy patron. Early in his relation with Pope Julius,
Bramente worked on the plans for the Belvedere courtyard in the Vatican
in [1]. Another one of his notable works for the Pope included the cloister
of santa Maria della Pace near Piassa Navona. One of Barmantes most
amazing works for the Pope was the Tempietto of San Pietro in Montoria
on the Janiculum. This building could be considered one of the most
harmonious buildings of the Renaissance, consisting of more aspects of
sculpture than architecture this piece could be considered an
architectural masterpiece [2]. Bramante had planned on adding a
courtyard around his work, but Pope Julius had bigger plans for him. In
November 1503 Barmante was tasked with the re-building of St Peters
Basilica [3]. This task was the grandest architectural commission of the
European 16th century. [3] The grand scale of the Basicilla occupied
Bramantes time until the end of his life in 1514. Although the basilica was
not completed before Bramantes death his architectural brilliance can be
seen in its construction.

Church of Santa Maria presso San Satiro [3]

The church was built on commission by Duke Sfora and was dedicated
Saint Satyrus. Although the structure was initially attributed mainly to
Bramante, it has recently come to light that he had more of a minor roll.
Still his characteristic style focusing on perspective can be seen in
aspects of the building. The edifice has a nave and two aisles with barrel
vault. The nave is surmounted by a dome at the crossing with the
transept. Bramantes contributions can be seen in the choir area that had
to be remodeled. In order to make up for the reduced choir size,
Bramante used a perspective painting to make it look bigger than it
actually is. This was one of the first examples of trompe l'oeil in history
of art. Trompe loeil is an art technique that utilizes a realistic painting
style to create an optical illusion of three-dimensionality.[4]

Belvedere courtyard in the Vatican [8]

This work is an example of the high renaissance style consisting of a

courtyard, piazzas and a garden. A series of terraces that are connected
by steps serve to connect the Vadicant palace with the Villa Belvedere.
Although Barmante never saw the work completed and the final product
had alterations, his designs contained many unique ideas. He regularized
the slope as a set of terraces, linked by rigorously symmetrical stairs on
the central longitudinal axis, to create a sequence of formal spaces that
was unparalleled in Europe, both in its scale and in its architectural unity.
Bramante also integrated another innovation when he split the set of
stairs running to the top terrace around the retaining wall and then
returning to the center. The wings that flank the courtyard have three
levels in the lower court and end on the terraces with the upper most
level reaching the top most terrace. Bramante used his artistic
perspective training to add another feature to the courtyard when he
added a screening wall to hide the fact that the villa faade was not
parallel to the vadicant wall.

Santa Maria della Pace[9]

Built in 1500-1504, Bramantes work on the cloister became a main

feature in the church monastery complex. The cloister consisted of two
levels the first is articulated by shallow pilasters set against an arcade;
the second also has pilasters set against an arcade which is vertically
continuous with the lower storey, but with columns located in between
each arch span. This piece of art was recorded as Bramantes first work
in Rome.

Image of the cloister designed by Bramante

Tempietto of San Pietro[10]

Built in the courtyard of San Pietro in Montorio, this piece of

architecture is considered a masterpiece of High Renaissance
architecture. Built as a monument to a martyr, this works is more artistic
than structural. The structure is composed of slender Tuscan columns, a
Doric entablature modeled after the ancient Theater of Marcellus, and a
dome. This masterpiece has warranted such comments from
architectural conissures:[11]

The emphasis here is on the harmony of proportions, the simplicity of

volumes (cylinder, hemisphere) and the sobriety of the Doric Order. The
circular plan symbolizes divine perfection. Inspired by ancient temples,
the Tempietto is both a homage to antiquity and a Christian memorial."

Mitchell Beazley. The World Atlas of Architecture. p276.

"For Bramante, the planning of the Tempietto must have represented the
union of illusionistic painting and architecture he had spent his career
perfecting. The building, too small on the inside to accommodate a
congregation (only 15 feet in diameter), was conceived as a 'picture' to be
looked at from outside, a 'marker', a symbol of Saint Peter's martyrdom."

Marvin Trachtenberg and Isabelle Hyman. Architecture: from

Prehistory to Post-Modernism. p302.

St. Peters Basilica [12]

The rebuilding of St. Peters Basilica was comissiond by Pope Julius II and
was the subject of a competition. In order to decide which designer would
be used, the designers had to submit their plans and a winner would be
chosen. From this grou, Bramante was chosen to to rebuild the basilica.
Drawing inspiration from the Pantheon, the first stone in the project was
laid in 1506. Barmantes design did different from the pantheon in that it
utilized four pillars to support the dome as opposed to a continuous wall.
The dome was then topped with a latern. Bramante had envisioned that
the central dome be surrounded by four lower domes at the diagonal axes.
The equal chancel, nave and transept arms were each to be of two bays
ending in an apse. At each corner of the building was to stand a tower, so
that the overall plan was square, with the apses projecting at the cardinal
points. However when pope Julius died, Bramante was replaced from the
head desiging position. However, many of his original designs greatly
influenced the future designers that eventually finished the construction
of the basilica.