Humanist Moral Philosophy in Architecture
Combining the basic concepts inherent in the architecture of ancient Rome with a humanist moral philosophy, Andrea Palladio could be considered the most influential architect in the western world. His style of architecture became known as Palladianism and gained prominence towards the end of the Renaissance. His treatise on architecture, I Quattro Libri dell'Architettura, is described as a "manual of classicizing design" and would set the standard for many architects to follow for centuries (Sturgis, 118). Palladio's text revolutionized western architecture, founded several schools of study, and remains a major influence to all students of architecture (Sturgis, 118). One such architect, Thomas Jefferson, called his English translation of Palladio's text "the Bible" (Clark, 92). Taken in this context, the influence of Palladio on modern architecture can best be seen by comparing the similarities between Palladio's masterpiece, the Villa Rotunda, and Jefferson's own masterwork, Monticello.It is very easy to discern the similarities of both structures when viewing them together for the first time. Both structures rest on hilltops, have facades that use Greco-Roman facades, and have a centrally located dome. Each adopt
Both buildings reflect the different ideals of the people who designed them. The building is situated forty-five degrees to the south, allowing the rooms to receive sunlight throughout the day. From this dome, four groups of rooms radiate outward in perfect proportion to the dome. The building does not dominate the landscape, as seems to be the case with Villa Rotunda. Regardless, both men found new ways to combine the oldest forms of architecture with modern techniques and ideals. The influence of Villa Rotunda, and the overall work of Palladio, on Jefferson cannot be denied. It is the function of the two buildings that separates these two structures more than anything. From the dome and main hall, Jefferson deviates from Villa Rotunda's design. Palladio was influenced by his humanist ideals and intended to make Villa Rotunda an extension of this (Wittkower, 53). The rooms are proportional to themselves, but more importantly, they are proportional to the building as a whole. On the Northern and Southern faces, Jefferson chose to extend the main body of the house, creating more of a rectangle. The detail work is intricate and delicate. At first, it may seem that Jefferson was attempting to produce a copy of Villa Rotunda, but the buildings do have some differences. While the outside is balanced, the interior deviates from Villa Rotunda's precise rooms with interior spaces that vary in size.
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Acceptance Essays
