Filippo Brunelleschi was the son of a well-known attorney in Florence. So at a young age, his father taught him how to read and write and know arithmetic. Since he thought Filippo would become an attorney like himself, he saw to it that he read many books on many different subjects. However, since his earliest childhood, Filippo showed a great interest in drawing pictures. His father wished him to be happy in his profession apprenticed him to be a goldsmith. To be a goldsmith in Florence was a most demanding profession. Only very gifted people were privileged to make things of precious jewels and metals. Filippo made armor, clocks, watches, coins and various other objects. Filippo mastered the goldsmith's many skills. He was fascinated with weights and balances and invented some ingenious watches and alarm clocks, which kept perfect time. It was quite natural that after time Filippo began to make more monumental works as a sculptor. He quickly mastered the art of sculpting and became well known for it. But as he worked at being a goldsmith and sculptor he dreamed one day of making buildings.
             For Filippo and many others, it seemed as if architecture was the mother of all the related arts of painting, sculpture, and decoration and as such surpassed them. After Filippo had worked hard all day he would go home and sketch and draw buildings and surround himself with architecture. He also watched masons and builders at work whenever he could. He also heard great wonderful things about the great knowledge that the ancient Roman builders had. He belonged to a group of people that studied a great deal of ancient Rome, these people believed that this ancient civilization had been in many ways, superior to their own. Filippo had occasionally seen roman coins and he would stare at the magnificent building and temples stamped on them. Unfortunately Rome lay many miles south of Florence and never had an opportunity to go there. ...