Michelangelos laurentian library in florence architectural digest. It comprises the most lasting cultural inheritance which the medici family has passed down to the attention, care and admiration of posterity. If you wish to access the architecture library and are not a lu architecture student, staff or faculty member, please contact the library email. The laurentian library is one of michelangelos most important architectural achievements and his innovations and use of space in the library were revolutionary. The laurentian library biblioteca medicea laurenziana or bml is a historic library in florence, italy, containing more than 11,000 manuscripts and 4,500 early printed books. Based on the analysis of the existing software products, the experience and use of the. The laurentian library was a major architectural triumph of michelangelo, and was considered revolutionary by his contemporaries. He pioneered the mannerist style in his design of the library which became renowned for its architecture. Michelangelo, radical architect the laurentian library.
Dan brown, inferno the library contains more than 11,000 manuscripts and 4,500 early printed books, works collected by cosimo the elder and lorenzo the magnificent. The architecture library is located on the second floor of the mcewen school of architecture at 85 elm street in downtown sudbury. Bnna contains more than 141,000 citations for books, essays, journal articles, and government. The library is best seen in person and after learning a little about its revolutionary design. The laurentian library was built between 1524 and 1559 in the cloister of the. The decoration of the library went hand in hand with its actual construction the ceiling dates to 15491550, the flooring from 15491554, the windows from 15581568 thus making the library one of the most unified works of the high renaissance or should we say of mannerism to be found in florence. It is often quoted as a prime example of the mannerism style of art and architecture, which evolved from the style that michelangelo developed.
Mediceanlaurentian library, collection of books and manuscripts gathered during. Laurentian library vestibule stairway and entrance this space is one of the most discussed architectural spaces of the renaissance, and this discourse is focused on michelangelos bold architectural innovations, in which he breaks with normal renaissance usage. A bibliographic database covering all aspects of native north american culture, history, and life. Understanding the sublime architecture of bloodborne. Arbusto, without any sort of material continuity, the entire crux of michelangelos program. At first glance, a freestanding marble staircase seems too large for the vestibule. Michelangelo laurentian library, mannerist tendenciesarttrav.
This resource covers a wide range of topics including archaeology, multicultural relations, gaming, governance, legend, and literacy. The programs development team used it to analyze san carlo alle quattro. Built in a cloister of the medicean basilica di san lorenzo di firenze under the patronage of the medici pope clement vii, the library was built to emphasize that the medici were no longer merchants but members of. Laurentian library san lorenzo, florence, 152359 architect.
This sensation of tension and compression in the reading vestibule is. The laurentian library biblioteca medicea laurenziana is a historic library in florence, built to the right of san lorenzo square, into a cloister of the basilica of san lorenzo. To get a grasp on what this means, we need to return to michelangelo, who was as imaginative an architect as he was anything else, and theres no better example of mannerist elements at play in his work than the laurentian library s vestibule. Mediceanlaurentian library library, florence, italy britannica. An architectural drawing of laurentian library in the great buildings online. Wiley online library hosts a multidisciplinary collection of online resources covering life, health and physical sciences, social science, and the humanities with access to over 6 million articles from over 1500 journals, over 16,000 online books, and hundreds of reference works, laboratory protocols and databases. The laurentian library was built between 1524 and 1559 in the.
Constructed in the 1500s, the library comprises a reading room and vestibule built atop an existing structure at the church of san lorenzo the. At first glance, it may seem like an attractive but unremarkable room. The staircase is, then, an explosion of originality which fits perfectly with the fanciful character of the mannerist style of architecture. The laurentian library and michelangelos architectural method.
Michelangelo designed both the interior of the library itself and its vestibule. On the first floor of the brunelleschi cloister is the entrance to the laurentian library which houses what must be considered the most important and prestigious collection of antique books in italy. The vestibule and staircase of the laurentian library. Michelangelos designs for the staircase of the library were finished by.
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