Review English Period

Holli- She did a good job at summarizing Sir Christopher Wren and William Mary during this time period. Her extra credit video was very interesting to watch as we got to see hidden rooms inside the St. Pauls Cathedral.

Angie- She did great at summarizing the Middle English Renaissance period. Also her extra credit video was neat to watch because it showed me how to make a Chippendale chair in Sketch Up.

English Period- Middle Renaissance- Sir Christopher Wren

Sir Christopher Wren was an English scientist and mathematician and one of Britain's most distinguished architects, he was know for the design of many London churches, including St Pauls Cathedral. Wren's interest in architecture began from his study of physics and engineering. In 1664 and 1665, Wren was commissioned to design the Sheldonian Theater in Oxford and a chapel for Pembroke College, Cambridge and from then on, architecture was his main focus. In 1655, Wren went and visited Paris, where he was strongly influenced by French and the Italian Baroque styles. In 1666, the Great Fire of London destroyed much of the medieval  city, providing Wren with a huge opportunity.  

Wren designed 52 churches which influenced other church designs. He developed new standards for housing such as wall thickness, floor heights and materials (bricks) were specified. Wren started zoning and construction regulations during the English mid renaissance period. In 1669. he was appointed surveyor of the royal works which effectively gave him control of all government buildings in the country.


Past pictures:

St. Paul's Cathedral 

                                 

Present pictures: 

Cathedral in Italy 

Reims Cathedral in Paris 

Extra Credit: Wrens Churches
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYV8D007qRc
Resourcehttp://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/wren_christopher.shtml

French Era

French Directoire: Lisa- Her post was short but to the point i like how she went in detail about the interiors. Lisa also had good pictures in her post.

French Rococo: Hailey- Did a good job at explaining and going into detail about the Rococo period. She also had a good video for her extra credit.

French Directoire

The French Directorie style reflected the Revolutionary belief in the values of the republican Rome. They were fashionable to imitate the ancients. Strong influences of Greek furniture was the Klismos chair and the backward roll. Carvings and ornate gold ormolu was not heavily used. The made tripod wrought iron tables,used striped wallpapers and fabrics. Motifs had drums, spears, sheaves of wheat which represented the war and rise of the working class. 

Directoire French interiors are characterized by painted wallpaper instead of the tapestries of earlier French periods, furniture coverings and curtains of cretonne with classic designs in place of brocades and damasks, or magnificent textiles; simple curtain poles, often arrow shaped, not heavy cornices; painted furniture with straight lines or simple mahogany and chestnut; chair backs showing the graceful backward curve from seat to rolled-over chair top ; slender and curved legs like the silver line of a very new moon, the classic type (with outward curve) seen in ancient Egyptian and Greek frescoes.

French Baroque

King Louis XIII passed away in 1643. Next in line to be king was five year old Louis XIV. Throughout his ruling he created a national style of art. This included Jean Baptiste Colbert a french statesman. A venetian glassmaker, also flemish weavers. French workmen during this time could not emigrate and they enforced textile regulations. For all the new styles of art they organized the Academy of Painting and Sculpture, which established a school for 60 children under the Kinds's protection.

One of the most famous buildings in France was Palais de Versailles. It was the original hunting lodge fro Louis XIII. It was started in 1668 and continued for almost a century and was 12 miles southwest of Paris. It housed 10,000 people. Le Vau designed the central block around the original Louis XIII building. 

Louis Le Vau- Architect 

Andre le Notre- Garden Designer 

Charles Lebrun- Painter for the interiors 

Puget- Sculptor 

Jean Berain- Decorative engraving 

Past Pictures- 

Present Pictures- 

Extra Credit:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=852eroBwDrA

French Renaissance Review

Becca: Her blog was short but to the point. I really enjoyed her video and her pictures.

Alex Danner: I like how she focused her blog on the Chateau de Chambered. I also liked her video that gave us a tour.

French Renaissance

The French style was based on religion and political history of eras and led by their leaders. During this time the rulers influenced most of pervasive in Renaissance France.  The Royal “taste” is what determined the design styles. French was central to the Romanesque and Gothic Style. The Gothic period gave birth to more masterpieces than any other country. Between the Gothic and the Renaissance France suffered from difficult times.  The Black Death hit France in the middle of the 14^th century. Hundred years’ war was also during this time period, which led to almost destroying Frances feudal nobility. 

The decorator had a very complex job when it came to designing a luxurious room that was consistent and harmonious.  Supervising and implementing the task required a new type of professional, which is the ornamaniste or decorator. This position required a person that could not only conceive an interior design, but also through the process of “engraving” explain the design to a client. The decorator supervised the artisans to produce the highest quality design.

Architecture in France didn’t have a need for new religious structure instead they built palaces and wineries. The exteriors became very important, but the interiors did not reflect the exterior style. The weather required steep roofs, many chimneys, and large windows. Roofs often had two slopes with dormer windows. They used mansard roofs that were created by Francois Mansart, a French Baroque architect.

Chateau Chambord was constructed by Francois I and with the help of Leonardo Da Vinci. It was a royal hunting lodge in the Lorie Valley. It has 444 rooms, 84 staircases, 365 chimneys; the estate is 14,300 acres of forest, lakes and grasslands enclosed by 22 mile-long wall.it is considered the largest and most majestic of the Chateaus. It was a meeting place for Francois I and Leonardo Da Vinci.

Past Pictures:

Present Pictures: 

Extra Credit: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HziwBRrFqY4

Spanish Period

During the 16^th century the Spanish period evolved. It was considered as the most brilliant era in the Spanish history. Columbus is the founder of the new world and was excited to see what opportunities he had in the new land. The Moorish, Early Christian, Medieval, and the Italian Renaissance influenced the Spanish period.  

The interiors during this time were very elaborate; they used colored tiles, pine paneled ceilings which where then painted and carved, and they used plaster to make decorative borders around doors and windows. They used superb iron grilles for windows, opening and wrought iron handrails.  During this time they used tile pictures, which would resemble wall tapestries. The upper floors where either tile, stone, brick or wood. The floor design resembled a basket weave and used gentle colors. They would also hang tooled Córdoba leather that was brilliantly painted and gilded. Spain was known as the leading center in fine leatherwork. They cute pile carpets, rugs, and mats all by hand.

Furniture was also a big deal during this time; it provided simplicity and boldness. Basic carvings, rectangular shapes, and heavy proportions where greatly preferred for the furniture. Panels were used repetitively to create a pattern.  The most commonly used material was walnut wood- such as mahogany. And silver was used for ornamentation. They had limited numbers of different pieces like chairs, stools, benches, tables, chests, beds, varguenos and cupboards. 

One of the popular furniture pieces was the Sillon De Frailero known as the monk’s chair.   It was a walnut armchair with a simple rectangular form. It had a leather seat and back with broad front stretcher and they used decorative nail heads. It was prototyped for the mission chair.  

Past Pictures: 

Present Pictures: 

Extra Credit: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nX9mfVpGC9c

Italian Renaissance Review

Alex: Her blog was brief but it was to the point. I like how she explained the dome of the Florance cathedral.

Becca: In her blog she wrote about the Stupa and told us where it was located. He extra credit video was a good and full of information.

Italian Renaissance

The Italian Renaissance period was from 1400-1600 it was an artistic period, which had many influences, but for the most it was as it name implies, a historic revival. Renaissance literally means rebirth, when artists, architectures, and artisans looked to ancient Greece and Rome. The Roman Church became popular which demonstrated corruption and misconduct.

The Italian Renaissance palace was one of the finest achievements of Italian Renaissance. It transformed from Gothic to Early Renaissance. One of the popular structures was the Palazzo Davanzanti. The interiors contained frescos, tapestries and fireplaces which all centered around an interior courtyard. Also, its tall exterior hints of the façade developments to come. Its façade was regularized and topped off with an open gallery on the roof. The ground floor is rusticated and house shops.

During this time a major architectural influence was Leonardo Da Vinci. He was a painter sculpture, architecture, musician, scientist mathematician, engineer, inventor, geologist, cartographer, botanist, and writer whose genius, perhaps more than that of any other figure, epitomized the Renaissance humanist ideal. Leonardo was the most diversely gifted person of all time.

Past Pictures: 

Present Pictures:

Extra Credit: 

http://www.history.com/topics/italian-renaissance

The Americas, China and India

The Americas-
Angie- I like how she described the Elites,Commoners, and the Teotihuacan. And how she did a brief outline of the whole culture.

Alex- Her blog was brief but she got to the point with the materials that were used. I liked her extra credit article it was really neat to read.

China and India-
 Amanda- She did a good job at explaining the Chinese architecture. I also liked her extra credit video.

Becca- She focused on the main parts of the Chinese architecture the stupa and the Great Wall of China. They where short but to the point.

China

The architecture of China is as old as the Chinese civilization. With all the information they have they have strong evidence that the Chinese have always enjoyed and indigenous system of construction that has retained its principle characteristics from prehistoric times to the present day. Over the immense area from Chinese Turkistan to Japan, from Manchuria to the northern half of French Indochina, the same system of construction is widespread; and this was the area of Chinese cultural influence.

The chines used construction techniques such as, stupa: which is a mound of dirt used for burial ground where a more permanent structure is built over the mound. This prototype was birthed in India. The stupa came to China as Buddhism and was spread to that religion. It was known that the important people were in the Buddhist religion. They also invented the Pagoda, which is a combination of the Stupa and the Chinese tower building.

As a visual icon in the modern world, the Great Wall of China is virtually identical with China. It was an architectural wonder and an engineering marvel, it is also an accomplished exampled of landscape utilization and manipulation. The Great Wall of China was located along the Northern boarder of China; it was built of stone, brick, wood, mud, and earth. The wall is 5500-13,000 miles long and it includes watchtowers.

PAST:

PRESENT: 

EXTRA CREDIT: http://www.history.com/topics/great-wall-of-china/videos/seven-wonders-the-great-wall