Later Italian Renaissance:

Mannerism and the "Themed Interior"

Copernicus's discovery that the Earth revolved around the Sun caused tension in Renaissance Italian culture. Designers expressed this social/political/economical tensions in their work. 

Man v. Nature

Urban v. Rural

Room of Giants, Palazzo del Te, Mantua

1525-35 by Guila Romano

• First Themed Interior - Gods v. Giants
• Vaulted interior camoflauged by tromp l'oeil frescos
• Terazzo floor patterned like a vortex, pulling you into the center of the room

Villa Madama, Rome

1515-30s, unfinished, by Raphael Romano

Loggia Room, Villa Madama, Rome

1515-30s, unfinished, Raphael Romano

• Transition between interior and nature
• Grotesque decorative scheme copied after Nero's Golden House

Villa Giulia, Rome

1550s by Vignola, Vasar, Ammanati, and possibly Michaelangelo

• Central axis that only breaks in the theater area as it is sunken two levels

Villa Giulia, Rome

550s by Vignola, Vasar, Ammanati, and possibly Michaelangelo

Villa Giulia, Rome

550s by Vignola, Vasar, Ammanati, and possibly Michaelangelo

• Logia between garden and entrance
• Dematerialized vaulting

Wrote Lives of the Artists, 1550

"Bella Maniera" - Beautiful Style

Manner, grace, style, elegance

Serpentine posture, attenuated bodies

the small idea, concept of individual interiors

ex. Room of Giants, Palazzo del Te, Mantua, 1525

Interiors are independent of Architecture

Cave-like rooms revived after the discovery of Nero's Golden House

Tufo Stone impregnated with plaster, then painted with Rinceau

Longlete Hall, Wiltshire

1568-80 by Robert Smythson for Sir John Thynne 

• Large windows attributing to the peace Elizabeth brought, destruction of Feudal System
• Roof as major social circuit after dinner
• Manor House interior /Palazzo architecture
• wanted to keep medieval room types, but be in style

Longlete Hall, Wiltshire

1568-80 by Robert Smythson for Sir John Thynne

Longlete Hall, Wiltshire

1568-80 by Robert Smythson for Sir Thynne

Hardwick Hall, Derbyshire

1590-97 by Robert Smythson for Elizabeth Shrewsbury

Hardwick Hall, Derbyshire

1590-97 by Robert Smythson for Elizabeth Shrewsbury 

• 1-Servants 2-Bedrooms 3-Main Spaces
• Main spaces on highest level to show off great views
• First time the staircase becomes a major spatial event

Hardwick Hall, Derbyshire,

1590-97 by Robert Smythson for Elizabeth Shrewsbury

Reign of Queen Elizabeth I, 1558-1603

End of Feudal System

Hightime for theatre and literature

Queen Elizabeth's scheduled visits to her country houses built and kept by her courtiers/nobles/lords 

Enabled her to keep an eye on her country

Brought her court with her

Dicotomy between interior and exterior, seen in the Prodigy Houses.

What Britains called Persian carpets. 

Used them for decoration on tables, walls, but not floors

Similar to Tester beds

More ornamented

Needed additional structure (posts) to hold up canopy

Interior function/form of rooms dictates the exterior articulation/form. 

Plasticity inspired by Urban Planning propaganda strategy used by the Catholic Church in order to regain followers

fusion of architecture, interiors, and fine arts to create propaganda. 

ex. Ecstacy of St. Theresa