BRUNELLESCIII, Pilaw, the son of a notary, born at Florence in 1377, was at first designed for the bar; but not liking that profession, he was apprenticed to a goldsmith. Ills genius, however, turned him to the study of sculpture, geometry, mid architecture. The first model by which he ll,rined his taste in architecture was the church of St. John, at Florence, a building of good style, and much inclining to the antique ; he afterwards went to Rome, to study the ancient monuments there, the best of which he measured and took drawings from ; and he is said to have first distin guished the three ancient orders.
When the Florentines first thought of raising, a dome upon the church of St. Mary del Fiore, they invited all the prin cipal architects of Europe to a consultation, at which Bru nelleschi proposed a double cupola, with a space between the inner and outer vaults, sufficient to admit of staircases and passages to the top. This idea was deemed so preposterous, that he was actually turned out of the assembly, for having presumed to insult the good sense and judgment of so niany experienced artists, who had never heard of such a thing, and held it to be impracticable. Undaunted by this treat ment, Brunelleschi persisted in inaintaining t he practicability of his scheme, and demonstrated it by drawings and models : but the clamour excited by his brother artists ran so high fur a time, that he was looked upon as a downright madman ! At length, however, the violence of prejudice began to sub side, and when it was seen that the rest of the architects produced nothing eligible for the purpose, the deputies, who had the management of the building, sent for Brunellesehi, listened candidly to what he had to propose, examined his drawings and models, and finally set In in to work, under certain restrictions: they also appointed him an assistant, hut his complete ignorance soon manifested itself, and he was dismissed. Brunelleschi being thus left at liberty, the
citizens saw with admiration a magnificent cupola arise over their church, which Michael Angelo himself pronounced to be a masterpiece of science. This cupola is octangular, 154 cubits (Flemish) in height, on which rises a lantern of thirty-eight cubits, surmounted with a ball of four cubits, and a cross of eight cubits ; making a total of ;262 cubits. a height never before attempted on such a plan. Brunelleschi died before the lantern was quite finished, but he left a model, and recommended on his death-bed, that it should be loaded with the heaviest marble. The portico that was to have surrounded the tambour still remains unfinished. The peculiarity of this celebrated cupola is, that it has no connterforts.
Brunelleschi built the abbey for the regular canons at Fiesule, under the direction and patronage of Cosmo de Medicis ; it is a convenient cheerful edifice, and the orna ments are in a chaste style. He also constructed several military works. A great part of the church of St. Laurence, at Florence, was built by Brunelleschi, but he (lied before it was completed, and his successors committed so many blunders in finishing it, that the original design is very much mutilated. The palace of Pitti, at Florence, was likewise begun from his designs; and so completely did the tide of public favour turn in his behalf, that his fellow citizens elected him to the office of magistrate. But it was after his death that his talents were most appreciated, and his merit fully acknowledged as the reviver of pure archi tecture. Ile died in 1444, aged 67, honoured and esteemed by all who knew him, and was buried in St. Mary's cathedral.