Palazzo Barberini Helicoidal Staircase (Rome, Italy) : Detail, center support columns and balustrade supporting oval spiral
- Creator:
- Borromini, Francesco, 1599-1667
- Published/Created:
- Rome, Lazio, Italy
Rione Trevi; Piazza Barberini
ca. 1625-1629 - Date Depicted:
- 4/8/2009
- Materials:
- stone
- Notes:
- Flanking the hall, two sets of stairs lead to the piano nobile, a large squared staircase by Bernini to the left and a smaller oval staircase by Borromini to the right. It is not easy to distinguish the share of Borromini in the Palazzo Barberini, but he was certainly responsible for the oval spiral staircase in the right wing, which is a variant of Mascarino's staircase in the Quirnal. In one of the preliminary drawings the steps are shaped in very elongated S-curves, a form which Borromini was frequently to use later, but the architect abandoned this idea and, as built, the steps are straight within the oval spiraling case.
- Variant Titles:
- Palazzo Barberini Scala Elicoidale
- Topics:
- Architecture -- Italy -- 17th century -- (YVRC)
- Period/Style:
- Baroque
- Culture:
- Italian
- Accession Number:
- 1A1-BF-PBHS-A1
- Coordinates:
- +41.903611+12.490278
- Genre:
- architectural elements (AAT)
architectural elements: stairs (AAT) - Format:
- Image
- Content Type:
- Sculptures, Models, & Architecture
- Rights:
- Copyright Scott Gilchrist, Archivision, Inc
The use of this image may be subject to the copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) or to site license or other rights management terms and conditions. The person using the image is liable for any infringement. - Access Restrictions:
- Yale Community Only
- Digital:
- architectural elements; stairs architecture; stairs; oval; ovoid; spiral
- Source Creator:
- Gilchrist, Scott
- Source Title:
- Archivision Addition Module Seven
- Source Created:
- 2878 Chamonix, Montreal QC
Archivision, Inc.
4/8/2009 12:00:00 AM - Source Note:
- Purchase, Visual Resources Collection, May, 2011; photographer Scott Gilchrist
- Yale Collection:
- Visual Resources Collection
- Digital Collection:
- Visual Resources Collection
- Local Record Number:
- 4349
- OID:
- 10460385
- PID:
- digcoll:1811836