Dome of Saint Peter's (Saint Peter's (Rome (Vatican City), Santa Sede (Holy See), Italy) : General view from the north, depicting full view of drum

Creator:

Fontana. Domenico, 1543-1607
Michelangelo Buonarroti, 1475-1564
Porta, Giacomo della, 1532/1533-1602 or 1604

Published/Created:

Rome, Vatican City, Santa Sede, Holy See, Italy
ca. 1546-1590

Physical Description:

452 x 138 ft (diameter)

Date Depicted:

9/1/1994
1500 AD - 1699 AD

Materials:

brick
marble

Notes:

The cupola was probably not included on Michelangelo's 1547 model, and it was not until 1558 that the carpenters began work on the larger-scale model (1:5; Rome, Vatican, Mus. Stor. A. Tesoro S Pietro) for the drum and dome, which Michelangelo justifiably felt to be the last task of his life (he was then 83). Whereas Bramante and Antonio da Sangallo (ii) had favoured an all'antica single-shell dome, Michelangelo's was to be composed of two hemispherical shells. His starting-point for the double shell--and the design in general--was Brunelleschi's cupola of Florence Cathedral (he had made an unexecuted project ca. 1520 for the completion of its drum; Saalman, 1978). Even closer to Brunelleschi's cupola was Giacomo della Porta's dome as built, with its pointed profile, but despite the changes he introduced he retained most of the salient features of Michelangelo's concept. Particularly impressive is the vertical correspondence of the 16-sided lantern and drum, connected by the emphatic ribs of the dome.

Topics:

Architecture -- Italy -- 16th century -- (YVRC)

Period/Style:

Renaissance

Culture:

Italian

Accession Number:

1A1-MB-SPD-A3

Genre:

architectural elements (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 exteriors construction architectural elements; domes (architectural element) drum

Source Creator:

Gilchrist, Scott

Source Title:

Archivision Base Collection

Source Created:

2878 Chamonix, Montreal QC
Archivision, Inc.
9/1/1994

Source Note:

Purchase, Visual Resources Collection, May, 2011; photographer Scott Gilchrist

Yale Collection:

Visual Resources Collection

Digital Collection:

Visual Resources Collection

Local Record Number:

4152

OID:

10090390

PID:

digcoll:1843452