AP Art History Summer Reading Brunelleschi s Dome Ross King Study Questions

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1 AP Art History Summer Reading Brunelleschi s Dome Ross King Study Questions These questions are for your use while reading and reviewing the text. You do not have to turn in your responses. Your summer reading grade will be based on a test you will take in class. Chapter 1 1) Why was the Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral built? 2) What group was responsible for building and funding the cathedral? What does this tell you about the relationship between commerce and the Church in Renaissance Italy? Chapter 2 3) What was the dilemma created with the construction of the cathedral? How did the committee ultimately plan to resolve the dilemma? 4) What was the motivation for the competition for the Baptistery doors? 5) What significance did the subject of the Baptistery doors (Genesis 22: 2 13) have for a Florentine in 1401? What immediate hazard threatened Florence? Chapter 3 6) Who was Donatello and why was he a good match for Brunelleschi? 7) Describe the condition of Rome prior to Brunelleschi and Donatello s pilgrimage there. What accounted for this? 8) What was Brunelleschi seeking in the ruins of Rome? Why did he encrypt his writings? 9) A humanist, or man of letters, is one who studies the ancients. It was their inquiring nature that helped bring about the Renaissance. In what ways could Brunelleschi be considered a humanist? 10) How could the studies of artists, craftsmen and scholars such as Brunelleschi and Donatello lead to a rebirth or Renaissance? Give several examples of works that were unearthed by similar methods. What factors kept these works from being unearthed earlier? What does this tell you about the medieval mindset? Chapter 4 11) A camera obscura was an early optical invention that was perfected by Brunelleschi and helped him record and preserve images. How does the camera obscura work? What influence would this have on the use of perspective in Renaissance art? Chapter 5 12) What appears to be the prevailing attitude about women among many artists of the period? Misogynistic. Men married younger women.

2) What group was responsible for building and funding the cathedral? What does this tell you about the relationship between commerce and the Church in Renaissance Italy?

2 13) Why did some consider Brunelleschi to be an ass and a babbler? Generally disheveled appearance and unkempt. Also secretive about his projects. His lack of centering scaffolding made him seem eccentrix and unorthodox. 14) What was so radically innovative about Brunelleschi s plan for construction of the dome? Filipo did away with the centering framework to support the arch but would not divulge the technical details of the plan which discomfited the committee. Chapter 6 15) What was the role of the wool guild in the construction of the dome? Who was their patron saint? What does this tell you about the role/importance of guilds? 16) What was the Great Schism? When did it take place? How was it resolved?the great schsim was the election of 2 Popes one in Rome and another in Avignon. 17) Why did Pope Martin V have an extended stay in Florence?His election ended the controversy.rome needed to be fortified and churches re built. He would stay for 22 months. 18) What tools did masons use to construct the dome?chisels, T squares, hammers, mallets, trowels. 19) How was the concept of time evolving in the 15 th century?hours were 60 minutes and not based on the liturgical calendar. 20) Who were the town fire fighters and how did they combat fires? Chapter 7 21) A Renaissance man is versatile and talented in many areas. Use several examples to support the idea that Filippo Brunelleschi was truly a Renaissance Man. 22) How did Greek collections contributed to the fifteenth century Italian renaissance of mathematics? 23) One mark of genius is originality of thought. Give several examples supporting Brunelleschi s genius. 24) What was the typical way for the Opera del Duomo (and the guild) to determine who would design and create projects such as the Baptistery doors, the dome and machines to complete the works? 25) Chronicle some of the ongoing competition between Ghiberti and Brunelleschi. Use several examples as evidence. 26) How did Brunelleschi influence Leonardo da Vinci? Chapter 8 27) Discuss the two ways that the quality of stone was tested. 28) How did Brunelleschi create resistance to the dome s horizontal thrust?

Filipo did away with the centering framework to support the arch but would not divulge the technical details of the plan which discomfited the committee.

3 Chapter 9 29) How did Brunelleschi discredit Ghiberti? 30) Discuss the similarities of Brunelleschi s trompe l oeil painting of the Baptistery and Piazza San Giovanni and his plotting in the tale of the Fat Carpenter. Chapter 10 31) What methods did Brunelleschi use to obtain the exactness of measurement required to ensure that all sides of the dome would meet? Chapter 11 32) Give several examples that indicate conflict over working conditions in the fourteenth century. 33) How did the masons seek to get higher wages for their work? How did Brunelleschi respond? What was the ultimate outcome? 34) What purpose did the herringbone bond in the dome serve? Chapter 12 35) Leon Batista Alberti condemns most Monstrous works as insane ideas yet praises the Dome of Santa Maria del Fiore for is magnificence and size. How does he justify the gigantic dimensions of Brunelleschi s dome? 36) Leon Batista Alberti was a true Renaissance Man. What evidence is there to support this claim? 37) What is the comparison of the dome (di giro in giro) to both paradise and hell in Dante s Divine Comedy? Chapter 13 38) Brunelleschi received the first ever patent. What was the patented invention? Chapter 14 39) How was Medieval and Renaissance war similar to chess? 40) The takeovers of the town of Lucca illustrate the Italian political upheaval that prompted Machiavelli to write The Prince. Relate a brief history of Lucca s struggle for independence. 41) What defensive weapons were built into the fortress at Malmantile? 42) Besides gunpowder, what offensive devices were employed in battles and wars? 43) Siena had a shortage of water. How did the town remedy this shortage? 44) What was Brunelleschi s strategy to defeat Lucca? What was the outcome?

Chapter 10 31) What methods did Brunelleschi use to obtain the exactness of measurement required to ensure that all sides of the dome would meet?

4 Chapter 15 45) What economic and cultural toll did war with Lucca have on Florence? 46) What was the main purpose of guilds? How did they serve as a foundation of the Republican constitution? 47) How did wealthy families such as the Capponi, Medici, Strozzi, Bardi and Spini families extend their economic and political power? 48) What effect did the unsuccessful campaign against Lucca have on Cosimo Medici? 49) What was the unpleasant fate that awaited heretics, sorcerers, witches and murderers? 50) Why was Pope Eugenious forced to flee Rome? Chapter 16 51) Describe the typical religious feast that occurred regularly in Florence. Chapter 17 52) Discuss several frustrations Brunelleschi would have felt over the competition for the lantern. 53) What scientific instrument did Paolo Toscanelli transform the dome of Santa Maria del Fiore into? 54) What were some of the far reaching applications of Toscanelli s scientific findings? 55) Two innovations that led to exploration were the improved astrolabe and more accurate maps. How did the lantern of Santa Maria del Fiore contribute to these improvements? 56) How was the astrolabe used by sailors? Why was it less useful as ships approached the equator? How did mariners adapt to this condition? 57) What event in 1453 closed the overland route to India for Europeans? 58) In what way did Toscanelli influence Columbus? What observation helped persuade Columbus to accept Toscanelli s ideas? Chapter 18 59) Describe Brunelleschi s physical features and appearance. 60) When he died how was he honored? What was unique about this? 61) What did Brunelleschi do for the field of architecture and for architects? Chapter 19

48) What effect did the unsuccessful campaign against Lucca have on Cosimo Medici? 49) What was the unpleasant fate that awaited heretics, sorcerers, witches and murderers?

5 62) What is the estimated total weight of the dome? How many stories is it equivalent to? 63) What is painted on the interior of the dome? Brunelleschi anticipated that painters would need access to the interior of the dome. What features did he build in to make painting the ceiling possible? 64) What innovative technique did Brunelleschi build into the dome to protect it from high velocity winds? 65) Brunelleschi did not account for one force that was destroying his dome. What was it and how was it remedied?

Brunelleschi anticipated that painters would need access to the interior of the dome.

Chapter 1. The Renaissance and Reformation 1300-1650

Chapter 1. The Renaissance and Reformation 1300-1650 Chapter 1 The Renaissance and Reformation 1300-1650 The Renaissance The Renaissance was a period of history that sought to join the middle ages to the modern times. This age grew into one of the most culturally