San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane: Borromini's Baroque Masterpiece

San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane

Timeline

• Church and Monastery: 1638-1641
• Facade: 1665-1667

Style

• High Baroque
• Architect: Francesco Borromini
• Materials: Brick and Stucco
• Building System: Trabeated and Vaulted
• Location: Rome, Italy

Structure

• Columns: Large perimeter columns support the load.
• Verticality: The church's elevation creates an upward movement.

Exterior and Interior Space

• Facade: Two levels with close correspondence.
• Columns: Tall, closely spaced columns emphasize upward movement.
• Undulating Design: Concave and convex elements create a dynamic facade.
• Interior: Oval plan with intricate, winding space.
• Columns: Sixteen giant columns support the composite cornice.
• Dome: Oval with geometric coffers (octagons, hexagons, crosses) and a lantern.
• Perspective: Coffers decrease in size to enhance height.
• Lighting: Lantern and semi-hidden windows illuminate the dome.

Borromini's Style

• Tension and Originality: Borromini's work emphasizes dramatic tension.
• Curves and Ellipses: His style features curves, counter-curves, ellipses, and concave/convex areas to express movement.
• Interior Walls: Walls deviate from traditional alignments.
• Significance: San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane is Borromini's first (cloister and church) and last (facade) work.
• Influences: Borromini's design incorporates elements from Hadrian's Villa, Greek cross plans, Jesuit churches, Serlio's oval dome, Michelangelo's Capitol Palace, and even Oriental influences.
• Brick Construction: Borromini's work is seen as a continuation of Roman brick architecture.

Borromini and Bernini

• Baroque Masters: Borromini and Bernini are key figures of Italian Baroque.
• Contrasting Styles: Borromini's style is characterized by technical anguish and constant dissatisfaction, while Bernini's is more secure and elegant.
• San Carlo Facade: The facade of San Carlo represents the culmination of Borromini's style.
• Fragmentary vs. Unified: While Bernini's colonnade is seen as a unifying element of Baroque, Borromini's work is considered more fragmented and anti-monumental.
• Fusion of Architecture and Sculpture: The facade of San Carlo seamlessly blends architecture and sculpture.

Meaning and Function

• Commission: The Trinitarian order commissioned the complex (convent, church, and cloister).
• Dedication: The ornamentation is dedicated to St. Charles Borromeo, founder of the Trinitarians.
• Function: The primary function of the church is liturgical.