Villa La Rotonda: A Palladian Masterpiece

Vatican

1. Location: Vatican, Rome (IT)
2. Architect: Gian Lorenzo Bernini
3. Style: Baroque
4. Period: 1656-1667
5. Element: Lintel

Historical Context of the Baroque Period

This period is notable for the interplay between crisis and progress. Many problems occurred: social conflict, stagnation in the fields and industry, pestilence, and war. But on the other hand, it is the time when colonial empires emerged to alleviate these crises.

Cultural Context

The art center during the 17th century was in Rome. During this period, there was a scientific breakthrough in opera.

Religious Context

The principles of the Catholic Church were reaffirmed, strengthening the papacy and the Jesuits, created to curb the Counter-Reformation.

The Role of Baroque Art

The role of Baroque art is to promote faith and cause emotion in the senses.

Characteristics of Baroque Art

• The Church as Client: The church was the largest customer of artists, seeking to promote the fervor of the multitudes and tending towards theatrical settings to capture attention.
• Religious Architecture: Italian churches were built with a variety of plans. The most common was a single nave, side chapels, a simple apse, and a transept with a dome.
• Civil Architecture: The Baroque palace was square and closed like a fortress.

Periods of Renaissance Architecture

• Quattrocento: Corresponds to the 15th century, a century of artistic discovery by the Republic of Florence, the central headquarters.
• Cinquecento: Divided into two phases:
  • Maturity Phase: (1st quarter of the 16th century) The initiation of projects for St. Peter's Basilica.
  • Mannerism: (Mid-16th to 17th century) The individuality of the architects began to overcome the classical theoretical project.
• Authors: Bartolomeo Ammannati, Vasari, Jacopo Vignola, Antonio da Sangallo the Younger, and Andrea Palladio.

Villa La Rotonda: Structure and Design

Structure

The chosen location was a villa at the top of a small hill. It is a square, completely symmetrical, and inscribed within a perfect circle. Each of the four facades presents an advanced volume to which a gallery is accessed by external stairs. Each staircase is emphasized by this gallery (pronaos) decorated with sculptures representing classical Greek divinities. The central room is covered by a dome (circular room). This center is on the composition. To achieve good sun exposure, the plant was rotated 45 degrees.

Modifications

After Palladio's death, several authors made several modifications.

Interior

The decoration was very cautious. The west room shows frescoes with religious motifs. Another room displays an allegory about the first owner of the villa, Paolo Almerico, showing his abilities and qualities. The most notable internal space is the central circular room, equipped with balconies, which extends throughout the height to the dome. At the bottom of the room, each wall is decorated with colonnades and giant figures of Greek mythology. It displays a large number of frescoes (unusual in a house, but common in a cathedral).

Relationship with the Landscape

From the porches, you can enjoy the wonderful view of the surrounding countryside. This is not coincidental since the town was projected to be in perfect harmony with the landscape.

Other Works by Andrea Palladio

Andrea Palladio (1508-1580) was a recognized Mannerist architect. He worked in northern Italian towns, and his works have greatly influenced Neoclassicism. In his career, he created several villas and townhouses, including the Palazzo Thiene. In Venice, Palladio was largely devoted to religious architecture.

Notable Works

Villa Emo, Villa Sarego, Teatro Olimpico, Palazzo Schio, Palazzo Valmarana, Le Zitelle, and others.

Conclusion

Villa La Rotonda, Palladio's most famous villa and probably of all the Venetian Villas, is one of the most celebrated buildings in modern architectural history. This villa has served as inspiration for many buildings and was also tremendously inspired by the Pantheon in Rome. The villa was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1994.