Manori Sumanasinghe
Spring 2008 - NYCCT
Italian Renaissance Art And Architecture – Prof. C. Santore
Architecture across time:
A Modern Structure reflecting Classical and Renaissance Architecture
Throughout the history, artists and Architects have looked in to the works of our ancestors and learnt from their examples. When Artists and Architects during the Italian Renaissance turned to classical Greek and Roman art and architecture to learn about structures, not only they created art work reflecting characteristics of classical art and architecture, they also raised the standards for definition of perfection in an artwork. Modern day artists still look into Classical and Renaissance architecture and Grand Central building in Manhattan, New York built in late 19th Century is an example of this trend.
One of the main characteristics of Classical and Renaissance architecture is the Monumental nature of the structures. The exterior and the interior of Grand central building is very monumental. This can be seen with the larger sculptures, large columns on the outside of the building, very high ceilings and the large windows and doorways. Also as in many classical & Renaissance structures, the Grand Central building uses Marbles on walls & Floors. (It can be assumed that the walls are Marble clad unlike the classical structures, Constructing with Marble in modern times would be relatively expensive than constructing with Cement.)
Picture 1.1
Picture 1.2
The entablature on the exterior of the building, the Doric style columns, the intricate sculptures and Metopes are characteristics of classical architecture.
Picture 1.3
Picture 1.4
Picture 1.5
The main concourse is a large, beautiful, open room with a very high barrel vault ceiling. The celestial and zodiac designs adorning the green background of the ceiling can remind the viewer of Greek mythology which has been the subject of many artworks from the classical and renaissance era.
Picture 2.1
Picture 2.2
The large windows in the main concourse resemble the windows of a church or a cathedral or a roman basilica. The window openings in the ceiling also reminds of the window openings of a nave in a roman basilica.
Picture 2.3
Picture 2.4
The grand stair cases on either ends of the main concourse bare similarities to those from the renaissance period.
Picture 2.5
Picture 2.6
The acoustic room at the lower level dining concourse has a very interesting ceiling in the shape of a sail vault (picture 3.1 & 3.2). Renaissance architect Brunelleschi used sail vaults in his designs and structures.
Picture 3.1
Picture 3.2
There are many arches that can be found throughout the building adorned with simple yet elegant keystones, Voussoirs and imposts. These arches are elliptical arches or three centered arches.
Picture 4.1
Picture 4.2
Ceiling details at the lower level (picture 5.1) resembles the details of an interior of a renaissance building.
Picture 5.1
Though volutes were made with marble and stone during the classical and renaissance period at the Grand central building these volutes are made out of steel as can be seen in picture 6.1.
Picture 6.1
--------------------------
Image 1.1
http://newyorkcitysites.blogspot.com/2006/04/grand-central-station.html
Image 1.2
http://www.top-things-to-do.com/united-states/new-york-city/what-to-do-in-nyc.html
Image 1.3
http://www.ronsaari.com/stockImages/nyc/grandCentralStationDetail.jpg
Image 2.1
http://www.visitingdc.com/new-york/grand-central-station-address.asp
Image 3.1
http://localoaf.org/index.php?paged=2&s=ken
All other images by (C) Manori Sumanasinghe, 2008
No comments:
Post a Comment