Review of The Mapping of Power in Renaissance Italy by Mark Rosen.

This project looks at two members of Florence’s Medici family, Cosimo il Vecchio (1389-1464) and Duke Cosimo I (1519-1574), in an attempt to assess how they used the patronage of art to facilitate their rule. By looking at their individual political representations through art, the specifics of their propagandist works and what form these pieces of art came, it is possible to analyze their respective rules. This analysis allows for a clearer understanding of how these two men, each in very different positions, found art as an ally for their political endeavors. While they were in power only one hundred years apart, they present uniquely different strategies for the purpose of creating and maintaining their power through the patronage of art.

The thesis advances the name of Raphael Santi, the High Renaissance artist, to be included among the famous and highly esteemed Humanists of the Renaissance period. While the artistic creativity of the Renaissance is widely recognized, the creators have traditionally been viewed as mere craftsmen. In the case of Raphael Santi, his skills as a painter have proven to be a timeless medium for the immortalizing of the elevated thinking and turbulent challenges of the time period. His interests outside of painting, including archaeology and architecture, also offer strong testimony of his Humanist background and pursuits.

This thesis provides the historiographical background and historical context necessary to undertake an examination of Savonarola's Compendium of Revelations and evaluate it as a work of the Italian Renaissance. It conducts such an examination and reaches the conclusion that Savonarola should be used as an example of a figure who, like the age of the Renaissance itself, represented a significant break with the medieval world while still being influenced by it. His political, social, and religious views all show both the influence of the medieval world and the underpinnings of the modern. The analysis is influenced by intellectual, religious, and micro history.

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This thesis is an exploration of creating an essence in architecture through a sense of ambition and harmony. The ambition for a design to have an architectural presence and establish a clear identity, while achieving a harmony of numerous aspects of the project in order to simplify the inherent complexities of architecture and allow the ambitious identity to be clearly present. The investigation begins with the analysis of ruins as the result of a natural process that strips down a building of secondary components and leaves the exposed soul of the architecture. As a specific example, the thesis explores the Roman ruins, how they exude their cultural history and often how they express the initial architectural intent and identity. The ambition of Rome is carried to the harmony of Florence and finally to the embodiment of harmonious ambition in Michelangelo. His work constantly achieved an ambition in creating a new identity with each masterpiece while always attaining a beautiful moment of harmony. The thesis explores not just the wonders of Michelangelo's life, but his inspirations and mastery of ancient traditions as well as his influence on the world after him. At the conclusion of the exploration, I propose a place of learning that both honors Michelangelo and his resonance throughout history and creates a new harmonious ambition. / Master of Architecture / It seems that most thesis explorations begin with a thesis question and work with an intent to find an answer in its conclusion. However, I intended to take this opportunity to refine a question about architecture that I can spend the rest of my career working towards an answer. To quote one of my mentors, Paul Emmons, “Architecture is the eternal question; Building is a temporary answer.” To determine the question, I look back to why I pursued architecture. It was not to merely construct shelter, but rather because I found that architecture can tell a story, evoke emotion, improve functions, and a great deal more. It seemed like architecture is a living entity and it was my aim to refine a question in pursuit of capturing this living essence. The exploration begins with studies from precedents that I found achieved this mysterious architectural essence. One common aspect of more successful projects, and I find similar to some of the most successful people, is that they have the desire and ambition to express a boldness in defining their unique character. This boldness is only apparent through the clarity and harmony in their design, examined further through architectural ruins. With this architectural ambition and harmony in mind, the thesis studies a revolutionary genius whose life and work embodied the essence I am after: Michelangelo Buonnaroti. This thesis outlines my journey through lessons from the great Michelangelo towards achieving my own Harmonious Ambition.

Dealing with both practical and consequently theoretical aspects, the thesis treats the Saxon Renaissance with the emphasis on the architecture in the Czech Republic. The purpose of the first part was to put together a list of historical monuments. Supported by previous research the selection method was determined and the individual buildings described. As a result we organized them into types and specified the Saxon Renaissance architectural features. Then we discussed broader issues related to the Saxon Renaissance architecture that were: the influence of Saxon timber-framed architecture, the origins and the role of the portal with seat shaped niches in the jambs; we re-examined the importance of the architectural commissions of the house of Pernštejn and we proposed to link the Bohemian Saxon Renaissance architecture with Czech early renaissance terracotta pieces. The second part of the thesis further explores the contextual issues. It tracks the early sixteen century French architecture and focuses on the German renaissance architecture, that of Saxony in particular. Then some theoretical reflections on the character of transalpine architecture are presented. Consequently, the thesis analyses the particularities of the region where the Saxon Renaissance architecture appeared - North-western...

Caravaggio was a complicated man, working in a complicated day, in a complicated city. As he ushered in the Baroque movement, playing with contrast, bending light with darkness, the Church was preoccupied with the game of highlighting or suppressing voices to maximize their power and minimize dissent. A well-known product of this is the struggle Galileo had in confirming that the earth revolved around the sun and not the other way around. Giordano Bruno was publicly burned at the stake for similar reasons. Often excluded from historical narratives of this time is the public execution of Beatrice Cenci and her family for reasons that leaned more towards political power and less towards moral judgement. Many Caravaggio historians point to Cenci’s death as the inspiration behind the common motif of beheadings in his paintings. Able to navigate between both the high and low cultures of Rome, Caravaggio provides a window into the way these societies interacted, one of many things that drew me to him and his story. He was also a person in his own right, with thoughts and feelings that we may never have the complete picture of, though he’s left us clues in his works and actions. Far less has been preserved of Prospero, Anna, Fillide, and Mario. This is my attempt to fill in the blanks.

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