The document discusses the Italian Renaissance period from the 1400s to 1500s. Some key points: - It was a period of rediscovery and revival of classical Greek and Roman texts and learning. - Perspective techniques in art also revived during this period. - Major developments in theatre design and stage machinery occurred, with architects like Serlio and engineers like Buontalenti designing new theatre spaces and special effects machines. - Their designs helped establish conventions for tragedy, comedy, and pastoral plays through use of stage perspective and scenery.

1. ITALIAN RENAISSANCE
“rebirth”
1400s-1500s
• rediscovery of classical (Greek & Roman) texts
• revival of interest in classical learning
• (re)discovery of perspective technique

3. Roman Empire Divided into Halves (Late 300s)
West: Governed from Rome
East (Byzantium): Governed from Constantinople (Istanbul)
Great Schism (1054): Split Christian Church into Halves
Catholicism vs. Orthodoxy
Hagia Sophia: “Mother Church” of Orthodoxy
Fall of Constantinople (1453) to the Ottomans (Muslims)

4. Hagia Sophia

5. The Fall of Constantinople, 1453

11. Florence (Firenze), Italy

12. Patronage: Cosimo de’Medici

13. Medici Chapel
(Florence)

14. Pope Leo X

15. Alberti & Perspective Drawing

16. The Lamentation of Christ by Giotto (c. 1305)

17. Principles of Perspective

18. Vanishing Point

19. 1500 – Perspective "rediscovered" – had been known to the ancients.

20. Last Supper by DaVinci (c. 1496)

21. 1486 –
Virtuvius’s De
Architectura
(16-13 B.C.) was
printed and
published. Ten
volumes, one of
them on theatre
buildings and
scenic displays.

22. Teatro Olimpico Plan

23. Diagram for Vanishing Points

24. 1585 – Teatro Olimpico (Vicenza, Italy) The oldest surviving Renaissance theatre.

26. Teatro Farnese

27. Photo of Interior

28. Teatro Farnese Plan

29. Teatro Farnese Sideview

30. Serlio on Theatre

31. Serlio Diagrams

32. Serlio’s Design for a Tragedy

33. Serlio’s Design for a Comedy

34. Serlio’s Design for a Pastoral

35. Bernardo Buontalenti (1536-1608)

36. Intermezzi Design by Buontalenti

37. Intermezzi Design by Buontalenti

38. Costume Design by Buontalenti

39. Buontalenti’s Design for Medici Funeral Festival

40. Buontalenti’s Intermezzi Design for the Medici

41. Stage Design by Sabbattini

42. Festival at Florence by Moniglia

43. Glory by Sabbattini

44. Cloud Machine by Sabbattini

45. Chariot-and-Pole System

46. Berain’s Monster Chariot

47. Berain’s Flying Chariot (1682)

48. Berain’s Hellmouth Chariot

49. Chauveau’s Design for Medee (1666)

50. Wave Machine

51. Loft Machinery (1756)

52. Under Floor Mechanisms

53. Torelli: Venere Gelosa (1643)

54. Torelli: Le Nozze di Peleo e Teti (1654)

55. Italianate Design in Ballet (Romeo and Juliet)