PALLADIAN BALUSTRADES: A 16th Century Quiet Revolution in Architecture

I have a bit of a thing about balusters and balustrades. The ones we are familiar with today came about in the Renaissance and were eagerly adopted by the builders of country houses and other monumental buildings in England. They are part of the ‘neo-classical grammar’ of architecture, although not classical themselves. This post reflects on the appearance and application of the baluster, focusing on Palladio’s influence.

Andrea Palladio (1508-1580) used the baluster as an architectural element in his works, but not in all cases. His more Roman-temple façade architecture, as in villas, often left them out or employed restraint. This is because he was aware that the baluster was not part of Roman architectural grammar. Although balusters were known in Romanesque architecture (and Anglo-Saxon). They integrate baluster colonettes in arches, window or bell window arrangements as at St Albans Abbey.

The Colosseum in Rome (circa 72 AD)

Roman ancient monumental building has its own architectural language, which excludes the balustrade.

The Pantheon (circa 126 AD)

An inspiration for Palladio and Palladian-style architects, the Pantheon, based on Vitruvian architecture, did not have balustrades.

Images in the Basilica of Saint Mary of the Altar in Heaven

When in Rome I was in the Basilica of Saint Mary of the Altar in Heaven (Santa Maria in Ara Coeli) on top the of the Capitoline Hill, and I noticed these images carved in marble that had been re-laid in the floor:

I do not know the origin or purpose of the design, but they have similarity to balusters or even pawns on a chessboard.

15th CENTURY BALUSTRADES WITH COLONNETTES

In the mid-15th C balustrades with colonnettes (slender columns rather than the baluster shape) appeared. This may have come from the work of cabinet makers. Balustrades of the Renaissance-type appear around 1480 in places like Florence and northern Italy.[i]

THE ‘NEO-CLASSICAL’ BALUSTRADE

Rudolf Wittkower in his writings is convinced that the architect Guiliano da Sangallo (c.1445-1516) has the most significant influence on bringing the balustrade to the forefront. Da Sangallo also innovated with different varieties of the new type of baluster. Da Sangallo influenced Donato Bramante’s (1444-1514) conception of balustrades, which in turn influenced those of Raphael (c. 1483-1520), Michele Sanmicheli (1484-1559), Palladio (1508-1580) and Vincenzo Scamozzi (1548-1616).[ii]

There are 2 types of balusters: (1) the symmetrical one – where if the baluster was cut in half, the top is a mirror image of the base, and (2) the asymmetrical one, with a single bulb, shaped more like a candlestick. Type 1 is the initial design found in the 15th C. It is exclusively employed by da Sangallo, Bramante and Raphael. Type 2 was introduced by Michelangelo (1475-1564), and taken up by Antonio da Sangallo (1484-1546), Bartolomeo Ammannati (1511-1592), Giacomo Barozzi da Vignola (1507-1573) and others. From the mid-16th C onwards the two types both exist.[iii]

Il Tempietto (circa 1502)

Donato Bramante circa 1502: Il Tempietto has a balustrade with double bulb balusters (Type 1)

EXAMPLES OF PALLADIO’S PALAZZOS

Palladio used the baluster with restraint. It is his palaces that he gives importance to the balustrades. Many of his villas do not have balustrades as the façade resembles a classical temple.

Palazzo Thiene, Vicenza

Part of the façade of Palazzo Thiene in Vicenza.

Palazzo Thiene was designed for Marcantonio and Adriano Thiene. The original design was likely the painter and architect Giulio Romano (c. 1499-1546) in 1542. Romano had been a pupil of Raphael and had worked on the Raphael Rooms and the loggias at the Vatican. A young Palladio worked on the construction of the palazzo and his role more significant after Romano’s death in 1546. The heavy rustication is not Palladio’s style. But there are some double bulb balusters on the window balconies.

Palazzo Chiericati, Vicenza

In 1550 Girolamo Chiericati commissioned Palladio for the design of a city palace in Vicenza. Palladio created a double-story loggia. He elevated the palace from the ground, through a podium idea and steps, to deal with the frequent flooding whilst also giving it a striking grand aspect. Palladio was aware of the palace in its environment with the piazza in front and river just beyond. The raised palace with its steps and roof statues gave the allusion of entering a temple. He also designed the sides of the loggias to be open arches. This concept was borrowed from the Portico of Ottavia (Porticus Octaviae) in Rome. Palladio would later use the open-side loggia design in his villas.[iv]  Work began on the palace in 1551 but took until the end of the 17th C to complete.[v]

The Balusters are Type-1 Double bulbs at Palazzo Chiericati, Vincenza. The piano nobile with loggia and rooms with balconies over looks the piazza in front of the palazzo.

Palazzo della Ragione: Loggias

These loggia spaces, particularly the 1st storey ones gave a sense of grandeur and elegance to buildings. They enabled those who used them to be on display and to take in a view that responded to hierarchy and authority. Standing behind an elegant balustrade looking across a piazza projected the concept of civic authority at the Palazzo della Ragione.

After many years of deliberation, in 1549, the City Council of Vicenza approved Palladio to build the two-storey loggia of the Palazzo della Ragione (the Magistrarture of Vicenza) with the lower story to accommodate shops. His stone loggia design is taken from the idea of the architecture of the ancient Roman basilica used for political debate and trading.[vi] He applies the Serlian design of window (also known as a Venetian window) for the loggia arch openings. This was a key work in Palladio’s career as he became the official architect for Vicenza. It took until 1561 to complete his work. Although, the façade leading into Piazza delle Erbe was finally completed in 1614.

EXAMPLES OF PALLADIO’S VILLAS 

Villa Emo at Fanzolo (circa 1557)

An impressive loggia with no balustrade. Palladio stuck to the idea of Roman temple architectural elements.

Villa Pisani Bonetti (completed 1545)

Built between 1542 and 1545. Use of limited balustrade on the loggia overlooking the river Guà.

Type 2 single bulb balusters are used in the loggia at Villa Pisani Bonetti

Villa Almerico – Capra (known as La Rotunda) (started 1567)

Paolo Almerico was a noble priest who had spent his working life as a referendary in Rome for popes Pius IV and Pius V. He returned to his native Vicenza and commissioned Palladio in 1567 to design him a retirement villa. After Almerico’s death the villa was eventually sold to the Capra family. They bought the land surrounding the villa and commissioned Vincenzo Scamozzi (1548-1616) to complete the villa into a great country house.[vii] Following Palladio’s death, it was Scamozzi who inherited his unfinished projects.

There are no balustrades on the exterior. The elevated loggias leading up to the piano nobile enable wonderful views of the Capra’s lands. In the central hall, the gallery has a balustrade with Type 2 balusters:

Scamozzi remodelled the vault to create an oculus based on the Pantheon. Here the balustrade is made up of balusters similar to those on the loggia at Villa Pisani Bonetti. Note the oculus ended up as a lantern. It is not that practical to have an opening to the sky as at the Pantheon. Although the drain is there.

 

EXAMPLE OF A PALLADIAN CHURCH

Monastery of San Giorgio Maggiore, Venice: The Church (started 1565)

In 1565 Palladio commenced the design of an impressive church for the monastery of San Giorgio Maggiore in. This was the next commission of significance, complexity and ground-breaking architecture after the Palazzo della Ragione Loggias in Vicenza. The overall structure was in place by 1576. Although the façade was built years later between 1607 and 1611. Palladio, like Leon Battista Alberti before him, used the baths of ancient Rome as a model. A barrel-vaulted nave, against which are set three cross vaults (genuine frigidarium from Roman baths). Topped with a dome with an inner balcony and balustrade.[viii]

The altar rail is a balustrade with a Type-2 variation.

At the monastery behind the church of San Giorgio, there is another of Palladio’s key works, cloisters and a refectory. There are no balustrades in these works.

THE ENGLISH COUNTRY HOUSE

In England houses such as Robert Smythson (1535-1614) employed them in his architecture such as at Longleat, Wollaton and Hardwick Hall. Inigo Jones (1573-1652) who was heavily influenced by Palladio’s work used them in his design of the Queen’s House, Greenwich (built 1616-1635)

Harwick Hall

Built for Bess of Hardwick between 1590 to 1597. The architect was Robert Smythson.

There are Type 1 balusters making up the balustrade at the top of the hall.

Chiswick House (completed 1729): Palladian Style Villa near London

The design employs a significant use of balustrades denoting the stairs and loggia.

 

Type-2 Balusters on the Bridge at Chiswick House

The bridge at Chiswick House applies the Type 2 baluster. It is very useful to have a balustrade on a bridge!

Burlington makes it very clear his heroes of architecture with statues of Andrea Palladio and Inigo Jones standing at the front of the house. On walking up to the piano nobile loggia, visitors would be in no doubt as they walked past their statues.

SUMMARY

Balusters come in different variations. They make up the balustrades of loggias and balconies. Often overlooked, perhaps because we are so used to them. Whilst not a classical motif, they are elegant, practical, symmetrical and fit delightfully with neo-classical architecture. There are both Type 1 and Type 2 in Palladian architecture, perhaps with Palladio generally favouring the Type 1 when he employed them. The way he employed them was with consideration giving a lightness and elegance to his buildings. From Guiliano da Sangallo’ s work, they spread in an understated fashion. With the influence of Palladian architecture in England we now see them as a neo-classical motif, and concern ourselves little with the fact they were not part of the original language.

It is also worth remembering that each baluster was carved by a skilled artisan to a uniform shape, pleasing to the eye.

NOTES

[i] Rudolf Wittkower, Palladio and English Palladianism, (London: Thames & Hudson 1983; repr. 1985), p. 41.

[ii] Wittkower, pp. 41-42.

[iii] Wittkower, p. 42.

[iv] Guido Beltramini, Andrea Palladio: a guide to the complete works, (Venice: Marsilio, 2014), p. 20.

[v] Silvana Poletti, Tommaso Formenton (ed), Guide to the Venetian Villas, (Venice, Medoacus, 2013), p. 11.

[vi] Beltramini, p. 26.

[vii] Poletti, p. 18.

[viii] Beltramini, p. 80.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Beltramini, Guido, Andrea Palladio: a guide to the complete works, (Venice: Marsilio, 2014)

Poletti, Silvana, Tommaso Formenton (ed), Guide to the Venetian Villas, (Venice, Medoacus, 2013)

Wittkower, Rudolf, Palladio and English Palladianism, (London: Thames & Hudson 1983; repr. 1985)