Question

Which of the following buildings is considered a hallmark of Renaissance architecture?

a. Palazzo Rucellai
b. Church of San Lorenzo
c. Florence Cathedral

Answer 1

The Palazzo Rucellai, designed by Leon Battista Alberti, is a hallmark of Renaissance architecture showcasing the era's characteristic emphasis on classical elements, symmetry, and proportion.

Step-by-step explanation:

Among the buildings listed, the Palazzo Rucellai is considered a hallmark of Renaissance architecture. Designed by Leon Battista Alberti between 1446 and 1451, the Palazzo Rucellai showcases the defining features of the architectural renaissance that took place in Florence. This landmark represents a new sense of light, clarity, and spaciousness, with a classical ordering of columns, pilasters, and entablatures used in proportional relationships. It exemplifies the shift from Gothic to classical Roman elements, characteristic of the Renaissance style, with its use of symmetry, proportion, geometry, and regularity of parts.

The Florence Cathedral, while a significant feat with its immense masonry dome designed by Filippo Brunelleschi, used Gothic technology and therefore represents a transitional piece rather than a pure example of Renaissance architecture. However, it's important to note that Brunelleschi's work on the dome did usher in the era of Renaissance architectural techniques.