This course will offer an overview of most of Michelangelo architectural design projects, both the projects he was able to realise and the ones that remain on paper. The course will start by investigating the historical, cultural, and artistic context in late XVI Century Italy with a focus on Florence and Rome, and Michelangelo’s early career as a sculptor. The passage from the Renaissance to the Baroque, Michelangelo is the most important exponent of High Renaissance, as a connection between the past heritage and future directions. The course will explore stylistically this historical passage. It will outline the key features of Michelangelo’s “theory” of architecture. Some of the concepts that characterize his work are the connection to sculpture, organicism, movement, and the city. Projects discussed and analysed include the Library of San Lorenzo, the Capitoline Hill and Farnese Palace, the Basilica of St Peter, and the Medici Chapels.
This course is part of the Oxford University Summer School for Adults (OUSSA) programme.