Original scientific paper
TREFOIL FACADES OF RENAISSANCE CHURCHES IN CROATIA
Radovan Ivančević
; Filoofski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu
Abstract
The present study is a typological, structural and stylistic analysis of the
Renaissance facades with trefoil gables on the eastern coast of the Adriatic, as well as an interpretation of their particular importance within the history of European Renaissance architecture. A number of 15c and 16c monuments in Istria, Kvarner and Dalmatia belong to the said type: 1 Šibenik cathedral (1441-1477) 2 Osor former cathedral (1498) 3 St. Mary's in Zadar (1507-1535) 4 St. Saviour in Dubrovnik (1521) 5 Hvar cathedral (1530-1560) 6 St. Mary's at Svetvinčenat (1555) 7 St. George's in Pag (16c) 8 the chapel of the Zamanjas' summer residence in Rijeka dubrovačka (the second half of the 16c). Author also analyses the facade of St. Francis in Rab (1590) as a version with three semicircular gables, as well as the churches of St. Rocco in Split (1510) and the Holy Spirit in Šibenik (1593), a simple semi-circular gable. The shape of the Renaissance trefoil gable grew out of the tradition of the gotic trefoil on the facades of Venetian churches, but it also had its own Renaissance prototype in Alberti's design for the facade of Tempio Malatestiano in Rimini (1450). The author therefore finds it inadequate to consider the Renaissance trefoil gables of Dalmatia as secondary versions influenced by Venetian models, for they both have identical Umbrian prototype. In addition to this, the functional and organic project of Šibenik cathedral by Juraj Dalmatinac (George the Dalmatian) chronologically precede (1441-1477) and structurally surpass the Venetian trefoil gable. The areation of trifoil facade in Venice and in Dalmatia is seen by the author as a parallel process stemming from the late Gothic tradition (Venice) and from a unique Early Renaissance model (Rimini). The issue of their relationship remains open, for 1955 E. Dyggve found out that "chronologically the gable of Šibenik cathedral may have played an important role regarding the workshops which constructed famous churches with curved gables in the course of 80's and 90's" (Santa Maria dei Miracoli, San Michele and San Zaccharia), while L. Puppi (1977) corroborated this view with the evidence of the ties between the Codussi workshop and Šibenik and pointed out that the design of Juraj Dalmatinac may have influenced even Alberti's design for the Rimini facade. The author introduces a more precise typological classification by distinguishing between the "three-part trefoil facade" (Šibenik, Zadar, Hvar, Svetvinčenat) and the "undivided trefoil facade" (Osor, Pag, Rijeka dubrovačka) and providing a detailed analysis of composition typology for the trefoil gable. The author also analyses the structural relation of the facade to the interior of the church, i.e. whether it "reveals" of "conceals" its traits, and devises a specification distinguishing the facades in complete accordance with the division of the interior space of the church, those in partial accordance, and the facades which contradict the character and the organization of their interiors. The first group includes the facade of the church in Zadar as well as most Italian versions; the second the facades of Osor and Dubrovnik churches; the third Savičenta church and Hvar cathedral.
The author stipulates four characteristic versions regarding the relation of the main facade and the architectural space behind:
a. Functional and organic trefoil facade is identical to the section of the body of the church it precedes, a sort of its projection on a flat surface where the outlines of the facade and cross section of the church coincide. Dyggve was the first to point out the distinction between "the exterior of a building fitting its stereometric body" and the tendencies to "conceal the relationship between" them, and considers Šibenik cathedral as the most complete version of the first approach. The facade of Šibenik cathedral is the only three-part trefoil Renaissance facade in Europe which fully corresponds to the cross section of the three-aisles basilica whose nave is arched by a barrel vault, while the galleries over the aisles have quadrant section vaults.
b. Congruent three-part trefoil facades, They are in accordance with the layout of three-aisled churches, e.g. St. Mary's on the Croatian coast or S. Michele in Isola and S. Zaccaria on the Italian. The vertical tripartite facade side emphasizes the interior nave-aisles division, while the trefoil gable sticks out as a sort of stage prop: the semicircular gable conceals the double-eaved roof above the nave, the side segments hide the sloped roofs above the aisles. By analogy with trefoil facades of three-aisled churches, adequate undivided facades with a semicircular gable can be found on single-naved churches with double-eaved roofs, e.g. St. Roko in Split or the Holy Spirit in Šibenik.
c. Undivided trefoil facades in partial accordance. Partial accordance can be seen on the facades of former Osor cathedral and the church of St. Saviour (Spas) in Dubrovnik. Although they are composed of a lower single and a trefoil upper part in Osor St. Mary's it is in accordance with its three-aisled interior, while the undivided lower part of the facade on the church of the St. Saviour corresponds to the single-naved interior. The facade of Osor cathedral thus contradicts its tripartite basilical division. Less "radical" than Osor example are the facades of the same type in front of single-naved churches. Their undivided surface corresponds to the single-naved interior, while trefoil gables in front of double-eaved roofs have a purely decorative function: the church of St. George in Pag, the chapel of the Zamanjas' summer residence in Rijeka dubrovačka.
d. Three-part trefoil facades contradicting the interior. Set-like facades can actively contradict the caracter of the interior, i.e. they can misrepresent it and, per analogiam, mislead the observer of a three-part facade in front of a single naved interior as it is in case of St. Mary's at Svetvinčenat and Hvar cathedral. The church at Svetvinčenat with its typical three-part facade seems to be a three-aisled church. However it is a single-naved church. The set-like facade rather than revealing the character of the interior actually conceals it. Outstanding among all the Croatian and Italian churches of this type is the facade of Hvar cathedral, with double set-like illusions and contradictions regarding the three-aisled church interior. The trick is twofold: typologically the tripartite division of the trefoil facade corresponds to the three-aisled church interior, however, it actually covers only the main have (!) instead of indicating them all from the exterior. Since the facade is reduced to the width of the nave, the church front is disproportionately elongate. Owing to its morphological as well as structural characteristics, the set-like facade of Hvar cathedral is an original and authentic example of Manneristic architecture. The author points out another component that has so far not been noticed: the relationship between the material used itself, indicating a significant regional difference between the churches of Dalmatia and Kvarner on the one hand and Venetian ones on the other. Even when they belong to the same type of set-like facades (according to the suggested classification), in Venetian churches this stagelike quality is always a notch higher than in Dalmatia - a consequence of different materials and construction methods used. Venetian facades of this type are made of stone, while the rest of the building is brick or plaster; The churches in Dalmatia being entirely made of stone have interity and continuity of the front and the sides of the building, in the organic harmony of the main facade surface and the volume of the church. The use of different materials in Venetian examples creates a sharp division: the stone covering on main facades further emphasizes its set-like quality, for it is clearly pasted on the front of otherwise homogenous brick buildings. The only church in Croatia which belongs to the Venetian type of set-like facades is St. Mary's at Svetvinčenat. With a stone front and mortared side facades, it shares the same idea of the facade unrelated to the volume of the building. Since this Istrian church is the northernmost of all in the eastern Adriatic group and nearest to Venice, it proves the rule and testifies to a stronger Venetian influence. Following a thorough monograph study of each particular trefoil facade on the Croatian side of the Adriatic, the author also analyses the church of St. Francis in Rab as an example with three semicircular gables, related to Scuola di S. Marco and combining some elements of S. Michele, yet representing another version. For the facades with a semicircular gable: those of the singlenaved churches of St. Rochus in Split and of the Holy Spirit in Šibenik. The author finds the former stylistic definition of church fronts with trefoil gables as Renaissance facades too broad and superficial. In two comparative tables first representing the facades and second the relation of facade to the interior - he shows all the facades to the same scale and uses the stylistic criterion to interpret their distinctive traits. On the basis of proportions, construction and relation to the interior, the author concludes that they also manifest stylistic changes and can therefore be labelled as Early, Classical or High Renaissance, even Mannerist. A chronological survey of Croatian monuments shows that their stylistic traits coincide with the general features of stylistic evolution in European Renaissance. Šibenik cathedral (1441-1477) may be regarded as a paradigm of the Early Renaissance, i.e. of the second phase of the quattrocento, St. Mary's in Zadar (1507-1535) as an example of Classical Renaissance from the beginning of the cinquecento, and Hvar cathedral (1530-1560) as a paradigm of Mannerism from the middle of the cinquecento. The suggested stylistic classification of trefoil facades also applies to the two facades with a semicircular gable in Dalmatia: the facade of St. Rochus (1510) in Split falls into the classical category, while the front of the Holy Spirit in Šibenik has markedly Mannerist traits. In the author's opinion, this study proves his corroborated thesis that it is not correct to consider Dalmatian Renaissance monuments stylistically belated or to interpret them just as derivatives of Italian models, a frequent occurence indeed. The relation between the chronology of Croatian monuments and their stylistic traits, concludes the author, proves their contemporaneity with Italian and European artistic trends, while original achievement of the Šibenik cathedral, both precede and outshine them.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
150167
URI
Publication date:
15.12.1993.
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