The Church of San Lorenzo (c.
1421), by Fillippo Brunelleschi (1377-1446) Brunelleschi's Florentine masterpiece illustrates vividly the influence of classical, Roman ideas on Renaissance architecture. The design discarded the lofty, upward-thrusting arches and vaulted ceilings of medieval church architecture in favor of spaces crafted on a more human scale, based on ancient Roman models, that were defined by clear and unbroken bands of moulding, a consistent system of geometrical proportions, simple decorations, and a boxed-in ceiling. The "space thus determined," writes John Hale, "invited a calm calculation of its effect rather than a subjective empathy with it." Image source: Great Buildings Online.
Image: exterior view of San Lorenzo. Source: Arca.net.