Opera magazine
2016-08-03
Topping the Dome: from the Lantern to the Verrocchio's Ball - part 1
The “Palla del Verrocchio”, literally Verrocchio's Ball, is - quite literally in its own way - the icing of the Cupola del Brunelleschi top.
The “Palla del Verrocchio”, literally Verrocchio's Ball, is - quite literally in its own way - the icing of the Cupola del Brunelleschi top.
The Verrocchio sphere is the summit of the Dome’s Lantern. As Francesco Paolo di Teodoro, professor of Architectural history at Politecnico di Torino, told us, neither the Lantern nor the “Palla” had an easy life…
The Lantern of the dome: the last project of a genius
On August 30th 1436 the Cupola - after sixteen years - was finished. The last issue was how to close the empty space between the ribs of the vault.
On October 30th 1432 Brunelleschi had presented a model of the Lantern; other models were presented by Antonio Manetti Ciaccheri and Brunelleschi’s usual rival Lorenzo Ghiberti.
In 1436 the Operai, the Overseers of Santa Maria del Fiore, accepted Brunelleschi’s project, while suggesting to adopt some of Manetti’s ideas as well.
It is incredible how modern are the judgement criteria for the project: ergonomics and functionality are definitely not Renaissance words, but the concepts are already there, in the XV Century Florence.
The Lantern is supposed to be not only beautiful (according to the venustas principle), but useful (utilitas: the Lantern must provide light to the Dome) and strong (firmitas: a concept which includes stability, reliability and endurance) as well.
The project was approved on December 31st 1436, the preliminary works included the design and construction of a wooden revolving crane and a scaffold at the top of the Dome.
The first stone was laid only in 1446, just a month before Brunelleschi's death. Not the best way to start: the Lantern will need many more years and five more supervisors to be finished.
It is still definitely a long way to the placement of the Palla del Verrocchio, which will have its own troubles… In the next post!