Le finestre terrene del palazzo Medici-Lante a Roma. Geometria e materia nel primo Cinquecento

Abstract

During the first two decades of the sixteenth century,
architects interpreted the window framing of Roman
palaces in many ways. Given special importance, these
elements rapidly became one of the most modern
characters of new façades. A significant example of this
aesthetic and cultural development is represented by the
precious marble inginocchiate windows of Medici-Lante
Palace assigned to Giuliano da Sangallo.
Aiming to highlight the original construction phase of the
palace, this paper will focus on the first four ground-level
windows of the main façade, matching the available data
with the direct analysis of the architecture. Moreover, by
comparing other contemporary windows with ours, it’s
possible to add new considerations, examining the original
design, the unique combination of the materials, the
regular proportions, and the clear references to antiquity.
Finally, the Ionic volute of the window shelf supporting
the windowsill has been subject to a specific study together
with graphical analysis of the polycentric spiral.