Bramante’s works: Saint Peter’s and the Tempietto

ALthough at the beginning of this Booke, I said I would speake onely of Antiquities, yet I will not omit withall to entreat of some moderne things made in our time, and specially, because our age hath flourished with so many good wits for inuention of Architecture. There was in the time of Pope Iulio the second, a workeman called Bramant of Casteldurante in the Dukedome of Vrbin, who was a man of so great vnderstanding in Architecture, that it might be sayd (by meanes of the ayde and performents which the Pope gone him) that hee raysed by good Architecture againe, which from ancient time till then had bone hidden and kept secret: which Bramant in his time layd the foundation or beginning of the wonderfull worke of S. Peters Tempel in Rome, but being preuented by death, did not onely leane it vnfinished, but the modell thereof also was left vnperfect, wherein diuers ingenious workemen sought to busie themselues both to perfect and finish it; and amongst many others Raphael Durbin, Paynter, a man also very skilfull in Architecture, following Bramants steps, made perfect this draught, the which in my opinion is one of the fayrest draughts that are to be found, out of the which the ingenious workeman may helpe himselfe in many things. I will not set downe all the measures of this Tempel (because that it is well proportioned) and a man may by part of the measure find out the rest. This Tempel is measured with the old Romane Palme, and the broadest walkes therein is 92. Palmes broade, those of the sides are but halfe as much: by these two measures you may guesse the rest.

IN the time of Iulius the second, there was in Rome one Balthazar Petrucio of Sienne, not onely an excellent Paynter, but also very skilfull in Architecture, who following the doctrine of Bramant, made a modell in forme hereunder set downe: whose meaning was, that the Temple should haue foure gates to go into it, and that the high Altar should stand in the middle thereof: at the foure Corners he made foure Sacristes, vpon the top whereof men might place the Clocketowers for an ornament thereunto; and the first part or Facie thereof looked into the Citie. This Temple is measured with the olde Romane Palme, and first, it is in the middle from one Pilaster to another 204. Palmes, the Diameter of the Circle in the middle is 184. Palmes long. The Diameter of the foure small Circles is 65. Palmes. The Sacristes are 100. Palmes wide. The foure Pilasters in the middle make foure Bowes or Arches which beare vp the Lanthorne, and these foure Bowes or Arches are all full made, which are in height 220. Palmes, and aboue these Arches a Tribune excellently set foorth with Columnes, with a round Roofe vpon it, which Bramant ordayned before hee died, whereof the ground is here set downe.

THe Figure hereunder set down, is the ground of the Tribune that should haue gone aboue ouer the foure Bowes or Arches (as I sayd before) whereby a man may perceiue, that Bramant in such case was bolder to draw a piece of worke, then circumspect therein; because so great and massie a piece of worke should haue an excellent foundation to stand very fast, and not to be made vpon foure Bowes or Arches of such an height. And for confirmation of my spéech, the foure Pilasters, and also the Arches without any other waight vpon them, are already settled and suncke, yea, and rent in some places: Neuerthelesse, because the inuention is fayre and costly, and a thing a giue good instruction to a workeman: I thought it good to place it here in a modell: but not to be tedious in setting downe the measures, I will shew some of the principallest; the rest you may finde with the small Palme which standeth here within the ground, which length containeth 50. Palms: the thickenesse of the first Columne without, is 5. Palmes, the thickenesse of the second Columne within, is 4. Palmes, and the thicknesse of the third Columne is 3. Palmes and thrée quarters. The widenesse of the Tribune within, is 188. Palmes, the Diameter of the small Lanthorne within the middle, is 36. Palmes, the rest you may guesse by the small Palms.

THis is the Orthographie both within and without, drawne out of the Ichnographie afore set downe, whereby you may conceaue the great masse & waight which should heue stood vpon the foure Archee; which waight may giue any wise workeman matter to consider, that it had bane futer to set it vpon the ground, and not in the ayre vpon such a height; and therefore I counsell all workemen rather to be doubtfull them too rash: for if hee bee doubtfull, he will make his worke surer, and not despise another mans counsell; which doing, hee shall seldome faile: but if hee be rash and stout, hee will not take any other mous aduise, but will trust only to his own inuention, wherby oftentimes his worke doeth him more shame then honestie: therefore I conclude, that stoutnes proocéedeth from presumption, and presumption from small vnderstanding; and I say, that doubtfulnesse or bashfulnesse is a vertue, making a man to thinke hea knoweth little, although his vnderstāding be great: the measute of this worke is to be found by the aforesayd small Palme.

THis ground set vnder this, is also an inuention of Bramant, thought it was neuer made, which agréed with the old worke: that part which is marked with B. is S. Peters Church in Montorio without Rome; and that part marked with A. is an old Cloyster, but that part in the nuddle, Bramant ordayned, thereby to helpe himselfe with the old worke: the place marked C. signifieth a Gallery with foure Chappels in the corners. The place B. standeth vnder the ayre: the part marked E. is a litle Temple, which the said Bramant made: the measures whereof shalbe shewed in much greater forme in the leafe ensuing. I haue said nothing touching the measure of the ground, but I haue set this here onely forthe inuention.

IN the last side I promised to shew Bramants Temple in greater forme, which is not very great, but was onely made an remembrance of S. Peter the Apostle, for it to said that hee was crucified in that place: the sayd Temple is to bee measured by the old Romane scote, which foote is sixtéene sh•g•s, and euery finger is foure minutes: whereof also you shall finde the measure by the Romane Palme, augmenting the said •oure fingers. The Diameter of this Temple is of flue and twenty foote, and two and twenty minutes. The widenesse o• the walke round about the Temple is seuen foote, the thickenesse of the Columnes are one foote and 25 minutes. The widenesse of the Doore is thrée foote and a halfe: The Quadrants with the roundels within. which goe round about the Temple, shew the Laturary of the Temple aboue the Columnes: the thicknesse of the wall is fiue foote; the rest of the other measures you may conceaue by the first.

THis is the said Temple standing vp, which sheweth the one halfe without, and the other halfe within, and is made altogether after the Dorica, as you sée by the Figure. I will not speake of the particular measures: for by the ground you may conceaue this which stoods vpright, for that this (though it be small) is set downe by the measures thereof, and from the great reouced into the small.

NOw I haue shewed the outside of S. Peters Temple, in this I will shew the innermost part, which is made with such proportion, that the workeman by the widenesse of the ground, may finde all the measures: and although that this Temple sheweth too high for the bredth, for that it is thought and shewed to be as high as it is broad: Notwithstanding, by the opennesse of the windowes, and the Nichens or Chappels that are in it, the height thereof is not amisse, and especially by meanes of the double Cornices, which goe round about, and couer much of the height together with the Proiecture, the Temple sheweth much more as it is.