Brunelleschi

Brunelleschi, Filippo, architect, was born in 1377 at Florence. After being a goldsmith and a sculptor, he turned his sole attention to architecture, and visiting Rome with Donatello, he became inspired with the traditions of the classical period, which he sought to revive in architecture. His great work was the dome of the cathedral of Santa Maria at Florence, founded in 1296, entrusted to him about 1407. The possibility of this dome - the largest diametrically in the world and the model followed by Michael Angelo in the construction of St. Peter's - was denied by other architects, but, excepting the lantern in the summit, Brunelleschi lived to see it completed. Among other of his works were the Pitti Palace at Florence, the churches of San Lorenzo and Spirito Santo, and the Capella dei Pazza, He died in 1446, and was buried in the church of Santa Maria.