Arnolfo di Cambio

Arnolfo di Cambio (c. 1240/45 in Colle di Val d' Elsa, † 1302/1310 in Florence ) was an Italian architect and sculptor. From Giorgio Vasari, he is mistakenly referred to as Arnolfo di Lapo, because he assumed that the father of Arnolfo was a German architect named Lapo.

Arnolfo di Cambio learns a later according to tradition, drawing on Cimabue and began his artistic career as a sculptor. He receives proper training from Niccolò Pisano at Pisa, later in Siena, where he works with his teacher 1264-67 at the pulpit of the Cathedral. Here he is in 1265 demonstrated for the first time in a document. At shortly before arising under the direction Niccolò tomb of St. Dominic ( Arca di San Domenico ) in the church of San Domenico in Bologna Arnolfo had allegedly been involved.

From 1276 to Arnolfo where he keeps on in Rome, among others, works for Charles of Anjou. In a today in the Capitoline Museum preserved statue he represents the monarch in the form of a Roman senator dar. However, the attribution to Arnolfo is not without controversy. Other important Roman work Arnolfo the tombs of Cardinal Annibaldi include († 1276) in the Lateran basilica and Pope Boniface VIII († 1303) in St. Peter's Church, which the Pope gave at the beginning of his pontificate in order. For example, there are grave the anecdote that a bishop, when he was asked what about the beauty of the tomb still missing, replied: " That you ( Boniface ) therein lies ".

In addition, he created the canopies over the altars of St. Paul Outside the Walls ( 1285) and Santa Cecilia in Trastevere ( 1293 ) and the seated figure of St. Peter in St. Peter (c. 1290/1300 ). This is crowned each year at the Peter and Paulstag with the tiara. Another custom is to rub on the foot, so this is very worn.

In addition to his Roman occupation to Arnolfo is around 1280 in Perugia, where he works at the large fountain begun by Niccolò Pisano. In addition, there arises as an independent work of the little fountain " pede in fori ", the resulting fragments can now be visited in the Umbrian National Gallery. In Orvieto Arnolfo creates for the Church of Saint Domenico 1282 tomb of Cardinal de Braye. The sculptors of Arnolfo is characterized by the block-like unity and peaceful contours of his figures, some of which ties in with ancient examples and these skilfully combines with the North European High Gothic. His work can be counted partly to the precursors of the Renaissance. Giotto di Bondone took his characters as a model and also Brunelleschi attacked them on.

In his later years, Arnolfo, the now extensive workshops in Rome and Florence has spent, increasingly the architecture to which he had allegedly learned in a German Master Jacob.

1296 he took over the post of senior master at the new building of the Florence Cathedral. However, he will not get far beyond the planning. The facade, begun by Arnolfo is completed only in their lower floor and demolished in 1588. The sculptures created for this purpose Arnolfo are now in the Cathedral Museum. The Western, he had begun nave sections fall in the mid- 14th century, largely from the amendment Francesco Talentis victim, so that the architectural proportions Arnolfo can only be guessed at Florence Cathedral today.

In addition to this major project also crucial shares his credit in the creation of other highly important Florentine buildings, so he plans and builds the 1294 started Franciscan church of Santa Croce and the cloisters, restored the Baptistery of San Giovanni and planning the layout of the palace of the Signoria, the Palazzo Vecchio. The planning of the Florentine founding city ( terranuova ) Castel San Giovanni (from 1296 ) is attributed since Vasari to Arnolfo today also. He also planned to possibly built from 1290 Orvieto Cathedral.

His portrait is supposed to posterity on a painting by Giotto, in the death of St.. Francis in the church of Santa Croce, speak in one of the figures in the foreground with each other is obtained.

Giorgio Vasari includes a biography of Arnolfo in his Vite.