RENAISSANCE AND MANNERISM C. I420-C. I6OO

Sistine Chapel and Raphael the
Stanze of the Vatican, asked
Michelangelo to portray him in
a statue for Bologna with a
sword instead of a book; for,
he said: "I am a soldier, not a
scholar". Of Alexander VI, and
his nephew Cesare Borgia, it is
sufficient to mention the names
in this connection. The Palazzo
Riario has a ground floor
without pilasters, because it
seemed more reasonable to
preserve the integrity of the
rustication, where only small
windows were required. On
the first and second floors
there are pilasters, but not in
the simple sequence of the
Palazzo Ruccllai. Again the a
b a rhythm is used to give life
and rule to the facade. It will
also be noticed that, whereas
Alberti's horizontal divisions
had to serve as cornices and at
the same time window sills,
the unknown architect of the
Cancelleria gives each function
its clearly visible architectural
expression. Moreover the corner bays of the building are slightly
projected, so that to the right and die left there is no vagueness
about the composition either.

The Cancelleria is the first Renaissance building of more than
local importance in Rome. About the time, however, when it was
completed, Rome took the leadership in architecture and art out of
the hands of Florence. This moment marks the beginning of the High
Renaissance. The Early Renaissance was essentially Tuscan. The
High Renaissance is Roman, because Rome was at that time the
only international centre of civilisation, and the High Renaissance
has an ideal classicity which made it internationally acceptable and

94

55. THE CHANCERY PALACE (PALAZZO
DELLA CANCELLERIA) IN ROME, 1486-98.