Transforming the Church Interior in Renaissance Florence: Screens and Choir Spaces, from the Middle Ages to Tridentine Reform

The churches of Florence were divided by monumental screens before the late sixteenth century, which controlled social interactions, facilitated liturgical performances, and framed or obscured religious ritual and imagery. Screens were destroyed in the 1560s and 70s, transforming the function, meaning, and spatial dynamics of the church interior. Joanne Allen's study presents unpublished documentation and new reconstructions of screens and the choir precincts, elucidating issues such as gender, patronage, and class and deepening our understanding of the impact of religious reform on church architecture.

Format: Hardback
Length: 366 pages
Publication date: 05 May 2022
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Before the late sixteenth century, the churches of Florence were a vibrant tapestry of religious and social life, with monumental screens dividing the laity in the nave from the clergy in the choir precinct. These screens, awe-inspiring artistic structures, played a crucial role in controlling social interactions, facilitating liturgical performances, and framing or obscuring religious ritual and imagery. However, a period of religious reforms in the 1560s and 70s brought about a seismic shift, as screens were routinely destroyed, irreversibly transforming the function, meaning, and spatial dynamics of the church interior. In this captivating volume, Joanne Allen delves into the widespread presence of screens and their profound role in Florentine social and religious life prior to the Counter-Reformation. Through the presentation of unpublished documentation and innovative reconstructions of these vanished structures, Allen sheds light on issues such as gender, patronage, and class, making these once-lost artifacts comprehensible and enriching our understanding of the profound impact of religious reform on church architecture.

In the 1560s and 70s, a period of religious reforms swept through Florence, leading to the destruction of many screens that had previously separated the laity in the nave from the clergy in the choir precinct. These screens, which were impressive artistic structures, played a crucial role in controlling social interactions, facilitating liturgical performances, and framing or obscuring religious ritual and imagery. However, during this time of religious upheaval, screens were seen as symbols of the old order and were deemed unnecessary or oppressive. As a result, they were systematically destroyed, irreversibly altering the function, meaning, and spatial dynamics of the church interior.

The destruction of the screens in the 1560s and 70s had a profound impact on the church interior. The screens had been used to control social interactions, facilitate liturgical performances, and frame or obscure religious ritual and imagery. Without these screens, the church interior became more open and democratic, allowing for greater interaction between the laity and the clergy. The destruction of the screens also allowed for the reorganization of the choir precinct, which had been previously separated from the nave by the screens. This reorganization allowed for a more centralized and formal arrangement of the clergy, which was in line with the religious reforms of the time.

However, the destruction of the screens also had a negative impact on the church interior. The screens had been used to create a sense of separation and hierarchy between the laity and the clergy, which had been a defining feature of Florentine church architecture. Without these screens, the church interior became more unified and egalitarian, which some religious leaders found to be threatening. As a result, the destruction of the screens led to a period of conflict and debate within the church, as religious leaders sought to preserve the traditional order and others sought to embrace the new reforms.

In conclusion, the destruction of the screens in the 1560s and 70s was a significant event in the history of Florentine church architecture. While the screens had been used to control social interactions, facilitate liturgical performances, and frame or obscure religious ritual and imagery, their destruction led to a period of religious reform and a transformation of the church interior. While the destruction of the screens had a negative impact on the sense of separation and hierarchy between the laity and the clergy, it also allowed for a more open and democratic arrangement of the church interior. As a result, the church interior of Florence today is a vibrant and dynamic space that reflects the rich history and culture of the city.

Weight: 1214g
Dimension: 222 x 283 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781108833592