Ghirardo points out that the relationship between modern architecture and fascism is not as clear as recent analysis might have it. What do you think was the aspiration for modern 'rational' architecture and why would it be associated with socialist politics? Further, why was there such a close relationship between modern architecture and fascism in Italy in the pre-war years, but not in germany?
Rationalism was one of the key movements in Italy after world war one. It set about broadening the scope of modern architecture by formulating clear strategies for dealing with the industrialisation and urbanisation of Italy . During the time fascism and mussolini was in rule and modernism was previant it italy. The rationalist architects adhered to the ideals of fasisicm not only politically but stylisitical aswell. They did not just play along with fascism to be able to creature architecutre, but where fully invested in the movement of the era. The stylings of rationalsim differed that from other totalitarian nations at the time, mainly german, whos styles more tended towards that of neo-classicism.
It has been established by many historians that Italian Fascism was not a coherent system of ideas. Full of inconsistencies it sought out to appeal to many and diverse social groups. Adrian Lyttleton has observed “ Fascist ideology was composite, an unstable functional syntheses of the needs of various social groups. It is impossible to arrange the ideas current in the Fascist movement into 'one relatively coherent system of generalisations about nature, society and man'”. Mussolini had adopted a technique which he called the “scotch douche” which smith described as “blowing hot and cold, being friendly and provocative by turns, and ...
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...nalist was to be the main movement in architecture at the time. This meant they had to cement themselves heavily in the current political environment at the time i.e. fascism, and try to prove themselves the ultimate. They believed they where in a battle of winner takes all and the enemy where left totally decimated. Trying to “out-facsist” each other had left the group in a state of incoherence and sadly probably never got to reach the full potential of the movement. This had left some of the best Rationalists work with the worst promise of Fascism, Hierarchy, efforts to exclude lower classes from cities of all sizes, ostentatious celebration of the cult of the Duce, and rhetorical celebration of Fascism. Persico pinpointed the real issues when he commented that “taste was the only issue that separated Rationalists from other Italian architects in Fascist Italy.”
To understand why Fascism gained such popularity after WWI, it is essential to find a working definition of what Fascism actually is. According to Benito Mussolini and his document What is Fascism, Fascism is “the conception of the state, its character, its duty, and its aim.” It is concerned primarily and totally with the affairs of state rather than those of the individual. The chief duty of a man in a Fascist nation is to do what he can to elevate the state to higher power or assist the state in whatever means necessary in its goals. As is evident to anyone studying this period in history, Fascism “repudiates the doctrine of Pacifism…” meaning that it is most certainly not afraid to use force or war to accomplish its objectives. A Fascist, especially a male Fascist, aspires to be a hero to his country and an ally to the state or nation of which he is a part. A woman ...
...nd architecture now depended on individual imaginations and talent and not necessarily the designs approved by the dominant church. The influence that Giovanni Pico della Mirandola had on Reuchlin and the manifestation of a truly earnest mind in the circle of brilliant half Christian scholars of the Florentine renaissance sets him aside as one of the most interesting philosophers (Craven, 1981). Remarkably, three years before his death, he gave up his share of ancestral principality and all he had after completing some of his literary plans to wander through the world teaching about Christ barefoot.
7 May 2010 “Fascism in Germany and Italy.” Online Essays. 10 July 2007. 7 May 2010 “Italian Fascism.” Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia.
In the book written by Adolf Hitler, while he was in prison, Mein Kampf, Hitler states that the Aryan race is the dominate race. While Benito Mussolini’s book The Doctrine of Fascism, shows the views of man in a fascist state. While both the essay by Mussolini and the book by Hitler both show what a person should be like in their country either it is their religion, race or political ideas. Only one shows a more convincing philosophies, because it clearly states what the person wants to get across the world.
Mussolini, Benito. “The Political and Social Doctrine of Fascism.” The Human Record . By Alfred J. Andrea and James H. Overfield. Vol. 2. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2011. 2 vols. 399-400.
A rediscover of their history and recognition of early Greek philosophers changed the way that the influential families and Princes, in Italy, considered themselves. Their way of thinking of the Devine and need to promote one’s own aspirations through sponsorship of the arts, as well as, civic duty became not only fashionable but important to progress in the city states. Although Donatello’s David and Botticelli’s Primavera are master pieces in their own right, their influence on future generations of artists cannot be ignored. The spark that ignited the fire which we call the Renaissance was a transformation of societies thinking and values to a Humanistic approach to one duties to society and the church. These two works are a reflection of the changing attitudes which would eventually change all of
Fascism is defined as, “an authoritarian and nationalistic right-wing system of government and social organization.” Peter Hyland reports that throughout the 1920s and the 1930s, an economic depression was growing and becoming widespread throughout the world. People were losing faith in their democracies and in capitalism. Leaders who gained power supported powerful militarism, nationalism, and initiated the return of an authoritarian rule. J.R. Oppenheimer says that the rise of fascism and totalitarianism in Europe and Russia instigated a “critical step on the path to war.” In 1922, Benito Mussolini held leadership in Italy, promising a proficient and militaristic nationalistic state. During his control as prime minister, he gained a large group of followers, banned the disparagement of government, and used extreme violence against his enemies within the parliament.
In this paper I'm focusing mainly on Renaissance art work, since that was the assignment, but I feel it's important to also mention the other important parts of the Renaissance, architecture, science, politics and religion.
Mussolini’s population policy was a clear effort to exercise his authoritarian control over the people of Italy, regulating the most personal and private details of their lives. In his bid for complete control, he used new laws, propaganda, and sometimes brutal tactics in order for his wishes to be recognized. It is during the 1920’s to the 1940’s that totalitarian control over the state escalated into full dictatorships, with the wills of the people being manipulated into a set of beliefs that would promote the fascist state and “doctrines.”
"The manner in which Mussolini and the Fascist Party gained possession of the government was regarded in most foreign circles as an illegal act of violence." (3) As the nation of Italy began to suffer great debts, Mussolini had been summoned by the King to form a government to aid in the economic needs. This marked the birth of the Fascist Party in Italy. In the beginning of his rise to the top, Mussolini was popular amongst his people. His popularity was high, and people began to trust in his judgment and ideas. (4) He was, in essence, saving the people from the turmoil that had ensued the nat...
Q: Use St. Peter’s Basilica and Donato Bramante’s Tempietto in Rome, in opposition to John Balthasar Neumann’s Pilgrimage Church of Vier(7) in Bamburg, Germany, to argue that a rational engagement with architecture is a more effective means to comprehend and understand architectural form. During the period of Renaissance, human’s thought and intelligence has reached its highest and its effect on the architectural form, it became clear and its engagement of rational aspect on the building. Mainly geometrical forms are the characteristics which can be identified. Not so long after the Renaissance period of Baroque architecture was introduced, rather than logic and reasoning they wanted to capture the emotional atmosphere by using the architectural elements such as light, height, crafted art, costly materials and so on as mentioned by(Scotti 2007, 5-10).
During the late sixteenth century a new style of art, known as Mannerist, emerged through out Italy as a result of the Protestant Reformation. Mannerist distorted art was justified because it served mid way between the ideal, natural, symmetrical and the real, artificial, and unbalanced. The religious and political upheaval lead to the distinct Mannerist style know for being stylish, cultured, and elegant. Mannerist art is thought provoking, asking the viewer to ponder and respond to the spatial challenges and meaning found in the painting, sculpture, and architectural work. Mannerist painting and sculpture are characterized by complicated compositions, distorted figure styles, and complex allegorical interpretations. Meanwhile Mannerist architecture often employs classical elements in a new and unusual way that defies traditional formulas.
The essence of modern architecture lays in a remarkable strives to reconcile the core principles of architectural design with rapid technological advancement and the modernization of society. However, it took “the form of numerous movements, schools of design, and architectural styles, some in tension with one another, and often equally defying such classification, to establish modernism as a distinctive architectural movement” (Robinson and Foell). Although, the narrower concept of modernism in architecture is broadly characterized by simplification of form and subtraction of ornament from the structure and theme of the building, meaning that the result of design should derive directly from its purpose; the visual expression of the structure, particularly the visual importance of the horizontal and vertical lines typical for the International Style modernism, the use of industrially-produced materials and adaptation of the machine aesthetic, as well as the truth to materials concept, meaning that the true nat...
Renzo stated in an interview, “Architecture is about exploring. Culturally, historically, psychologically, anthropologically, and topographically, every job is different.” Renzo is particularly well known for adapting designs to their location. He later went on to say “(architecture) should make a contribution to the contex. … you must employ a homeopathic process, ... you can easily destroy their (cities) subtle dynamics” (Archinect, 2006).
The Italian Neo-Realist movement began to emerge with the fall of Mussolini's Fascist regime in 1943 and was able to entirely establish itself with the end of World War II with the end of German occupation. This caused audiences all around the globe to be “suddenly introduced to Italian films” (Historical Origins of Italian Neo-realism, n.d.) through works by “Roberto Rossellini (1906–1977), Vittorio De Sica (1902–1974), and Luchino Visconti (1906–1976)” (Historical Origins of Italian Neo-realism, n.d.). With the oppressive shackles of fascist censorship now gone, Italian directors began to pursue a new style of cinematic realism. A style which combined the realist cinema and German expressionism that was already present during the fascist era but combining it with new unexplored topics such as social, political and economic issues that the regime would simply not of tolerated. As a result neo-realist cinema often took a critical approach to how it viewed Italian society and culture and tended to focus attention towards the social issues the country was facing. With directors often looking at the effects of the “resistance, post-war poverty and chronic unemployment” (Historical Origins of Italian Neo-realism, n.d.). Neo-realism for many Italian’s allowed them to “put an image to the resistance” (Ratner, n.d.) which before the emergence of neo-realist cinema had seen little to n...