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The Renaissance

Artistic Indpendence

As important as were Brunelleschi's artistic and technical achievements, he also achieved a new standing within Florentine society that is significant. Like everything else in his life, this was not won without a battle.

Filippo was able to break free of the guild system and make an independent career for himself. When he left Florence in 1401 to go to Rome, he neglected to keep up his membership in the Goldsmith Guild, which is where he was originally enrolled. When he returned and won the contract for the cathedral, this was used as an argument against him. He prevailed through sheer force of will and brilliance.

He also won free of the influence of the Wool Merchants Guild, which was supervising the contract. They, at the urging of various factions within the town, originally awarded the contract to Filippo, then changed their minds and awarded it jointly to Bunelleschi and Lorenzo Ghiberti.

Ghiberti had had no part in the design of the dome, but the guildsmen and other members of the committee simply could not bring themselves to give the whole project to Filippo. For a few years, Filippo tolerated this, but in 1426 he'd had enough.

One day, Brunelleschi did not show up at the work site. Ghiberti did not know what to do next and inquired after his partner. Filippo was sick. So, Lorenzo sent all the workers home for the day.

The next day, Filippo was still sick. And the next day, and the next. After a while, it was becoming obvious that Lorenzo did not know what to do. He called on Brunelleschi himself, who continued to feign a fever and enjoined Lorenzo to do whatever seemed best to him.

Ghiberti was completely stymied. Construction had stopped. At last, embarassed and angry, Ghiberti declared that he had too many other projects and resigned his commission. Filippo miraculously recovered and was in sole possession of the contract.

In this incident we see the artist desiring fame and sole credit for his genius. This is, too, is a characteristic of our modern notions about art and artists.

Brunelleschi was not the only artist to exhibit genius and was not the first to work outside the guild structure. Similarly, artists who came after still generally worked within the guilds, but the way had been marked and more would follow in the steps of Filippo. The Renaissance did not only redefine art, it redefined the artist as well.