PAGE Character of the Fine Arts of the Renaissance not hitherto correctly set forth--The Fine Arts always an expression of the conditions and beliefs of a people--Mediæval Christianity as a source of artistic inspiration--Conditions that gave character to the Fine Arts of the Middle Ages--Artistic productions of the Renaissance qualified by the immoral tendencies of the time--Luxury and extravagance of Florence at the close of the fifteenth century--The Fine Arts made to minister to sensuous pleasure--Best classic art unknown in the Renaissance time--Mixed influences actuating the artist of the Renaissance--The Renaissance and the Middle Ages compared as to development of the individual--Lack of aptitude for construction among the architects of the Renaissance--The Italian genius for painting--The painter’s habits of design shown in the Renaissance use of the orders--Classification of architectural styles--Painting the best art of the Renaissance--Yet Italian painting of the sixteenth century is not all of exemplary character--Best art of the Renaissance founded on the earlier Christian art--A retrospective movement not a vital force in artistic development 1 CHAPTER II THE DOME OF FLORENCE Exhibits a wide departure from older dome constructions--Sources of the architect’s inspiration--General character of earlier domes--Remarkable construction of the dome of the Florentine Baptistery--It probably supplied the chief inspiration to both Arnolfo and Brunelleschi--Brunelleschi’s departures from the Baptistery scheme--His structural system and his own account of it--No Gothic character possible in a dome--The dome of Florence a daring innovation--Its general dimensions--Brunelleschi’s great ability as a constructor--His achievement of the work without the usual centring--Consideration of the dome as a work of art--The inherent weakness of its form--This not appreciated by the early Italian writers--Precautions taken for its stability--Signs of disintegration--Uncertainty as to its duration--Opinions of the early Italian writers as to its security--Structural integrity essential to good architecture--No classic character in Brunelleschi’s dome--Inferior character of the classic details of the lantern 10 CHAPTER III CHURCH ARCHITECTURE OF THE FLORENTINE RENAISSANCE