Renaissance Art Blog

 Cooper Irinaga

The Rialto Bridge



     My favorite aspect of this architecture is equilibrium. The symmetry of this bridge makes this work extremely visually appealing. I also love how the overpasses have a large clean arch at the bottom but show a nice amount of detail on the top half of the design. The attention to detail of the handrail looks very clean next to the six smaller arches on each side of the bridge. I also love the detailing on the side of the Rialto Bridge, the little engravings underneath the handrail, and the symmetry of the sectioned arches and emblems on each side. 
 
     The presentation of the bridge is excellent, the light reflects off the arches smoothly and the overall design fits very nicely with the surrounding environment. As the sun sets the bridge gets illuminated by the water creating the great illusion of the bridge glowing. The presentation is done so nicely that in today's age is it viewed as a touring monument. Since the Rialto Bridge is a bridge, instead of recreating a bridge I would have a photocopy hung on a wall in my house. I also think it would be very interesting to implement certain aspects of the Rialto Bridge in the future stairs of my house, making a big archway or creating symmetrical stairs would be very interesting. 

    There were many smaller wooden bridges used to walk across the Grand Canal but they were all temporary and were destroyed. The Rialto Bridge as we know was constructed by Architect Antonio de Ponte. The bridge needed small boats and gondolas to pass under and was required to be made of concrete. The bridge also was created to connect the Rialto marketplace and St Mark's Square. The bridge was anticipated to fall since the lack of support on the bottom. The bridge flourished and is still standing today and is a tourist location. I relate to the history of the Rialto Bridge because I too need to meet a lot of difficult expectations. My goals will be challenging but possible, the same as how the Rialto Bridge overcame all obstacles. The Rialto Bridge and I are given challenges that people normally don't attempt but we give it our all and remain strong no matter what. 

    The Rialto Bridge is deeply connected to Humanism. The definition of Humanism relates to the belief in helping others and focusing on the well-being of humans. The Rialto Bridge was specifically made for the benefit of the community in a positive way, it was designed to create a strong connection between the Venice community while financially growing the population while still giving access to the Grand Canal through small boats and gondolas. The Rialto Bridge greatly impacted Venice and was a supporting pillar for the city.    

Source: 
     
Bullard, Eric C. “Rialto Bridge.” Salem Press Encyclopedia, 2023. EBSCOhost,       

6, September. “History and Influence of Venice's Rialto Bridge.” Brewminate, 6 Sept. 2017,    

Links:

search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ers&AN=140435632&site=eds-live.
 
https://brewminate.com/history-and-influence-of-venices-rialto-bridge/.
                    


Comments

  1. Juliana MondelliFebruary 22, 2023 at 6:51 PM

    Hello Cooper,
    The Rialto Bridge seems like it defies the odds. Due to the symmetrical nature of the bridge itself, it makes me feel at peace and has a calming effect and I do like the style of architecture. It does have a humanistic feel where it is not only beautiful to look at, but also how it does benefit the people living in Venice to get from one place to another. I would be worried about the structural integrity of the bridge and its survival as the city of Venice is slowly sinking into the sea.

    “Is Venice Flooding Getting Worse?” Is Venice Flooding Getting Worse? Cities & Climate Change, https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/venice-flooding-climate-change-coastal-cities.

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  2. AnonymousFebruary 23, 2023 at 4:30 PM

    Cooper, the Rialto Bridge is very beautiful and I am surprised that I have ever seen it before. The symmetry of the design is, as you said, very pleasing to look at. A lot of architecture during Renaissance times is very beautiful to me and seeing the amount of detail in these works of art makes them even more beautiful. I think you made a great connection between the bridge and humanism. A lot of the resources that I was looking at in order to add to the conversation mentioned how much the bridge has impacted Venice in a positive way. According to https://www.discoverwalks.com/blog/spain/top-10-facts-about-the-rialto-bridge-in-venice/, the bridge was originally called Ponte della Moneta but was changed to Rialto Bridge or Ponte di Rialto for a few different reasons but the main one being its association with the Rialto.

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