However, the detailed drawings of the construction mechanisms, devised
by Brunelleski, were executed by Ghiberti’s grandson (1451-1516).
In the National library of Florence his album for the sketches is stored.
These sketches, and “Opera Dale Duomo” archives,
that contain the names of workers, job superintendents, date and information
about the
payment of works and deliveries, make it possible to imagine the way of
building the cupola, as well as to appreciate Brunelleski’s role
in this matter. Brunelleski used his mechanisms for the construction of
two shells of cupola and lamp. Later the gold-plated sphere was established
on the lamp by weight about one-and-a-half tons and a cross. Brunelleski
was romantic by nature; he was captivated with thoughts about time, motion
and so forth. He considerably outdistanced his contemporaries according
to the concept of project, revolutionized Renaissance painting by the image
of three-dimensional objects on the flat surface.
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