Abstract
The comparison between the vaults of the Arronches Nossa Senhora da Assunção church and the Jerónimos monastery church was first performed by Mário Tavares Chicó [1]. He noticed how the naves and side aisles were covered by a single curved shape, unique in Europe. Mendes Atanázio attributed both authorships to one architect: João de Castilho (c.1470–1552). The architectural analysis of both vaults concluded that there were several geometrical similarities, particularly in relation to their elevation and their gothic proportions. Arronches Misericórdia church was built in the same period as the Assunção church. It is covered by a liernes vault, similar to the refectory vault of the Jerónimos monastery. The geometric analysis of both vaults shows a similar design, in plan and in elevation. The geometric analysis of the vaults was obtained from architectural surveys. Design and construction hypothesis presented were developed using the methods of Hernán Ruiz (1500–1569) and Rodrigo Gil de Hontañón (1500–1577). They were both Spanish architects, contemporaries of João de Castilho.
This paper is based on the doctoral thesis “Voûtes à nervures Manuélines. Le caractère innovant de João de Castilho,” published in 2014 [2].
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Notes
- 1.
This method, that consists in taking the dimension from the plan and the height from the rampante in order to trace the elevation, is used by Hernán Ruiz and other contemporary architects, as shown in the drawings of the time.
- 2.
These two methods were frequently used during the Gothic period and are confirmed in the Manueline vaults, as it could be verified in the case of the 43 vaults analysed [2].
- 3.
This same method was used for other vaults of Jerónimos monastery, namely in the north chapel of the church, the ground floor of the cloister and the sacristy. It is frequently found in English vaults [2].
- 4.
This is the process used by Castilho in Jerónimos monastery’s nave for the bosses that are not located on the rampante [2].
References
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Genin, S.M. (2020). The vaults of Arronches Nossa Senhora da Assunção and Misericórdia churches. Geometric and constructive comparison with the nave and refectory vaults of Jerónimos Monastery. In: Viana, V., Murtinho, V., Xavier, J. (eds) Thinking, Drawing, Modelling. Geometrias 2017. Springer Proceedings in Mathematics & Statistics, vol 326. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-46804-0_5
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