Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 03.djvu/656

BRUNEL. 580 BRUNETIERE. In 1850-53 he constructed the works of the Tus- can portion of the Sardinian railway system. BRUNEL, Sir Mark Isambard (17(!!)-1849). An Eii_;;lis;li engineer, v)io constructed the Thames Tunnel. He wasborn at Ilacqueville, near (iisors, 7'ranee. He early showed an inclination for mechanics, preferring the study of the exact sciences to the classics. After leaving school lie served in the French Navy for six years, and in 1793, forced to leave France on account of his political opinions, he came to America. He settled in New York as civil engineer and archi- tect, and was engaged in a number of imi)ortant surveys, including that of a canal between Lake Champlain and the Hudson River. He prepared a .set of plans for the Capitol in Washington, which, while accepted, could not be carried out on account of the expense involved ; he also de- signed and constructed the Bowery Theatre in New York. He was appointed chief engineer of Xew York, and prepared plans for the defenses of the city. He went to England in 1709, and there made a numl)er of inventions. His method for making ships' blocks was acquired by the English Government, and resulted in the saving of much money. His most noteworthy achieve- ment was the Thames Tuiniel, whose construction was commenced on plans devised by Brunei in 1825. In spite of many disasters, this work was successfully carried through and the tunnel opened in 1843. The strain, however, proved too much for his health, and he survived the comple- tion of the work but a few years. BRUNELLESCHI, brUo'nfl-les'ke, Filippo (c. 1379-1440) . The founder of Renaissance archi- tecture. He was born in Florence, Italy. He first learned the art of a goldsmith ; next, that of a sculptor; and finally devoted himself to archi- tecture. He competed in 1401 for the bronze doors of the baptistery of Florence, but was vanquished in the famous contest by Ghiberti (q.v.) ; the panel of the "Sacrifice of Isaac," which he presented, is preserved. He was a real- ist in sculpture, as is shown, among other works, by his Crucifix. His goldsmith's work was good and somewhat akin to Gothic work; witness his share in the altar fnmt in the Opera del Duomo. Having decided to study architecture and ancient ruins, he went to Rome with his young friend, Donatello (q.v.), who became afterwards the leader in Renaissance sculpture. His residence in Rome during the greater part of the years be- tween 1401 and 1417 was largely sjient in study- ing, drawing, and measuring the ancient Roman buildings, which were then in comparatively good ))r<'servation. before the vandalism of the Renaissance had begun. He attempted not only to revive the classic style in its artistic form, but to master the mechanical knowledge that underlay it; at the same time he did not vio- lently break with medi;pval art, as was shown by bis design for the facade of the Gothic Church of Santa Maria Novella. In 1417 he returned to F'lorciu'c as his permanent residence, and when it was proposed to com|ilete the Gothic Catlicdral of Santa Maria del Fiore by the construction of the dome, he was one of the famous architects who jire.sented models in the competition. Bruncl- leschi was able to demonstrate not only how defective all the other proposed domes were, but that his own was the only solution. The archi- tect was at first hampered by Ghiberti, a great sculptor but an incompetent architect, who was associated with him, but he soon became sole director. Evidently he had reacquired some of the skill in geometry as applied to architecture which had cliaracterized the ancients and the Gothic architects of France, but in which the mcdiivval Italian had been deficient. Brunel- leschi's dome was epoch-making — an octagonal double-shell dome, crowned by a lantern, and measuring 42 feet in diameter. Begun in 1420, the dome was completed in 1430. It was the greatest feat of mechanical skill then attempted in Italy. At almost the same time Brunelleschi began the Church of San Lorenzo (1420), in which he revived the really antique type of basi- lica (q.v.), with classic details, except for the use of internal round arches. Jhich later, in 1430, he commenced another basilica, Santo Spi- rito, which he did not have the opportimity to carry out. But the gem of his art, in which l)otli conception and execution were his, is tlic I'azzi Chapel at Santa Croce (1430), in the form of a Greek cross surmounted by a dome, with a charming vestibule with dome and tunnel vault. The second cloister of Santa Croce, the Badia at Fiesole, the Loggia degli Innoeenti, the Palazzo di Parte Guelfa, are proofs of his leader- ship in Florentine architecture up to the time of his death. His final masterpiece, begun in 1444, was the Pitti Palace, the most impres- sive and ruggedly majestic of Italian palaces. Brunelleschi trained several great architects who took up the work and carried it forward ; chief of them was Michelozzi (q.v.). For his biogra- phv consult: Manetti, edited by Moreni (Flor- ence, 1812); Fabriczy (Stuttgart, 1892); and Scott (Lond.m, 1901)." BRITNEL'LO. A baron in the suite of King Agramant, in Ariosto's Orlando Furioso. He is a lying dwarf, whom Bradamant outwits, and Agramant himself finally hangs, despite the interference of the enchantress, Marjdiisa. The cliaracter also occurs in Boiardo's Orlando In- namririito. BRUNET, bry'nft', ,Tacque.s Charles (1780- 1867). A French bibliographer, born in Paris. He publi.shed a supplement to Dudos's Diction- nairc biblioyraphique, and in 1810 a widely used Manuel du lihraire et de ramaleiir dcs Hires (3 vols.: 5th ed., vols., 1800-05; ed., with 3 sujiplemental vols., by Deschami)s and Brunet, 1870-80). His works also include, besides many excellent catalogues, Xoureltrs rceticrcfies biblio- riruplnques pour scrvir de suppliment au manuel (1834), and Revhcrches sur les iditions origi- nuhs de Rabelais (1852). BRUNETIERE, brnn'tyflr', Febuinand ( 1.S49 — I . The greatest systematic critic of con- temporary French literature. He was born in Toulon ; he studied there and in Paris, and first came into prominence in 1875 by critical work in the Ifeinic des Deux Mondes. a journal of which be afterwards became the editor (1S95). In 18.S() lie was made professor of literature at the Kcole Normalc in Paris, in 1887 member of the l.,egion of Honor, and in 1893 lecturer at the Sorbonne, and member of the Academy. In 1897 be lectured in the United States and afterwards attracted wide attention through his increasing zeal for Roman Catholicism as opposed to the- lenets of the 'intellectuels' of France. His philo- sophical iioinl (if view has sliiftcd from a mate- rialistic to an i(U'alistic pessimism. His literary criticism shows an immen.se and minute learning,