Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio - Bramante's arcades 1492

These arcades were designed by Donato Bramante in Milan sometime around the late 15th century as part of the Basilica of Sant’Ambrogio. Bramante, an artist favored at the papal court in Rome, brought the visual language of Renaissance classicism to Milan when the city was under the control of the Sforza dukes. The arcades and courtyard that you see here are a physical manifestation of Renaissance Humanism. The classical symmetry and geometry embodied in the rounded arches and evenly spaced columns create a sense of rational order and balance. In contrast to the more organic, complex forms of the Gothic style that preceded it, Bramante's design asserts human reason and control over the natural world. The Basilica of Sant'Ambrogio itself, as an institution, played a pivotal role in the shaping of Milanese civic identity. To fully understand the social and cultural significance of this courtyard, one might consult archival records, architectural treatises, and social histories of Renaissance Milan, bearing in mind the role of powerful institutions in the history of art.