Renaissance artists and theoreticians such as Palladio, Alberti and Giorgi
attempted to link art with philosophy, including rhetoric.
Palladio introduced the use of classical orders from ancient Greece and
ancient Rome. Alberti's theory of architecture was based on dimensions
that created musical harmony and the physical proportions found in
god's greatest creation: man (see the Vitruvian man). However, not everyone
agreed with Alberti's views concerning architecture. Two examples of
architecture that could be in close proximity: one building of a pagan
(ancient Greek) temple in purposeful disrepair in a rustic setting, but nearby,
a church, with garden carefully maintained, the church in perfect condition.
The stark difference was to show the victory of Christianity over the pagan
religion. Thus dimensions that expressed harmonic ratios were de-emphasized,
replaced by contrasting differences between architectural styles and
environmental settings.
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