| Abstrakt: |
The gigantic fortified palace compound of the Roman Emperor Diocletian in Spoleto/Split on the Adriatic coast in Dalmatia took only about 10 years to build. It had already been in existence for more than 930 years when Emperor Frederick II began to build the Castello dell' Imperatore in Prato, not far from Florence, in 1237. The Hohenstaufen emperor had never set eyes on the famous Roman palace in Split, but he is likely to have been aware of it through the intermediary of his praepositus aedificorum, Riccardo da Lentini. The design of the castle in Prato, which was never completed, gives the impression of having been influenced by the palace in Split. An analysis of the main gateway in Prato suggests a measure of imitation of the Protyron at Spoleto. This magnificent part of the palace there comprises four enormous porphyry columns with attic bases and composite capitals. These bear a triangular pediment with a console frieze, the middle of which forms a Syrian arch. In Prato there is too little space at the site of the castle for any influence of the Protyron in Split to be directly apparent in terms of its dimensions. Two different masons/sculptors clearly worked on the gateways in Prato, one of whom was still in thrall to Roman art. The other, who may possibly have been a young Niccolò Pisano, worked in a far more 'modern' style. He was clearly responsible for the four columns immediately adjoining the portal, with their splendid capitals. It is striking how little expense was spared in the architecture at Prato. For example, in each gateway two different types of stone, of contrasting colours, were used: green and white in Prato and red and white in Split. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
