Antonio da Sangallo the Younger (12 April 14843 August 1546), also known as Antonio Cordiani, was an Italian architect active during the Renaissance, mainly in Rome and the Papal States. One of his most popular projects that he worked on designing is St. Peter’s basilica in the Vatican City. He was also an engineer who worked on restoring several buildings. His success was greatly due to his contracts with renowned artists during his time. Sangallo died in Terni, Italy, and was buried in St. Peter’s Basilica.
Early life and apprenticeship
Sangallo was born Antonio Cordiani in Florence, the son of Bartolomeo Piccioni. His grandfather Francesco Giamberti was a woodworker, and his uncles Giuliano and Antonio da Sangallo were noted architects of the time. Despite his family ties, Cordiani spent his early life in poverty, resulting from the political and religious turmoil of the fifteenth century. At around age twenty, in 1503, young Cordiani followed his uncles to Rome in order to pursue a career in architecture; he ended up taking the name ″Sangallo″ and then becomes known as Antonio da Sangallo (the younger). Instead of becoming an apprentice to an artist, his apprenticeship consisted of doing carpentry work. After about three years, he began working with Donato Bramante in 1506.
As an assistant to Bramante, Sangallo prepared a number of sketches due to the disability of his master. Bramante valued Sangallo as a draftsman and allowed Sangallo to do the design work for some of his minor projects Due to his success, Sangallo was eventually put in charge of the Passetto di Borgo between the Papal apartments and the Castel Sant'Angelo. That particular project was left unfinished, but it left Sangallo with a working reputation as an architect.
Independent commissions
Sangallo quickly received a major commission for the church of Santa Maria di Loreto in 1507. His design called for a square first story and an octagonal second story built in travertine and brick; the dome and lantern were finished many years later. Although Leo X's papacy enabled Sangallo to connect with great artists, his main encouragement came from Cardinal Alessandro Farnese (later Pope Paul III). Sangallo received what was likely his first independent commission from Farnese. This piece was the fortress of Capodimonte, set on Lake Bolsena in Italy. Following this was the renovation of a home on the Campo dei Fiori in Rome, later known as the Palazzo Farnese. Although it was not completed until after his death, this palace became one of the most important in Rome, with its structure influencing a later code of academic rules. This palace was what established Sangallo as a mature architect. Sangallo also received a number of further contracts from the Farnese family. For example, he designed a palace (since destroyed) and the Church of Santa Maria Maddalena in the Farnese town of Gradoli. He also designed fortifications for Capo di Monte and Caprarola; the latter eventually became a country estate known as the Villa Farnese.
In addition to the Farnese family, Sangallo had a number of patrons in Rome. He designed the Palazzo Baldassini near the Basilica of Sant'Agostino for Melchiore Baldassini. Additionally, he designed a tomb for the Cardinal Jaume Serra i Cau in San Giacomo degli Spagnoli. Sangallo was also one of several artists hired to design the Villa Madama by Cardinal Giulio de' Medici, the future Clement VII; he was personally responsible for the final design of the building itself. Although he was obligated to his patrons, he always imposed his own style on his projects. Through these projects, Sangallo acquired the reputation of a master architect in the city of Rome, mostly due to his originality and personal style. When Bramante died in 1514, Sangallo, along with Raphael and Giovanni Giocondo, was appointed to oversee the construction of St. Peter's Basilica by Pope Leo X. Sangallo was hired extensively by Leo X, not only as an architect, but also as an engineer tasked to restore and save a number of buildings.