Seeing and imagining architecture by ‘the other’ among 16th-century humanists

Much historical research has been done on perceptions of ‘the other’ in the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Art and architectural historians in particular have often focused on representations of ‘the other’ in art and have analysed how cross-cultural entanglements led to stylistic borrowings and influences. This paper addresses a less studied topic, namely the descriptions by 16th -century humanists of encounters of architecture built by ‘the other’ (i.e., other cities, regions or continents). It shows how these encounters are often depicted as positive contrasting the negative stereotypes analysed in other research. Buildings by ‘the other’ were often called “magnificent”, which was a virtue obtained when great expenditure mirrors the status of the patron. Some authors, for example both Hadrianus Barlandus and Cornelis Grapheus, describe buildings by ‘the other’ they had seen themselves in western Europe as magnificent, but never use the adjective when talking about the architecture of their hometown or region. Other authors describe architecture by ‘the other’ only known to them by second-hand accounts in terms of magnificence such as the Basel-based Simon Grynaeus in his retelling of Marco Polo’s visit to Kublai’s court, and Columbus’ account of huts in the Caribbean. Describing architecture by ‘the other’ and especially unknown architecture as magnificent, might reflect some of the real or imagined wonder and amazement felt for these buildings, while at the same time it might have invited the audience to fantasize beyond the magnificence of the imaginable and to feel wonder and admiration for the described. Intended or not, these descriptions of magnificent architecture could have served a powerful rhetorical end. Especially descriptions of buildings of a foreign political entity might have functioned as a pars pro toto for the entity itself. By praising its buildings, humanists expressed admiration for and ascribed authority to that same political entity.