San Sebastiano (1460-1470s) by Leon Battista Alberti @Mantua (aug 18, 1460 – sep 26, 1470)

Description:

Left incomplete at the time of Alberti's death and much altered from his original design.

The church is one of the earliest examples of a centrally-planned church in the Renaissance.

In this case it is a Greeks cross plan.

Alberti regarded a centrally planned church as the ideal form.

He thought that it symbolised the perfection of God.

He would also have been familiar with several centrally-planned churches dating from the 4th and 5th centuries.

These were in Rome (e.g. Santo Stefano, Santa Costanza) and in nearby Rimini.

Many of these were erroneously thought to be Roman temples converted for use as Christian churches.

Alberti designed the facade in imitation of a classical temple.

This was someting that had not been possible in his earlier churches because they had side aisles.

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