THE RENAISSANCE was a European movement—lasting roughly from the 14th century to the mid-17th century—in which the arts and sciences underwent great changes. In architecture, these changes
were marked by a return to the classical forms and proportions of ancient Roman buildings. The Renaissance originated in Italy, and the buildings most characteristic of its style can be found there, such as the Palazzo Strozzi shown here. Mannerism is a branch of the Renaissance style that distorts the classical forms; an example is the Laurentian Library staircase. As the Renaissance style spread to other European countries, many of its features were incorporated into the local architecture; for example, the Château de Montal in France incorporates aedicules (tabernacles).
