Britannica
Sources used in this answer
How did the facade of Santo Domingo Cathedral show the influence of Italian Mannerism?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Latin American architecture
The voyages of Christopher Columbus.
The influence of Italian Mannerism on the facade of the Santo Domingo Cathedral in the Dominican Republic, completed in 1541, is primarily demonstrated through its entrance design.1
The entrance is framed by two barrel vaults that are distorted to exaggerate perspective. This architectural feature serves as a literal, three-dimensional translation of the two-dimensional perspective engravings found in the treatises of the Italian Mannerist architect Sebastiano Serlio. By incorporating these distorted forms, the cathedral’s design reflects the Mannerist interest in manipulating classical architectural vocabulary to create complex, sophisticated, and novel visual effects.12