The Fioravanti Cathedral of the Dormition as an Idealized Morphotype of the Vladimir-Suzdal and Moscow Architectural Schools

This article addresses the issue of establishing a connection between the architectural form of the Cathedral of the Dormition in the Moscow Kremlin (1475–1479) and its intellectual context, which concerns the synthesis of Russian architectural traditions and the Neoplatonic principles of the Italian Renaissance. Purpose: The article’s aim is to put forward the hypothesis that Fioravanti’s creative activity is linked to his philosophical worldview and that his work represents an “idealized morphotype of regional schools of the 12th and 16th centuries.” Methodology: Architectural forms are compared and interpreted based on visual sequences derived from the author’s orthophotos and photographs. A comparative analysis concerns the details from the Fioravanti Cathedral and works of regional architectural schools of Ancient Rus’. Research findings: It is found that the influence of Neoplatonism on design principles stemmed from Cardinal Vissarion of Nicaea, from the architect Leon Battista Alberti, and from the treatise De re aedificatoria. Therefore, Fioravanti can be described as a “creative visionary” and an advocate of the concepts of the “greedy eye,” mental “outlines,” and graphic “geometrization.” Practical implications: Architectural historians can use the data obtained to study other works by Italian architects. Architects of religious buildings can draw upon the identified principles of Fioravanti’s design. It is recommended to further explore the field of Fioravanti studies to understand the historical development of architectural thought. Value: Reconstructing Fioravanti intellectual context allows to view the form of the Cathedral of the Dormition from a new perspective.