The Colors of Renaissance Architecture in Silesia From the 16th to the Mid-17th Century on the Basis of Selected Examples

Abstract

The article is the first attempt to summarize the issue of color in the Renaissance architecture of Silesia. The introduction outlines the purpose of the article; the architectural context of princely residences, noble and patrician houses, and public utility buildings; and also, the timescale of the Renaissance in Silesia. The basis for examining color schemes was the conducted architectural research, in which, in many cases, the authors participated personally. They included the analysis of technology, building materials, and architectural details, as well as stratigraphic studies of plasterwork and paint layers. As a result of the carried-out analysis, two basic colorschemes were specified. One involves contrasting smoothly painted plaster with brightly painted architectural details, and the other consists in covering the entire surface of walls with a network of thin stripes that imitate squares. Both color schemes were present in two different versions - with the use of either two or three colors, with the most common being: white, red, ocher, black and gray.