BRUNELLESCHI, FILIPPO

born 1377, Florence died April 15, 1446, Florence architect and engineer who was one of the pioneers of early Renaissance architecture in Italy. His major work is the dome of the Florence Cathedral (142036), constructed with the aid of machines that Brunelleschi invented expressly for the project. Most of what is known about Brunelleschi's life and career is based on a biography written in the 1480s by an admiring younger contemporary identified as Antonio di Tuccio Manetti. Additional reading Antonio Manetti, The Life of Brunelleschi, ed. by Howard Saalman, is an English translation of an early biography written by a 15th-century contemporary of the architect. Other important works are Frank D. Prager and Gustina Scaglia, Brunelleschi: Studies of His Technology and Inventions (1970); and Peter Murray, Architecture of the Renaissance (1971). Eugenio Battisti, Filippo Brunelleschi: The Complete Work (1981), is an illustrated study of his sculpture, architecture, theatrical designs, military engineering projects, and writings.