A Great Architect With a Great Sense of Humor
Filippo Brunelleschi, an influential Italian architect and designer during the Renaissance (1377 – 1446), made significant contributions to the field by rediscovering the principles of linear perspective that had been lost during the Middle Ages. Often regarded as the key figure of Renaissance architecture, Brunelleschi was not only a meticulous planner and engineer but also an accomplished prankster. His major architectural achievement was the construction of Florence’s il Duomo, the dome of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. However, Brunelleschi’s creativity extended beyond architecture, as evidenced by his penchant for humorous practical jokes.
One of Brunelleschi’s most famous pranks targeted a woodworker named Manetto, known as “The Fat.” Upset that Manetto had skipped a social gathering, Brunelleschi orchestrated an elaborate scheme in which he convinced Manetto that he had switched bodies with another Florentine named Matteo. The prank escalated to the point where Manetto, thoroughly bewildered, found himself arrested for debt and taken to prison. Even after his release, the confusion persisted, as Manetto was made to believe that he had spent days morphed into Matteo. Eventually, when the truth surfaced, Manetto felt so embarrassed that he left Florence and relocated to Hungary, marking the humorous but impactful consequences of Brunelleschi’s elaborate prank.