Final answer:
Bramante's innovation behind the altar at Santa Maria presso San Satiro involved the use of false perspective or trompe-l'œil to create the illusion of depth in a confined space. This technique was a significant advancement in Renaissance architectural design, which carried on to influence Baroque architecture.
Step-by-step explanation:
Donato Bramante's innovation behind the altar at Santa Maria presso San Satiro, Milan, is renowned for his ingenious use of false perspective, also known as trompe-l'œil, in the 15th-century architecture. The church originally lacked the space to include a full chancel but Bramante overcame this limitation by creating a shallow space that appears much deeper than it is, thanks to a masterful illusion of depth achieved through perspective. This technique involved painting a realistic image that tricks the eye into perceiving a three-dimensional scene on a flat or limited depth surface.
This approach was a significant advancement in Renaissance architectural design, reflecting a similar interest in perspective found in the works of contemporary artists and architects such as Brunelleschi, who created a perspective drawing for the Church of Santo Spirito. Bramante, like others of his time, including Michelangelo and Raphael, contributed to the architectural innovations that characterized the Renaissance period, leading up to the Baroque era where architects like Pietro da Cortona and Gian Lorenzo Bernini further evolved the use of spatial dynamics and theatricality in architecture to elicit emotional responses.