Home ยป The Four Books of Architecture – Andrea Palladio
- June 02, 2022
Title: The Four Books of Architecture
Author: Andrea Palladio
The Four Books of Architecture offers a compendium of Palladio’s art and of the ancient Roman buildings that inspired him. The first book is devoted to building materials and techniques and the five orders of architecture: Tuscan, Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, and Composite. Palladio indicates the characteristic features of each order and provides illustrations of various architectural details. The second book deals with private houses and mansions, almost all of them of Palladio’s own design. Shown and described are many of his villas in and near Venice and Vicenza (including the famous Villa Capra, or “The Rotunda,” the Palace of Thiene, and the Palace of Valmarana). Each plate gives a drawing of the front view of the building and the general plan. The Third Book deals with streets, bridges, piazzas and basilicas, most of which are of ancient Roman origin. In the Fourth Book Palladio reproduces the designs of a number of ancient Roman temples. Plates 51 to 60 are floor plans and architectural sketches of the Pantheon.