The Four Books on Architecture
Product ID: 5555382
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The Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio was one of the most influential figures that the field of architecture has ever produced. For classical architects, the term Palladian stands for a vocabulary of architectural forms embodying perfection and beauty. Of even greater significance than Palladio's buildings is his treatise I quattro libri dell'architettura (The Four Books On Architecture), the most successful architectural treatise of the Renaissance and one of the two or three most important books in the literature of architecture. First published in Italian in 1570, it has been translated into every major Western language. This is the first English translation of Palladio in over 250 years, making it the only translation available in modern English. Until now, English-language readers have had to rely mostly on a facsimile of Isaac Ware's 1738 translation and the eighteenth-century engravings prepared for that text. This new translation by Robert Tavernor and Richard Schofield contains Palladio's original woodcuts, reproduced in facsimile and positioned correctly, adjacent to the text. The book also contains a glossary that explains technical terms in their original context, a bibliography of recent Palladio research, and an introduction to Palladio and his times. The First Book discusses building materials and techniques, as well as the five orders of architecture: Tuscan, Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, and Composite. Palladio describes the characteristics of each order and illustrates them. The Second Book discusses private town houses and country estates, almost all designed by Palladio. The Third Book discusses streets, bridges, piazzas, and basilicas, most of ancient Roman origin. The Fourth Book discusses ancient Roman temples, including the Pantheon. Review: Palladio, who would argue? - In the 16th century, Palladio set himself up as the arbiter of function form and good taste in Architecture. Who am I to argue? Especially since all I seem to have to offer as 20th century competitors are the disneyesque Geary and Gaudi. Timeless Architectural Elegance will always outlast the comedic, which by neccessity only has a comtempory context. Review: must have! - This book is a must have for any architecture student. It is an excellent reference for precedent. I got a lot of use out of it in the first few year of school and still enjoy look through it!
| Best Sellers Rank | #316,409 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #151 in Architecture Reference (Books) #294 in Architectural History |
| Customer Reviews | 4.7 out of 5 stars 52 Reviews |
B**N
Palladio, who would argue?
In the 16th century, Palladio set himself up as the arbiter of function form and good taste in Architecture. Who am I to argue? Especially since all I seem to have to offer as 20th century competitors are the disneyesque Geary and Gaudi. Timeless Architectural Elegance will always outlast the comedic, which by neccessity only has a comtempory context.
M**C
must have!
This book is a must have for any architecture student. It is an excellent reference for precedent. I got a lot of use out of it in the first few year of school and still enjoy look through it!
W**.
Five Stars
yes, you should buy it.....
W**P
Five Stars
Great
L**O
Excellent book
I'would recommend this book to anybody who's searching for something real classical architectural mold or old type building design! #1
T**Y
Amazing Historical Document
A stunning book. Amazing that it was discovered so long ago and survives to this day. Even more amazing are the drawings, their clarity, their detail. Reading this book really makes you realize that the ancients had vastly more knowledge and engineering skills than we could ever imagine. That they were able to construct these buildings without any known power equipment at all is truly incredible. It also makes you wonder about the estimates of how long intelligent life has been on this planet.
S**Y
SUPER CHEAP PAPER AND COVER
This is a book that was published in such a way as to trick amazon buyers: It looks like it has a nice cover. But it is only cheap card stock, which might not even be as thick as your average business card. The pages are photo copy quality. Super cheap, thin paper that you can see through. It could not have been a cheaper publication in terms of printing and materials. What also deceives is the quality of the simple clean type, and graphics, which are great. So you think you will be getting some high-quality material, but you won't. Just something that looks good on the computer screen, but is cheap and flimsy in real life. This book isn't worth more than $10. Shame on MIT Press. Palladio deserves better, and the customer should not be tricked.
D**N
A masterpiece
Palladio was recommended to me as the "go to" source in understanding classical architecture. The first book (on the construction of foundations and vocabulary) didn't particularly hold my interest, but the terms and concepts were important to his later discussion of the construction of aqueducts and the Pantheon. The clincher for me, however was the number and variety of plates - almost every third page has an illustration that reinforces and shows the ideas Palladio is discussing. A must-have for serious students of architecture; a recommended read for anyone vacationing in Italy, as the details Palladio shows will enrich the experience.
G**R
very good
Very useful for those who are interested in classical architecture, for tourist guides who have to do with architecture and in general for all those who like beautiful buildings, with a special attention to material, setting, proportion and harmony.
S**N
Excellent book on classical architecture
Excellent book on classical architecture
D**N
A really interesting book...
A really interesting book...
M**X
Four Stars
Good reference book for Palladian architecture, fully illustrated. Great value.
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