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When Andrea Palladio first published this work, in Venice, at the age of sixty-two, it was the definitive work on architecture as perceived by the man who is arguably the greatest architectural genius ever to have lived. Whilst others may have produced taller, wider and more ornamented buildings, it was Andrea Palladio who succeeded in combining opulent elegance with sparing simplicity in a way that nobody had done before and many have emulated since.
This excellent translation of his own work on the subject of classical architecture, and Palladian additions thereto, is the most excellent introduction one could wish for. The proper use of materials is amply covered, although how many modern builders would be prepared to cover their timbers in excrement and leave them to cure for two years is questionable.
This translation into English, by Robert Tavernor and Richard Schofield,
is the first since 1738 and reveals a man with a great talent for imparting information, quite apart from designing magnificent buildings. The book includes the
bibliography and list of illustrations from the original edition and a glossary of terms. Palladio's original woodcut illustrations are also included, placed at precisely the same points in the text as in the original Italian publication. This work is still one of the top few works in the world of architecture, as it has been ever since it was first published in 1570.
Given that parts of the work are based on the historical descriptions of construction by Vitruvius, written over two millennia ago now and discovered just a century before Palladio wrote this work, 'The Four Books of Architecture' really does offer as good a history as any scholar might desire.
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.
In Book I, materials, techniques and the five orders of architecture (Composite, Corinthian, Doric, Ionic and Tuscan) are described and illustrated. Book II is about private dwellings, and mainly concerns Palladio's own designs. Book III focusses on public buildings and infrastructure, with heavy emphasis on Roman architecture, whilst Book IV goes into the ancient Roman temples.
The ideal would be to read this book in conjunction with another, containing colour plates of the works designed and
constructed by Palladio himself and others who followed his lead. Several
suitable titles are included here in our Palladian section, including one by the co-author of this book, Robert Tavernor, entitled 'Paladio and Palladianism'.
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