Venice and Vitruvius
Subtitle: reading Venice with Daniele Barbaro and Andrea Palladio
By: Margaret Muther D'Evelyn
Publisher: Yale University Press
Published: 2012
Place of publication: New Haven [Conn.]
Language: eng
Number of pages: 492
ISBN-13: 9780300174519
Subjects: Early works to 1800; Architecture; Criticism and interpretation; Influence; Architectural writing; History
Other titles: Reading Venice with Daniele Barbaro and Andrea Palladio
Description: "In about 35-25 B.C.E., the Roman architect Vitruvius produced his encyclopedic ten-book summary of the principles of Hellenistic architecture, De architectura (On Architecture). These ideas have stimulated architects ever since. In the mid-16th century, the architect Andrea Palladio (1508-1580) and the humanist Daniele Barbaro (1513-1570) looked to the city of Venice in order to understand and interpret Vitruvius's text - still in need of clarification - which would enable them to solve contemporary architectural problems. They found in the city's medieval and Renaissance streets, palaces, churches, and towers living principles that enabled them to interpret the ancient principles. By 1556, Barbaro had incorporated their observations into his 'Commentaries' on Vitruvius, and two distinctly new editions for different audiences followed a decade later. Margaret D'Evelyn has gathered evidence to document how Palladio's understanding of Vitruvius influenced Barbaro. This engrossing volume also charts the invention of the illustrated architectural book and how major architect-authors, such as Leon Battista Alberti and Sebastiano Serlio, contributed to its development - demonstrating how Vitruvius shaped the way the city of Venice was viewed."--
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.
Table of contents: title: Introduction; title: Composing the commentaries. The arrival of the Italian Renaissance illustrated architectural book; title: Reading Venice. Building in Venice without proper foundations : from mud to metaphysics; title: Open doors and welcoming atria; title: Well-lighted windows; title: Roofs : from seaweed to magnificence; title: Bricks that swim; title: The city as theater; title: Literary light.