Les Quatre Livres de L'Architecture by Andrea Palladio - 1650

Palladio (Andrea) Les Quatre Livres d'Architecture

Folio, Edme Martin, 1650. First edition in French, translated by Fréart de Chambray, woodcut illustrations, woodcut general and part titles. Pages have the feel of rag or cloth paper, illustrations on most pages. Introduction by the translator, Roland Fréart de Chambray, at the front. pp 315 + glossery (tables des choses plus remarquables), t.o.c. "privelege du roy" at rear.

All four books bound together as one. Marbled endpapers that appear to be original. The book is lacking the front cover board - otherwise complete and in very good condition, there is almost no foxing/spotting and only a light water stain along the top margin and limited mostly to pages at the back. (please see photos)

About this book:

The Four Books of Architecture (Italian - I quattro libri dell'architettura) are a treatise on architecture by Italian architect Andrea Palladio . It was first published in Venice in 1570, in four sections called "books". It is abundantly illustrated with plans, sections, elevations and details of architectural elements.

The first book deals with the "tool box" of the architect: choice of materials, way of building, proportion rules, architectural elements, way of arranging and assembling them.

The second book presents several of Palladio's projects, the plans ( iconographia and orthographia ) and notes about the projects.

The third book describes how to build public buildings, such as streets, bridges, squares. It presents both Palladio's projects as well as archaeological reconstructions of ancient works.

The fourth and final book deals with temples built by the ancients and presents archaeological reconstructions of the ruins of Rome.

About the first French translation:

Roland Fréart de Chambray is the author of the first integral translation of Palladio's treatise on architecture.

In this, the first French translation of I Quattro Libri, the preface is replaced by the dedication of Roland Fréart de Chambray, it seems that the foreword of book four was self-censored by the translator.

Chambray had to give up the copper engravings originally planned and partially realized. He had the "unexpected" chance, according to his own words, to dispose of the original Palladio planks that he brought from Venice. But in the shipment were three boards that had not been used for the Italian edition. According to Chambray, they probably could not have been completed in time by the engraver to be included in the treaty. One represents the plan and elevation of a villa, the second and the third the plan and elevation of a Doric temple (temple called "Piety"). The French inserted them in the books II and IV to which they belonged, in order to render the treatise in conformity with the author's project, while distinguishing them from the illustrations of the original edition: they appear at the end of each of the books, accompanied by their comment, in italics.

About the book and its historical significance

The four books of architecture (in Italian: I quattro libri dell'architettura ) are a treatise on Architecture in four sections called "books" and written as well as abundantly illustrated with plans, sections, elevations and details of architectural elements by the Italian architect Andrea Palladio.
Palladian architecture grew in popularity across Europe and, by the end of the 18th century, had extended as far as North America. It inspired the architects who worked on the Palace of Versaillesunder Louis XIV. Thomas Jefferson, President of the United States, was a keen admirer of Palladio and once referred to the book as "the Bible". The Four Books was used to inform his own work as the architect of Monticello and the University of Virginia.