PALLADIO, Andrea. I quattro libri dell'architettura di Andrea Palladio. Ne' quali, dopo vn breue trattato de' cinque ordini, & di quelli auertimenti, che sono piu necessarij nel fabricare; si tratta delle case priuate, delle vie, de i ponti, delle piazze, de i xisti, et de' tempij. Venezia, Domenico de' Franceschi, 1570
4to, mm. 292x205. Legatura piena pergamena rigida. Pagine 67, [1]; 78, [2]; 46, [2]; 131 (su 133), [1]. Quattro frontespizi architettonici stampati in xilografia. Molte incisioni xilografiche di varie dimensioni, delle quali 156 a piena pagina. Manca una carta nell'ultima parte. Vecchi restauri su 12 carte, 2 con perdita di testo. Tracce d'uso, qualche macchia occasionale. Legatura con mancanza in basso al dorso. Nel complesso buon esemplare marginoso.

Rara e importante prima edizione. L’opera rappresenta uno dei primi esempi di trattato architettonico illustrato. In essa Palladio traccia il bilancio di tutta la sua carriera costellata di realizzazioni di notevole importanza. Lo stile di scrittura è immediato e preciso, la padronanza dell’argomento è profonda sia dal punto di vista materiale che artistico. Traspare nella sua opera il suo profondo genio, improntato sul senso di equilibrio e misura, caratteristiche che permise al suo stile architettonico di godere di enorme fama anche nei secoli a venire, portandolo ad essere un classico imitato in ogni tempo e luogo. PMM: “Palladio's lasting influence on architectural style in many parts of the world was exercised less through his actual buildings than through his textbook. Palladio's style was directly inspired by Roman classical models through the writings of Vitruvius and Alberti. Its characteristics are those of classicism: symmetry, order, fixed mathematical relations of the parts to each other and to the whole his book exerted a powerful influence on contemporary architecture and classical ideals until the end of the eighteenth century. In England 'Palladianism' became a party label in the world of connoisseurship and England blossomed with buildings 'in the Palladian style'-two centuries after Palladio had created it. From England the style made its way into Scotland, Ireland and America”.

4 parts in one volume, 4to (292 x 195mm). Bound in stiff vellum. Pages 67, [1]; 78, [2]; 46, [2]; 131 (on 133), [1]. Title and three section-titles each within woodcut architectural border, printer's device above colophon, 221 woodcut illustrations some of which full or double-page, by Giovanni and Cristoforo Chrieger, Cristoforo Coriolano and others, after Andrea Palladio. One leaf is missing. Old restorations on plates, 2 with loss of text. Traces of use, some occasional stains. Binding with lack in the lower back. Overall good specimen with margins.
Rare and important first edition. The work represents one of the first examples of an illustrated architectural treatise. In it Palladio traces the balance of his entire career studded with achievements of considerable importance. The writing style is immediate and precise, the mastery of the topic is profound both from a material and artistic point of view. His deep genius shines through in his work, based on the sense of balance and measure, characteristics that allowed his architectural style to enjoy enormous fame even in the centuries to come, making it a classic imitated in every time and place. The four books were reprinted for the first time in Venice in 1581 and then enjoyed widespread diffusion throughout Europe until the beginning of the nineteenth century. PMM: “Palladio's lasting influence on architectural style in many parts of the world was exercised less through his actual buildings than through his textbook. Palladio's style was directly inspired by Roman classical models through the writings of Vitruvius and Alberti. Its characteristics are those of classicism: symmetry, order, fixed mathematical relations of the parts to each other and to the whole his book exerted a powerful influence on contemporary architecture and classical ideals until the end of the eighteenth century. In England 'Palladianism' became a party label in the world of connoisseurship and England blossomed with buildings 'in the Palladian style'-two centuries after Palladio had created it. From England the style made its way into Scotland, Ireland and America”. Adams P-101; Berlin 2592; Brunet IV, 320; Cicognara 594; Fowler 212; Mortimer, Italian 65; PMM 92.