Biography
One of the giants of Venetian Renaissance architecture of the 16th
century, Andrea Palladio based his designs on the values of Greek
architecture, and the traditions of Roman architecture as outlined by
Vitruvius. He is regarded as one of the greatest architects in the history
of Western art, best known for his villas (in the Veneto), as well as his
palaces (Vicenza) and churches (Venice), all located within the Venetian
Republic. His architectural theories were laid out in his treatise Quattro
Libri dell Architettura (The Four Books of Architecture), which had a
profound impact on building design throughout Europe and America. His
style of architecture - a blend of Greek, Roman and Renaissance art, later
known as Palladianism - accorded the greatest priority to maintaining
symmetry, perspective and overall harmony, in the manner of Greco-Roman
temple architecture, and was widely imitated during the 17th and 18th
centuries.