S0403 Exploring Palladio\'s Work

Not apprenticed as an artist but as a stonemason, Andrea Palladio (1508-1580) embodied a personal and influential synthesis of the architectural thought of his time. In his treatise The Four Books on Architecture (Venice 1570), rather than recognizing his debts to contemporary architecture Palladio considered his masters \"the ancient Romans ... [who] greatly surpassed all those who came after them in building well\" (Foreword to the readers\"). Palladio\'s surviving production – alongside his treatise, many buildings of different kinds, and large quantities of drawings – offers primary study material to challenge Palladio\'s view as a critic of his own work by analyzing his whole production and considering it within the context of sixteenth century architecture.The course includes lectures, seminars, and visits. Lectures deal with broad issues and themes and aim at providing frameworks for seminar discussions on aspects of Palladio\'s work. Each seminar shall be led by small groups of students who will select and illustrate the points of discussion on the basis of material (readings, photocopies of drawings, and slides) available in the VIU reading room. Visits will include Vicenza, some Palladio\'s villas, the convent of the Carità, and the churches of San Giorgio Maggiore and the Redentore in Venice. A visit to Rome, with Palladio\'s treatise as our guidebook, may be arranged outside classes, during a weekend.