Andrea Palladio (1508- 1580) was an architect in the 16<sup>th</sup> century. In 1570, Palladio published a book called, <span style="text-decoration: underline">Palladio’s Four Books on Architecture,</span> which portrays a setting of Ancient Greek and Roman architecture. His main focus of architecture was churches, palaces, and villas. Every structure built was immaculate and perfectly symmetrical.

One of his most famous architectural structures was the Villa Rotonda. This carefully constructed piece of architecture has “represented the Renaissance distillation of Classical principals as applied to secular architecture” (Fiero) and led to many different styles of that era. <span style="text-decoration: underline">Palladio’s Four Books on Architecture</span> sets a mood of motivation and inspiration for other aspiring architects to help explore their artistic ideas and personal interpretation. Palladianism was typical of its era due to other architects with similar visions and structures in the 16<sup>th</sup> century. The structures he built were perfectly constructed buildings that portrayed classic Ancient Greek and Roman art. Many other artisans designed buildings of the same art. Palladio’s masterpieces are described as the most imitated architecture in the Western world. He was known to be one of the most influential architects during his era. His work was unusual at the time because he was not a natural painter or carver, yet his artistry portrayed in his work has impeccable detail. Palladio’s architecture was received as one of the most beautiful pieces of architecture of his time. His fame rose to the top due to his well-known building designs and his numerous publications. “His ideas and style spread throughout the Italian Renaissance, and extended to England and ultimately America” (Culpepper).

People today see Palladio’s creative designs as inspiring. The Villa Rotonda, one of the most famous buildings, has people referring to it as “the most beautiful building in the world” (Darrow). The differences accounted for between reception then and today are the remarkable artistry skills he portrayed in his masterpieces in the 16<sup>th</sup> century with little to no training. Many years have passed and  there are new and more advanced architects that we have in today’s society, yet, there is still no one that can match up to his amazing creativity.  My personal reaction to Palladio’s work is that I find his architecture inspiring to all who sees it. His designs and architecture are all around incomparable. His accomplishments have inspired many people, as well as, the books he had published with his ideas and designs recorded. Palladio’s work is particularly meaningful due to the fact that in every masterpiece he has built, you can tell he had put deep thought and passion into every piece of architecture. The precision and accuracy depicted in all his artistry has invented Renaissance style, which has expanded throughout many parts of the world.

Palladio’s artistry has many similarities to another Roman architect, named Leon Alberti. Alberti’s art consisted of paintings, sculptures, and creative architecture. He has written a “handbook for artists explaining the principals of linear perspective” (Department of European Paintings) which is similar to the book that Palladio had published. Although both men were architects, each of them had different views and reasons as to what architecture meant to them. Palladio’s work involved precision and perfection to all parts of his artistry. He studied the liberal arts and found that he was a natural in architecture. His advisors got him accustomed to the liberal arts and ended up appointing him to reconstruct their abodes. They brought him back to Rome to “study and measure ancient buildings” with them (Culpepper). Alberti’s work was more than just constructing buildings to him; “it was a way to create meaning” (Department of European Paintings). Palladio’s art was based on symmetry and equilibrium, as for Alberti, his art consisted of geometrical perspectives and ideological designs. Palladio’s artistry is most significant for future generations to know about because it inspires people and expands their views on designs, architecture, and Roman artistry.

 Future generations need to be influenced by such unmitigated architecture considering it has inspired other and introduced them to different styles and cultures. Thus, having more auspicious architects willing to construct buildings that simulate Palladio’s architectural artistry to embellish today’s society.

Works Cited

<a href="https://jscholarship.library.jhu.edu/bitstream/handle/1774.2/32825/ExhibitOverview_FINAL.pdf">https://jscholarship.library.jhu.edu/bitstream/handle/1774.2/32825/ExhibitOverview_FINAL.pdf</a>

<a href="http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/itar/hd_itar.htm">http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/itar/hd_itar.htm</a>

<a href="http://info.vassar.edu/news/2009-2010/091123-beltramini.html">http://info.vassar.edu/news/2009-2010/091123-beltramini.html</a>

Department of European Paintings. "Architecture in Renaissance Italy". In <em>Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History</em>. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/itar/hd_itar.htm (October 2002)


Fiero, Gloria K. The Humanitic Tradition/ Gloria K Fiero- 6<sup>th</sup> ed. New York, New York: McGraw-Hill, 2011. Print.