PUBLISHER' S NOTE

First published in 1949 as volume 19 of the Studies of the Warburg lnstiiLtte . Second edition published by Alec Tiranti Ltd in 1952, followed by a third revised edition in 1962. Reprinted by Academy Editions in I 973. Fourth edition published in I 988 in a new format and with plates re-numbered and integrated within the text. It included a selection from hitherto un­published lectures and essays on proportion by Professor Wittkower kindly given to us by his widow. Sections from each manu. cript had been combined and edi ted into one integrated essay entitled Proportion in Art and Architecture which was reproduced as Appendix IV. This fifth edition is intended to mark the fift ieth anniversary of the publication of the book.

From cover: Andrea Palladia, Palazzo Chieri cati, Vicenza, detail of the fa~ade. (The Mansell Collection, London)

Back cover: Leonardo da Vi nc i, Vitruvian figure. (Accademia, Venice)

Fromispiece: Andrea Palladia, Palazzo Civena, Vicenza, project for the fa~ade. (The British Architectural Library, RJBA, London)

Cover design: Mario Bettella, Artmedia, London

Publ i hed in Great Britain in 1998 by

ACADEMY EDITIONS a di vision of

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IS BN 0-47 1-97763-2

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Printe d in C hin a

CONTENTS

PART I TH E CENTRALLY PLANNED CH URCH AND THE RE;NA ISSANCE I. A lberti"s Programmeof thc ldcaiChurch ..... .. ...... .. . ..... .... . ... .. . .. . . .. .. . .. .. . . ..... .... ... .. , . .. .. .... ... ... 16 2 . Central ized Churches in Late r Architectural Theory ... .• ... .. . . ..... ... .. .. ... .. .. .. .... ... . .... .... ..... .. .. . . ... 22 3. Bui lding Practice: S. Maria delle Carceri .. ..... .. . .. ..... . . ........ . .... .... .... .. ... .. . . ... . .. .. ..... .. .. . .. . ... .... . 29 4. Bramante and Palladia ... . .. .. ... . . .. .. .... . . ... ..... . .... .. .. . .... ... . . . ... ... ..... .. .. . .. . .... . .. . .. .. .. . .... . .. . .. .... . 31 5. The Rel igious Symbolism of Centrally Planned Churches .. ..... .... ... .. .... . ... .. . ..... .. .. . .. ... .. .... .. .. . . ... 38

PART II ALBERTI'S APPROACH TO ANTIQUITY IN ARCHITECTURE I. The Column in Alberti's Theory and Practice ... . .. .. ..... . ..... ... . .... ..... ... . .... .. . . ... .. .. .. ... . .. ....... .. . . .. 41 2 . S. Francesco at Rimini ..... ..... ..... . . .... . ... . .. .... .. . ... .. .... . . ... .. . .... ... . ......... .. . .. . .... . . ..... . .. .. . .. .. .. . . . 43 3. S. Maria avella .. . .... ...... ... .... .. .. . ... ... . .. ... ... . .... . .. ... .. ........ . . .... .. . . .. ... .. . ....... . . .. .. . .. ... .. ... .... . 47 4 . S. Sebastiana and S. Andrea at Man tua ..... . .. . . .. . ...... .... ....... . ..... ... .... ... .. .. . ... . . .. . .. . . .. .. .. ... ... ..... 5 1 5. The Change in Alberti's Interpretatio n of Classical A rchitecture ... .... .... ... ... .. .... .. .... .... .. ... .. ..... . .. 59

PART III PRINCIPLES OF PALLADIO'S ARCHITECTURE I. The Architect as ' uo mo universale': Palladio. Trissino and Barbaro .... ..... . ... .... .... . .. ...... .. ... ... . . .... 60 2. Pa lladia's Geomet ry: The Villas ....... .. .. ... ...... ... ... .. .... ..... .... ..... .... ... . . ... ... . . . . . . .. . . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . . 67 3. Palladio and Classical A rchi tecture: Palaces and Public Buildings ..... ... ... . ..... . .. . .. .. .. . .. . . ...... .. ... . .. . 75 4. The Genesis of an Idea : Palladia 's Church Fa~ades .. . .... .. .. .. ... .. ... . ... . .. . . .. ... ... . . .. . .. .. ... . ... ........ . . . 89 5. Pallad ia's Optical and Psychological Concepts: II Redentore ..... . ...... .. . . . ... . .... .. .. ... .. ... .. ... ... . ... . . .. 97

PART TV T HE PROBLEM OF HARM ON IC PROPORTION IN ARCHITECTURE I. Francesco G iorgi's Platonic Programme for S. Francesco della Vigna .. .. .. ... .. ... .. ....... .. .. . .... ..... . .. . 104 2. The Mean Proportiona ls and Architecture ... . ... . ... . . .. ..... . . .... ... ..... ... .. ... ..... .. . ...... .. .. .. ... . .. .. ... . . 107 3. A lbert i's ·Generat ion' of Ratios .. .. . .. . . . ... . . . .. .. ... ... .... .. .. .. ... .. .. ..... .. . .... . .... ..... .. .... .. . .... . .. ..... .. I l l 4. Musical Co nsonances and the Visual Arts .. . ... .. .. .. .. .... .. ... . ... . ... .. .. .. ... ... . . ... ... . . ... . .. . .... .. ..... ... .. 113 5. Palladia 's 'fugal' System of Propo rtion .... .. ... . .. ... . .. . . . . .... . .. ... ... .. . ... ....... . . . .... .. . . ..... . . ..... . .. . .... . 119 6. Palladia's Ratios and t he Development of Sixteenth-Century Musical Theory . . .... .. ... .. ... . ..... . . ..... . . 123 7. T he Break-away from the Laws of Harmonic Pro portion in Architecture . . ... . ....... . . . . ... .. . ..... .. ... ... . 130

APPENDIX I APPEN DIX II APPENDIX Til APPENDIX IV

Francesco G io rgi's Memorandum forS . Francesco de lla Vigna ..... ... ........ ..... ... . . .. .... . ...... . ....... 138 The Problem of the Commensurability of R atios in the Re na issance .. ..... . .... .. ... . . ... . .. .. .. .. ... .. . .. .. 140 Bibliographical o tes o n the Theory of Proportion . ... ..... . .. .. .... . .. . ... . .... . .... .... . . . ... .. . ...... . ....... 142 Propo rtio n in Art and Architecture: an amalgamation of previo usly unpublished lectures by Professor Wittkower Part I: The Need for Order . ..... .. .. . .. ... .. . . ... .. ... . .. ... ... . .... ... . . ..... .. . .... .. .. .... .... .. .. .. .. ... . .. . . .. 145 Part II: Origins o f Western P roportional Systems . .. ... ... . . . .. .. .. ... .. ..... . . .. ..... .. .. . .. ... .. .. .. . ...... .. 147 Part III : Geometry and Mediaeval Proportio ns .... . . .. .. .. .. .. ... ..... ... ........ . .. .. .. .. .. . ..... . .. . .. .. .. .... ISO Part IV: Re naissance Proportio ns and Commensurability . ... .. .... .. ... .. . . ... . . ... ... . . . .... .. .. . . ... . . . .. . 152 Part V: Post-Renaissance Proportio ning - Dilemmas and Possibilit ies . .. . .. . .... .. .. . ... .. .. .. .. . ... . ... . 154

INDEX .. ... . .. ... .. ... ..... .. ...... ... .. ...... . ..... .... ... .. ..... .. .. ..... ...... ..... .... ...... ... ... .. ... ...... . ·· ·· ·· · .... AA.J.IBRAR."Y, Clm.. 1J,. .0 £ w {T""

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