Vitruvius: The Ten Books on Architecture - Softcover

Vitruvius

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0486206459 ISBN 13: 9780486206455

Publisher: Dover Publications, 1960

Synopsis

The oldest and most influential book ever written on architecture, this volume describes the classic principles of symmetry, harmony, and proportion and the ancients' methods, materials, and aesthetics.

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio, a Roman architect and engineer flourishing in the first century B.C., was the author of the oldest and most influential work on architecture in existence. For hundreds of years, the specific instructions he gave in his "Ten Books on Architecture" were followed faithfully, and major buildings in all parts of the world reveal the widespread influence of his precepts. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, he was "the chief authority studied by architects, and in every point his precepts were accepted as final. Bramante, Michelangelo, Palladio, Vignola, and earlier were careful students of the work of Vitruvius." His book is thus one of those rare works that have been supremely important in the creation of the greatest art masterpieces.
Vitruvius describes the classic principles of symmetry, harmony, and proportion in architecture; the design of the treasury, prison, senate house, baths, forum, and temples; the construction of the theater: its site, foundations, and acoustics; the proper style and proportion for private dwellings; the differences between the Ionic, Doric, and Corinthian styles; methods of giving durability and beauty to polished finishings; and many other topics that help us understand the methods and beliefs of the Roman architect.
It is a direct, authoritative, and detailed introduction to the ancients' methods of construction, the materials of the architect, and the prevailing aesthetic beliefs of the times; but it is also a work of art. Vitruvius wrote in such a fascinating manner and digressed from his subject so often (as, for instance, when he wrote about the winds, Archimedes in his bath, and why authors should receive awards and honors at least as often as athletes) that his book has had a continuing appeal to the general reader for many centuries. Besides being an instructive treatise on nearly everything connected with Roman and Greek architecture, it is an entertaining description of some aspects of the life and beliefs of the times. This edition is the standard English translation, prepared over a period of several years by Professor M. H. Morgan of Harvard University.
 

• Foundational Text in Architecture: Vitruvius's Ten Books on Architecture is an essential tome that has shaped the field of architecture since its creation in ancient Rome, influencing Bramante, Michelangelo, Palladio, Vignola, and others, and remains relevant today.
• Comprehensive Coverage: Vitruvius's work covers a wide range of topics crucial to architecture, including the importance of symmetry, harmony, the use of building materials, and the role of the environment in architectural design.
• Historical Insight and Wisdom: This seminal work details architectural techniques and embodies the wisdom of Roman construction and engineering, offering readers a window into the technological and aesthetic considerations of the time.
• Influence on Art and Culture: Vitruvius's ideas have influenced Renaissance art, mainly through Leonardo da Vinci's iconic concept of the Vitruvian Man, symbolizing the blend of art, science, and philosophy.
• Timeless Principles: The book’s exploration of harmony, proportion, and balance in building designs continues to inform modern architecture, making it a timeless reference for architects, students, and enthusiasts alike.
• A Must-Read for Architecture Enthusiasts: The Ten Books on Architecture is a fundamental piece for understanding the roots of architectural practice and serves as a source of inspiration and contemplation for anyone intrigued by the intersection of history, art, and architectural design.

About this title

About the Author

Marcus Vitruvius Pollio (late 1st century B.C.), was a Roman military architect and engineer, and an expert in ballistic machines in particular. Robert Tavernor studied architecture in London, Rome and Cambridge and practices as a consultant architect. He was professor of Architecture at the universities of Edinburgh and Bath, and is currently Professor of Architecture and Urban Design at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). Richard Schofield read Classics at Oxford in the late 1960s, then architectural history at the Courtauld Institute of Art, London. After working at the University of Nottingham for many years, he moved to the Istituto universitario di architettura di Venezia in 1997, where he is the Professor of the History of Architecture.

Review

Edition details

• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Publication date: 1960
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0486206459
• ISBN 13: 9780486206455
• Binding: Paperback
• Illustrator: Herbert Langford Warren
• Number of pages: 368