Palladio (Architecture & Society) by James S. Ackerman

by James S. Ackerman

Palladio (1508-80) combined classical restraint with constant inventiveness. In this study, Professor Ackerman sets Palladio in the context of his age - the Humanist era of Michelangelo and Raphael, Titian and Veronese - and examines each of the villas, churches and palaces in turn and tries to penetrate to the heart of the Palladian miracle. Palladio's theoretical writings are important and illuminating, he suggests, yet they never do justice to the intense intuitive skills of "a magician of light and colour". Indeed, as the photographs in this book reveal, Palladio was "as sensual, as skilled in visual alchemy as any Venetian painter of his time", and his countless imitators have usually captured the details, but not the essence of his style. There are buildings all the way from Philadelphia to Leningrad which bear witness to Palladio's "permanent place in the making of architecture", yet he also deserves to be seen on his own terms.

Genres: Architecture, Art, Art History, Nonfiction, History, Reference, Biography

Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 1966

About the author

James S. Ackerman, Arthur Kingsley Porter Professor of Fine Arts Emeritus at Harvard University and a Fellow and former Trustee of the American Academy in Rome, was born in San Francisco in 1919 and studied at Yale and New York University. He is a former editor of the Art Bulletin, a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and a corresponding member of the British Academy, the Accademia Olimpica (Vicenza), the Ateneo Veneto and the Royal Academy of Uppsala. He gave the Slade Lectures at Cambridge in 1969-70.

Professor Ackerman has lived several years in Italy, beginning with service during the last war, and is the author of many studies on Italian architecture, including The Cortile del Belvedere (1954), a history of the Renaissance portion of the Vatican Palace, and The Architecture of Michelangelo (1961), which received the Charles Rufus Morey Award of the College Art Association of America and the Alice David Hitchcock Award of the Society of Architectural Historians. Recently, he has published The Villa: Form and Ideology of Country Houses (1990); a volume of collected essays, Distance Points, is in press. He is co-author of a volume on historical practice and theory, Art and Archaeology (1963). He has conceived an narrated the films Looking for Renaissance Rome (1975, with Kathleen Weil-Garris Brandt) and Palladio the Architet and His Influence in America (1980).

Reviews

[Sal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I figured it was about time I got into Palladio! A wonderful introduction to his works and a pretty comprehensive overview of his career. It sets the groundwork for further reading (probably especially The Four Books on Architecture -- hefty) which I will surely carry out sometime down the line.

[Georgia Gold · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually got really into this, and now I really like Palladio. The book lost me after like, chapter 3, but I still enjoyed learning about his weird architectural style. Guys, the Villa Rotunda is insane.

[Helen Castle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Combines socio-economic history with architectural observation. Ackerman is just as fresh and insightful as when I read it 30 years ago as a student - great architectural history: [Palladio] had he not existed he would have to have been invented. In a sense, he was invented. If the quasi-country gentleman, Trissino, had not drawn him out of the stoneyard at the dawn of the agricultural revolution, he would not have been Palladio, much less an architect. The times made the man. Luckily, the man was a genius.’ Pp 53-4

[Erik Schmitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ackerman crafts a very compelling story out of the life and work of Palladio. You come away from reading this with a deep appreciation for this innovative architect and an understanding for why his impact has been so great. In particular the chapters on Palladio's villas in the Veneto are fascinating. I carried it in my backpack when I visited the region and toured some of the villas and cities like Vicenza where his work is concentrated and it greatly enhanced the experience.

[J. J. Arias · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not for the general reader. Difficult to get through without background knowledge of architectural terms and theory.

[Josh Mitchell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this front to back to get a full feel for Palladio and his journey, but I was wrong for doing so. I got this book when I started working at a studio with the same name to get a background on Palladio. It covered some ground but left me wanting.

This book doesn't read as a biography of Palladio but rather an in-depth look to his themes in types of buildings during his time, sectioned into villas, churches, public works and palaces. Whilst the information given tells a lot about his works, it doesn't tell much about Palladio. Something I had got this book for.

The best way to read this book is like a guide, study the section of villas alongside his works and you'll have a sound knowledge of his techniques and how his style evolved.

The fault lies with me for thinking I'd get a biography of a man from hundreds of years ago but it does offer that in some areas.

Good book for your homework on Palladio, not as an enthusiast.

[Ջոն (John Goolvart) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ogni grande architetto scopre una sua antichità. (pag. 92)

L'unico problema è che, per quasi l'intero libro spiega (giustamente) come Palladio rappresenta un caso particolare rispetto al benedetto "umanesimo" e poi conclude il suo discorso affermando rigorosamente il contrario.

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Somewhat dull, as an account of Palladio's work and thinking.

[Joe · Rating 2 out of 5]

More technical than I expected. I am ashamed to say I lost interest before finishing it.

[Ioana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Concise introduction - a good balance between detail and wider context. I am still not a fan of his architecture, but I understand his work and influence better.

[James Reynolds · Rating 4 out of 5]

A straightforward and well-paced look at Palladio's work in context. Ackerman's writing is clear enough for a lay reader like myself without sacrificing on detail. Historically informative and engaging.

[Dan Vine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thus is not the most exciting read but it is a thorough discussion of Palladio's work. You need to have the patience to go forward and back to look at plates. Frequent recourse to the interwebs for supplementary images is also useful.

[Ted · Rating 3 out of 5]

About as lively as Palladio's corpse, but still more interesting than watching paint dry. ...maybe.

[Vanlilith]

-

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a lovely little gem of a book that I keep coming back to.

[James Sprinkle · Rating 5 out of 5]

thorough intro to his work

Glad to have read in depth prior to traveling to the Veneto. Will enjoy recognizing, confirming, etc. concepts I read here.