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The Ten Books of Architecture: The 1755 Leoni Edition
Beautifully illustrated magnum opus of great Renaissance theorist who reintroduced the glories of ancient architecture and applied musical and mathematical principles to achieve perfection of proportion in architectural design. Reprinted from extremely rare British edition. 68 black-and-white plates.
336 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1452
About the author
Leon Battista Alberti
316 books30 followersInfluential treatises on painting, architecture, and sculpture of Italian writer Leon Battista Alberti introduced classical ideas into Renaissance art.
This author, poet, priest, linguist, philosopher, cryptographer, and general humanist polymath, often characterized exclusively, as James Beck observed, "to single out one of Leon Battista's 'fields' over others as somehow functionally independent and self-sufficient is of no help at all to any effort to characterize Alberti's extensive explorations in the fine arts." Giorgio Vasari described life of Alberti in Vite de' più eccellenti pittori, scultori, e architettori or "Lives of the most excellent painters, sculptors and architects."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leon_Ba...
This author, poet, priest, linguist, philosopher, cryptographer, and general humanist polymath, often characterized exclusively, as James Beck observed, "to single out one of Leon Battista's 'fields' over others as somehow functionally independent and self-sufficient is of no help at all to any effort to characterize Alberti's extensive explorations in the fine arts." Giorgio Vasari described life of Alberti in Vite de' più eccellenti pittori, scultori, e architettori or "Lives of the most excellent painters, sculptors and architects."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leon_Ba...
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
October 17, 2026
Would read again
(prebrala že v srednji za Mišota in zdaj za zta1 še enkrat par odlomkov)
(prebrala že v srednji za Mišota in zdaj za zta1 še enkrat par odlomkov)
October 10, 2026
At present, I have consulted this work on serveral occasions, more to research his opinions on the arts than the practical aspects of renaissance architecture. Each time in latin, as I cannot now be bothered to waste money on translations. Fortunately the edition I have linked contains an excellent index, and hundreds of marginal notes that point to whatever might be interesting in the text. He is much more of a thinker than Palladio, who does not strike me as such; but Palladio's book is certainly the best produced, perhaps of all time, for its figures. I have not read Palladio in full either, as I have only managed to misunderstand it in italian; however if you want a nice edition it is worth trying to find this Milan facsimile edition (Ulrico Holpei 1951), as the plates are priceless for understanding Vitruvius or Alberti.
By far the most important idea, to me, in Alberti, is his variant of "Ut supra, sic infra," which is to be found in the ninth chapter of the first book : "Civitas, philosophorum sententiâ, maxima quaedam est domus, et contra, domus ipsa, minima quaedam civitas." Or "The city, according to the council of the wise, is the greatest of homes; the house itself, the smallest of cities." Is this not too frequently forgotten in our age, which defines a house so vulgarly and illiterately as "une machine-à-habiter?" Who but an ignorant could have said so absurd a thing?
In any case I ought to reccomend people who are here this work : https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
Which is (from those I have seen) the best overview of renaissance architecture that exists, and is, I think, one of the few books I have ever reread more than three times.
Si vis legere latine:
https://archive.org/details/dereaedif...
By far the most important idea, to me, in Alberti, is his variant of "Ut supra, sic infra," which is to be found in the ninth chapter of the first book : "Civitas, philosophorum sententiâ, maxima quaedam est domus, et contra, domus ipsa, minima quaedam civitas." Or "The city, according to the council of the wise, is the greatest of homes; the house itself, the smallest of cities." Is this not too frequently forgotten in our age, which defines a house so vulgarly and illiterately as "une machine-à-habiter?" Who but an ignorant could have said so absurd a thing?
In any case I ought to reccomend people who are here this work : https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
Which is (from those I have seen) the best overview of renaissance architecture that exists, and is, I think, one of the few books I have ever reread more than three times.
Si vis legere latine:
https://archive.org/details/dereaedif...
August 2, 2026
The best of the ‘source material’ that I’ve read (Vitruvius & Palladio) - partially because of the principles, partially because it is so much better written than the others.
On temperance and unpretentiousness. On appropriateness.
“ You will never find anyone who is not eager to build something, as soon as he has the means to do so … good citizens, approved, and express joy for their own sake, as well as for yours, because they realize that you have used your wealth to increase greatly. Not only your own honor and glory. But also that of your family, you’re descendants, and the whole city.”
“ The business of the experienced to Workman, is not to demand the best possible materials, but rather to make sensible and appropriate use of those available“
“ to have satisfied necessity is Streight,, and insignificant, to have catered to convenience and rewarding, when the in elegance in a Work causes offense”
“ for vast works. Need only great wealth; praise belongs to those with whom the experts find no fault”
“ The pleasure to be found in objects of great beauty, and ornament is produced, either by convention, and the working of the intellect, or by the hands of the craftsman, or it is imbued naturally in the objects themselves … These three must be applied to each part of the building, according to its respective use and role.”
“ I therefore conclude that anyone who wants to understand correctly, the true incorrect ornament of a building. Must realize that it’s principal component in generator is not the outlet of wealth, but the wealth of ingenuity”
On temperance and unpretentiousness. On appropriateness.
“ You will never find anyone who is not eager to build something, as soon as he has the means to do so … good citizens, approved, and express joy for their own sake, as well as for yours, because they realize that you have used your wealth to increase greatly. Not only your own honor and glory. But also that of your family, you’re descendants, and the whole city.”
“ The business of the experienced to Workman, is not to demand the best possible materials, but rather to make sensible and appropriate use of those available“
“ to have satisfied necessity is Streight,, and insignificant, to have catered to convenience and rewarding, when the in elegance in a Work causes offense”
“ for vast works. Need only great wealth; praise belongs to those with whom the experts find no fault”
“ The pleasure to be found in objects of great beauty, and ornament is produced, either by convention, and the working of the intellect, or by the hands of the craftsman, or it is imbued naturally in the objects themselves … These three must be applied to each part of the building, according to its respective use and role.”
“ I therefore conclude that anyone who wants to understand correctly, the true incorrect ornament of a building. Must realize that it’s principal component in generator is not the outlet of wealth, but the wealth of ingenuity”
June 10, 2024
Alberti is one of the most brilliant polymaths in history. This book on architecture was in the theme of the most valuable ancient resource on the subject, Vitruvius, where Alberti gives the contemporary take on architecture, influencing the entire modern era. Historians and architects will find this an interesting if not useful read.
February 17, 2022
Although largely dependent on Vitruvius's De architectura, it was the first theoretical book on the subject written in the Italian Renaissance, and in 1485 it became the first printed book on architecture.
January 1, 2024
i guess he knows what he’s talking about, didn’t really care for the books on ornaments, did care for books on materials and public buildings. rip alberti you would’ve hated manhattan
also the language/translation was accessible and easy to understand
also the language/translation was accessible and easy to understand
December 7, 2022
《建築論》，不僅學到了建築作為藝術的知識，
還學到了豐富的做人、做事、做項目、做歷史的教誨。
無論是思想，還是視野，都十分的寬廣。
大開眼界。
感謝作者淵博又具有高度教養的學問。
還學到了豐富的做人、做事、做項目、做歷史的教誨。
無論是思想，還是視野，都十分的寬廣。
大開眼界。
感謝作者淵博又具有高度教養的學問。
March 24, 2025
Love Alberti. Just that.
December 27, 2025
unsurprisingly a tad dry
September 21, 2023
Read pages 2–6, 154–159, 301–317
October 7, 2021
Did not realize that Alberti was not a fan of Vitrivius until a class discussion. It was still interesting to see his ideas of architecture and how they have manifested over time as well as in his own work.
February 24, 2010
A classical look at the beginnings of architectual thinking. Easier to read than Vitruvius, but just as profound.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews