Sebastiano Serlio On Architecture

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Sebastiano Serlio (1475-1554) was a pivotal architectural writer and theorist of the sixteenth century, yet his works have remained largely inaccessible until now. This translation of his five-volume treatise, incomplete at his death, replaces the outdated 1611 English version derived from an inaccurate Dutch translation. Vaughan Hart and Peter Hicks provide a fresh interpretation directly from Serlio’s corrected editions, granting new access to his influential ideas. Serlio introduced classical design principles to northern Europe, influencing architects like Christopher Wren and John Wood, who referenced his works during their projects. He starts with geometry and perspective, detailing the ornamental grandeur of ancient Roman baths, temples, arches, and palaces, while offering guidance on integrating classical elements into interior design. His innovative classification of Tuscan, Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, and Composite columns established a canon of Five Orders that dominated architectural thought for over a century, illustrated through twelve temple designs. Serlio’s efforts to codify a design language that balanced tradition with innovation resonate with modern architectural pursuits of establishing order through proportional and formal rules. This edition features Serlio’s exquisite woodcut illustrations, along with a comprehensive introduction, commentary, and glossary of terms.