Encyclopedia of the Renaissance and the Reformation

cient buildings there; his findings were published as the
treatise Le antichità di Roma (1554). (Two years after this
publication he collaborated with Daniele BARBAROon a
new edition of De architectura by VITRUVIUS, thus identify-
ing himself further with the geometry and harmony of
classical architecture.) In 1545 Palladio was given his first
important commission, the rebuilding of the Basilica in
Vicenza, which provided him with an opportunity to put
into practice his understanding of the proportions and
motifs of antiquity. Subsequent Vicentine buildings of
note that echoed ancient ideals included the Palazzo
Chiericati (1550), the Palazzo Iseppo da Porto (1552),
the Palazzo Antonini (1556), and the Palazzo Thiene
(c. 1545–50). In the 1560s Palladio also designed a villa
for Barbaro at Maser, near Asolo, which was decorated by
VERONESEand VITTORIA.
Of his later works, which included churches, palaces,
and country villas, probably the most influential was the
Villa ROTONDAin Vicenza, which imitated the design of
the Roman Pantheon both in its symmetrical structure
and in its classical ornament. He built two highly success-
ful churches in Venice: the Redentore (begun 1577),
which was built in thanksgiving for Venice’s deliverance
from the plague in the preceding year, and San Giorgio
Maggiore (1565–80), conspicuously situated on an islet
across the Canale di San Marco. Although some of Palla-
dio’s designs owed a small debt to the ideas of contempo-
rary mannerists, they were derived chiefly from the
architect’s understanding of antique structures, which he

explored most fully in the hugely influential Quattro libri

dell’ architettura (1570), which took 20 years to complete

and profoundly influenced architects throughout Italy and

the rest of Europe, including Inigo JONESin England. Pal-

ladio’s last commission (c. 1579) was for the Teatro

Olimpico in Vicenza, completed by his pupil Vincenzo

SCAMOZZIin 1585 (see THEATERS).

Further reading: James S. Ackerman, Palladio (Har-

mondsworth, U.K.: Penguin, 1966; 2nd ed. 1991); Witold

Rybczynski, The Perfect House: A Journey With Renaissance

Master Andrea Palladio (New York: Scribner, 2000); Robert

Tavernor, Palladio and Palladianism (London: Thames &

Hudson, 1991); Manfred Wundram, Andrea Palladio,

1508–1580: Architect between the Renaissance and the

Baroque (Cologne, Germany: Taschen, 1993).

Pallas (Athene) See MINERVA

Palma Giovane (Jacopo Negretti) (1544–1628) Italian

painter

He was born in Venice, the great-nephew of PALMA VEC-

CHIOand the son of Antonio Negretti. His first training

was with his father and probably with TITIAN, whose Pietà

he completed after Titian’s death. He then visited Urbino

and studied in Rome for about three years. Following his

return to Venice (c. 1570) he produced pictures for the

doge’s palace and Venetian churches in a style that com-

bined the influence of Mannerism with that of Titian and

VERONESE and of TINTORETTO, whose style dominated

33558 8 PPaallllaass

Palladio The Church of Il Redentore, Venice, built as a thanksgiving for the termination of the plague that struck the city in 1576.
Constructed 1577–92, it is usually considered to be Palladio’s most successful church using Roman architectural principles.
Photo AKG London/Erich Lessing