Introduction

When the Renaissance reached Northern Europe, Jan Vredeman de Vries (1527–1604) ranked among its most influential advocates. His books of architectural engravings opened new avenues of invention, reflecting the era's artistic crosscurrents. Their combination of Northern and Southern elements forms a powerful expression of sixteenth-century Netherlands culture and constitutes a new style that spread throughout Germany, Scandinavia, and the British Isles.

The Last and Greatest Work

This book, the last and greatest of Vredeman's works, perpetuated not only the Renaissance interest in perspective but also the important work done by Dürer, from whom Vredeman acquired much of his knowledge. These engravings include exteriors of architectural structures, Gothic interiors, gardens, medieval townscapes, and views into domes or vaults and down many-tiered stairwells. More than 70 plates offer a fascinating collection for any art lover.