Palladio and the “Secrets” of Architectural Proportion

The use of architectural dimensions and proportions in Palladio’s work has been an extremely contentious matter ever since the publication in 1949 of Rudolf Wittkower’s Architectural Principles in the Age of Humanism. Opinion is currently divided between those who, like Wittkower, believe that the dimensions Palladio provided in his treatise are highly significant and were based on ingenious numerical systems and those who regard them as playing only a marginal role in Palladio’s architecture and its understanding. This article reassesses how Palladio addressed the matter in his treatise, providing fresh insights into the theoretical basis and the complexities of his approach, while positing that the treatise illustrations are close records of his original designs before they were modified during execution. The conclusions reached here call attention to Palladio’s distinctive methods and their remarkable adroitness and effectiveness.