A part of the series History of World Architecture originally published by Electa in Italian in 1971-7 under a general editorship of Pier Luigi Nervi, it was translated to English and published by Abrams in 1971-80 in b&w only, but at 10 x 11 1/4 inches. Subsequently, the series was reedited, shrunk to 8 5/8 x 9 1/2 inches, and published by Electa / Rizzoli in 1985-9 with a few color photos added including each front cover. In the early 2000's, the series was reissued by Phaidon unchanged except for the front cover photo. It is a pictorial "Ferrari" of history of architecture books. Almost every page contains one or - usually - more than one illustration as photo, plan, section, elevation, axonometric view, etc. of the highest quality. They depict the best examples of topical architecture covering the most significant ones. The text was written by one of the best experts in the field. While relatively concise, it is still comprehensive and complete enough even for students of architecture.

664 black & white illustrations, including photographs, plans, drawings and reconstructions (the Electa / Rizzoli edition was divided into two volumes, and it added 48 color photos found in the Phaidon edition as well). In the Abrams edition also a biographical appendix, covering 290 architects, and synoptic chronological tables.

PUBLISHER'S SYNOPSIS:

This volume offers a complete survey of post-Baroque European architecture examining in particular the influence of the cultural trends of XVIII and XIX centuries on the architects' works. The first section of the book deals with the history of XVIII-century architecture in France and England - countries where Cartesian-school philosophical speculation and Anglo-Saxon philosophical empiricism influenced the most - starting with Claude Perrault. After analysing the developments of the classical tradition and its spread throughout Europe, the book studies in depth the history of architectural movements, comprising neo-classicism, neo-Renaissance and neo-Gothic architecture. The outstanding, forerunning personalities of this brilliant artistic period who, in the course of the XIX century, offered prolific theoretic and stylistic contributions, include Gottfried Semper, John Ruskin and Eugène Viollet-le Duc.