Palladio’s influence on Thomas Jefferson and Classical American Architecture
So, what is it about Andrea Palladio, a 16th century architect, that would inspire us to name our tour service after him? Why do we feature his works so prominently in our tours? And probably the most important question - what relevance does his work have to any of us in 21st Century America? The answer is both simple and profound.
An image of the Jefferson Memorial in Washington DC, is familiar to us all. But to whom do we owe this design? The architect was John Pope, but his role was secondary, as he drew directly from Jefferson’s own design of the Rotunda of the University of Virginia.
These structures, however, are remarkably similar to another with which many of our Italian travelers are familiar – the Pantheon in Rome
While it might seem obvious to draw a direct line of influence from one to the other. That line, though direct, has a critical intermediary – the Italian architect Andrea Palladio. Palladio was the pre-eminent architect of the Italian Renaissance and considered to be one of the most influential individuals in the history of architecture. His writings, found in his four-volume Treatise on Architecture, had a profound influence on Jefferson's designs. He referred to the Italian architect's classical designs emphasizing symmetry, proportion and harmony as his "architectural bible."
Palladian theory influenced Jefferson's architecture, not just for the university he founded, but for his home, Monticello, and the State House of Virginia
It is likely that Jefferson named his plantation Monticello, which, in Italian, means “small hill” because Palladio wrote in his treatise that his Villa La Rotonda, found just outside of Vicenza, was set on its own small “monticello.”
But the similarity extends beyond Jefferson’s works to our Federal structures designed by others – to the White House and the U.S. Capitol.
As stated in the New York Times in a 2015 article How Jefferson Learned Architecture - The New York Times (nytimes.com), “Palladio was the conduit for Jefferson’s vision of a new world built on the twin pillars of reason and beauty. For Jefferson, Palladio took the great tradition of ancient Roman architecture and translated it for the purposes of the modern world, so that it could be accessible.
Through Jefferson, that idea was to have a profound influence on American public architecture. So many buildings in the United States, including iconic constructions like the White House and the Capitol Building, reflect the influence of Palladio. His influence was so great, that in 2010 the United States Congress passed a concurrent resolution honoring the 500th anniversary of Palladio’s birth, recognizing “his tremendous influence” on American architecture and cultural heritage.”
On our Cities of Living Art Tour, we will explore a multitude of examples of Palladian architecture. In Vicenza, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, we will visit the Palladio Museum, found in Palazzo Barbarano, designed by Palladio and built under his supervision.
Most of Palladio’s works are found where we focus our finely curated tours - in the Italian region of Veneto. It is there that your guide will accompany you to his most famous works in the cities of Venice, Padua, Vicenza and Verona. He designed the Basilica of San Giorgio Maggiore in Venice, seen to the left,
and more than fifteen villas along the Brenta river. We will visit two of his better-known examples – Villa Emo, near Castelfranco Veneto and Villa Maser, 10 miles to the north, near Asolo, seen below.
So, join us. See the marvels that Palladio conceived and broaden your understanding of how his vision lives on.