"This comprehensive handbook, tracing the career of the architect who transformed the concept of Western architecture, is the second edition (featuring updated preface and bibliography) of Abbeville's acclaimed 1994 large-format publication." "Andrea Palladio (1508-1589) was one of the most creative architects the world has ever known; many consider his villas, places, and churches the epitome of Renaissance ideals. Though his buildings have often been written about, never before have Palladio's life and times been brought together in a narrative as incisive as this one. Richly illustrated with specially commissioned photographs as well as period plans and drawings, this volume defines Palladio's remarkable career against the backdrop of the dramatic events and personalities of the age, while discussing his buildings in terms of their vital place in art history."--BOOK JACKET.