The legacies of Palladio and Scamozzi in the Golden Age

The forthcoming exhibition highlights the influence of Vincenzo Scamozzi (1548—1616) on Dutch architecture of the Golden Age.

The work of Dutch architects in the first three decades of the seventeenth century was marked by originality and ingenuity. After 1630, however, buildings were designed strictly according to the ancient, classical rules of architecture. The main sources of information and inspiration were the treatises on the subject by Italian architects, the most popular of which was Vincenzo Scamozzi’s L’Idea della Architecttura Universale. Here, Scamozzi elaborates on the mathematical theories of the celebrated Andrea Palladio, which offer a key to simplicity and harmonious proportions in architecture. Jacob van Campen’s design for the town hall of Amsterdam is one of many architectural projects that reflect Scamozzi’s influence.

The paintings, drawings and scale models on display in the exhibition shed light on Scamozzi’s architectural ideals and his influence on Dutch Classicism.