Shakespeare and Palladio

Shakespeare's friend, Ben Jonson, spoke for more of us than he could ever have imagined, when he said of Shakespeare that "He was not of an age, but for all time".

Some time before he was busy writing his plays and sonnets, which would give so much pleasure  to so many, in Italy, at the same time Andrea Palladio was doing for Architecture, what Shakespeare was doing for literature.

William Shakespeare 1564-1616
Andrea Palladio        1508-1580

What Shakespeare was to the Golden age of Elizabethan times, in Britain, Palladio was to the Golden age of the Italian Renaissance.




Palladio is considered to be the most influential individual in the history of Western Architecture. He wrote "The Four books of Architecture " in 1570. These books are still studied today. Palladio teaches timeless compositional lessons, relevant to any aesthetic style. Shakespeare teaches us all valuable lessons about life.

Palladio and Shakespeare couldn't have known, while they were busily writing and drawing, that they would have had such lasting fame. Their buildings and books would carry on being a source of pleasure. It makes me think, who alive today would we like to have such a lasting, positive, enriching influence on humanity. A Politician, a musician, an artist ?


I'd just like to say here, that of course I am not a scholar or expert on anything that I write about. My posts might seem very superficial to some of you. Many books have been written about Shakespeare and Palladio by real experts, that have immense knowledge.My aim is just to reflect on things, events, people, that have made such great contributions to our world. Hopefully to stimulate anyone who is interested to study further, or remind them of what they already knew. Just like a coffee break chat.

Thoughts for the day:

True love is not a feeling by which we are overwhelmed.
It is a committed, thoughtful decision.
(M.Scott Peck, The Road Less Travelled)

Happiness is accepting the imperfections in those around you (heard on the radio)