The book „Livre d’architecture de Iaques Androuet, du Cerceau. Auquel sont contenues diverses ordonnances de plants et élévations de bastiments pour seigneurs, gentilshommes, et autres qui voudront bastir aux champs: mesmes en aucuns d’iceux sont desseignes les bassez courts, avec leurs commodités particulières: aussi les jardinages et vergiers. Tres-utile et necessaire a ceux qui veulent bastir, à ce qu’ils soient instruits, & cognoissent les frais & la despense qu’il y conuient faire.“ was written by Jacques Androuet du Cerceau and is bound together with another book written by this author (Livre des edifices antiques Romains). With a size of 400mm x 295mm x 35mm the book is categorized as Folio.
It consists of 156 pages, 48 of them with text printed with wood engraving and 52 of them hosting illustrations printed with copper engraving.
The book is divided into four parts, counting the authors dedication to his king (probably Heinrich III.) as the first one. In the second part the author explains the different units of measurement and materials that are used in the building of moated castles. In doing so he precisely lists which materials and exactly how much of them are needed for specific situations. In the books third part 38 moated castles are analyzed and explained one after the other in their own chapter. All chapters are continuously inscribed with Roman numerals from I to XXXVIII. Thanks to this numbering, it is possible to look at the also numbered illustrations matching the respective buildings in the fourth part of the book.
Movie: https://friendswithanoldbook.delbeke.arch.ethz.ch/contact_49_clip/
