Edition Axel Menges
Martial signifiers; fortress complexes by Francesco di Giorgio Martini.
Featuring 30 superb photographs of the buildings in b&w plates of the finest quality, this volume offers a short history of the fortifications built by the Renaissance sculptor and architect. Martini created new and inventive solutions to fortification in the Italian duchy of Urbino, attempting to create castles that could withstand the new invention of artillery. The results were massive inventions in geometry, beautifully executed in brick and stone. The text focuses mainly on their defensive and architectural aspects, rather than the specifics of construction. The volume, which is oversized (8.5x11.25 inches), is in both German and English. Distributed in the US by the National Book Network. (Annotation ©2011 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)
