The Brochure Series of Architectural Illustration, Volume 01, No. 03, March 1895 The Cloister at Monreale, Near Palermo, Sicily   By: Various

The Brochure Series of Architectural Illustration, Volume 01, No. 03, March 1895 is a fascinating collection of images and information about The Cloister at Monreale, near Palermo, Sicily. The detailed illustrations provide a wonderful glimpse into the intricate design and craftsmanship of this beautiful structure.

The text accompanying the illustrations offers valuable insights into the history and significance of The Cloister at Monreale. Readers will gain a deeper appreciation for the architectural style and cultural influences that shaped this magnificent site.

Overall, this volume is a great resource for anyone interested in architecture, history, or the stunning beauty of Sicily. The combination of visually stunning illustrations and informative prose make this a must-read for anyone with a passion for art and design.

First Page:

The island of Sicily, being in form nearly an equilateral triangle, with one side facing towards Italy, another towards Greece, and the third, towards Africa, was a tempting field for conquest to the various nations surrounding it. It was successively overrun by the Greeks, Carthaginians, and Romans, and later, after the Christian era, again successively by the Byzantines, the Moors, and the Normans. Almost all of the architectural remains of the older periods belong to the time of the Greeks, as neither the Carthaginians nor Romans left much to show for their occupation of the island. With the exception of occasional ruined examples surviving from the time of the Dorian Greeks who colonized Sicily, most of the monuments now existing belong to the Byzantine, Saracenic, and Romanesque periods. As would be natural to expect, the latter influences are not clearly separable one from another either in time or in locality. They overlap in all directions; but in general the Byzantine, which was the earliest and most powerful element, is found more strongly marked, and more frequently on the east coast. It however forms the groundwork and is the main ingredient of all that follows... Continue reading book >>