ABSTRACT
In the sixteenth century the centre of architectural creativity was shifting to Paris, and French draughtsmanship becoming a model for Europe. Francis I had imported Italian artists: Andrea deI Sarto, Cellini and the ageing Leonardo; and architects as eminent as Vignola and Serlio. Jacques du Cerceau had established a style of formal perspective drawing by 1576, chiefly in elaborate and rather dull bird's-eye views of great chäteaux and axially planned gardens, to a total ofnearly 1.400 plates. Jean Marot's work is similar; that of his son Daniel is more lively. He warked far William of Orange, later William IlI, and called hirnself 'Architect to the King of Great Britain'. The Perelles. father and son, were better still; their perspectives are weIl composed and interesting, and their figures have been judged as good as Callot's. They achieve pictorial quality without impairing documentary value.
