Art
This 16th-century architectural drawing shows how European mansions were designed and planned. Such sketches guided builders, masons, and craftsmen as they constructed the grand homes of wealthy families—buildings that shaped cities and displayed power through stone and space.
Art · Full story
You stand in a mason's workshop, holding this ink-stained paper up to the light. The careful cross-hatching shows every column, cornice, and profile—a map of ambition. A master builder studies it, calling out measurements to apprentices who will spend months cutting stone to match these lines.
Reflect
What does a home's design say about the person who built it? What does yours say about you?