The Renaissance marked the most significant pivot in architectural graphics. It was the moment the drawing became an autonomous work of art and the architect became a gentleman designer, distinct from the hands-on mason.
Yet, this era introduced the . Figures like Villard de Honnecourt created sketchbooks that bridged the gap between masonry and drawing. These were the precursors to the architect’s portfolio, combining observations of existing buildings with geometric diagrams, marking the slow return of the architect as a visual thinker. graphic history of architecture