Famous 16th Century Architects

Italian sculptor, painter, architect, and poet Michelangelo was a prominent figure of the High Renaissance. He is credited to have influenced the Western art in unprecedented ways. He is widely regarded as the greatest artist of his age and one of the greatest artists of all time. He was equally revered and respected as an architect.

Andrea Palladio was an Italian architect remembered for designing villas, country houses, palaces, and churches. Widely regarded as one of the most influential architects in the history of architecture, Palladio designed 23 buildings in Vicenza and 24 villas in Veneto. Together, they are known as the City of Vicenza and the Palladian Villas of the Veneto as named by UNESCO.

Italian painter and architect Raphael, along with Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, formed the great trio who ushered in the High Renaissance. He is mostly known for his frescoes of the Vatican Palace and The School of Athens. He also designed the Chigi Chapel, among other structures in Rome.

Giorgio Vasari was an Italian architect, painter, writer, engineer, and historian. He is best remembered for his work The Lives, a series of artist biographies, which is regarded as the art-historical writing's ideological foundation. Vasari is also credited with the formulation of the term Renaissance as it was first suggested by Jules Michelet based on Giorgio Vasari's text.

Inigo Jones was a British architect who played an important role in the early modern period. Regarded as England's first significant architect in the said period, Jones was the first person to make use of Vitruvian rules of symmetry and proportion in his buildings. He was also the first architect to introduce the architecture of the Italian Renaissance to Britain.

Italian architect Giacomo della Porta was instrumental in the transition of Mannerism to early Baroque style. Born into a family of sculptors, he grew up to become a Roman renaissance figure. He also designed palaces such as Villa Aldobrandini and structures such as the façade of the Church of Gesù.

One of the leading sculptors and architects of the Venetian Renaissance era, Jacopo Sansovino specialized in marble and bronze sculptures. An acquaintance of Pietro Aretino and Titian, he was also made the chief architect of Venice. As a sign of respect, he had adopted his teacher Andrea Sansovino’s surname.

François Mansart was a French architect who introduced classicism into French Baroque architecture. Widely regarded as the most accomplished French architect of the 17th century, Mansart's works are celebrated for their high degree of elegance, subtlety, and refinement. François Mansart is also credited with popularizing the mansard roof, which creates an extra floor of habitable space in a building.

Baha' al-din al-'Amili was an Arab Iranian Shia philosopher, Islamic scholar, architect, astronomer, mathematician, and poet who flourished in Safavid Iran during the late 16th and early 17th century. Baha' al-din al-'Amili was one of the first astronomers in the Islamic world to advocate the possibility of the Earth's movement before the outspread of the Copernican theory.

Jean Goujon was a French architect and sculptor who served under Henry II of France in the 1540s. Goujon's style influenced several artists of the School of Fontainebleau and also had an impact on the decorative arts. Some of his most popular works include Fountain of the Innocents and allegories on the facade of the Louvre.

Bartolomeo Ammannati was an Italian sculptor and architect. He is credited with constructing the original Ponte Santa Trinita, which was rebuilt in 1957 after its destruction during the Second World War. A respected architect of his time, Bartolomeo Ammannati was commissioned to work on several ambitious projects including the Fountain of Neptune in Florence. 

Francesco Primaticcio was an Italian painter, sculptor, and architect. Along with Rosso Fiorentino, Primaticcio was counted among the principal artists to showcase their skills at the Chateau Fontainebleau. After Rosso Fiorentino's death, Francesco Primaticcio oversaw the artistic activities at Fontainebleau. He also served as the court painter under Francis II and Henry II.

Mannerist sculptor and artist Alonso Berruguete is one of the greatest figures of the Spanish Renaissance. He was initially trained by his painter father Pedro Berruguete and grew up to be a master of wood sculptures. He had also briefly been the court painter of Charles V.

Pellegrino Tibaldi was an Italian mannerist sculptor, architect, and mural painter. Tibaldi is credited with painting frescoes of the Story of Ulysses found at the Palazzo Poggi and scenes from Moses' life in Rome's Palazzo Sacchetti. He is also credited with teaching several future painters like Girolamo Miruoli, Lorenzo Sabbatini, and Orazio Samacchini.

Salomon de Brosse was a French architect who worked during the early 17th-century. An influential personality, De Brosse's works had a major influence on the works of another important architect, François Mansart. Counted among the most important architects of his generation, Salomon De Brosse was commissioned to design ambitious projects, such as the Luxembourg Palace in Paris.

Jean Bullant was a French sculptor and architect best remembered for designing and building the tombs of influential personalities like Henri II, Anne, Duke of Montmorency, and Catherine de' Medici. Bullant also worked on some of the most important and iconic structures like the Tuileries Palace, the Château d'Écouen, and the Louvre Museum.

Wolf Huber was an Austrian printmaker, painter, and architect who lived and worked in Germany for many years. An important member of the popular Danube school, Huber served as a court painter. His works influenced other artists, including his contemporary Augustin Hirschvogel.

Pietro Lombardo was an Italian Renaissance sculptor and architect. His early works have a distinct Florentine influence, while his later works seem to be inspired by northern ideas. His sons, Tullio and Antonio, were also respected sculptors of the time. Lombardo collaborated with his sons to sculpt many Venetian tombs, including those of  Dante Alighieri and Doge Pasquale Malipiero. 

Jean Perréal was a French portraitist who worked for French Royalty during the 16th century. A multi-talented personality, Jean Perréal was also a sculptor, architect, and limner of illuminated manuscripts. During his successful career, Jean Perréal worked for prominent and influential personalities like King Charles VIII, Charles of Bourbon, Francis I, and Louis XII. He also designed tombs and medals.

Diego Siloe was a Spanish Renaissance architect and sculptor. He is considered a progenitor of the Granadan school of sculpture. Not much is known about him, but it is believed he was the son of the Spanish-Flemish Gothic sculptor Gil de Siloé. The Cathedral of Granada and the tomb of Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba are considered his greatest works. 

Cornelis Floris de Vriendt was a Flemish sculptor, draughtsman, architect, designer of prints, and medallist. He ran an influential and large workshop in Antwerp and is credited with designing portions of the Antwerp City Hall. Cornelis Floris de Vriendt had a significant impact on the progression of architecture and sculpture in the 16th and 17th century Northern Europe.

Giovanni Battista Crespi was an Italian sculptor, painter, and architect. Although he was born in Romagnano Sesia, he moved to Cerano where his works were much appreciated. He went on to serve as the head of the Accademia Ambrosiana and taught many future painters like Melchiorre Gherardini, Carlo Francesco Nuvolone, and Daniele Crespi.

Andrea Riccio was an Italian sculptor best remembered for making small, practical objects like door knockers and inkwells. Many of his works are preserved in churches and museums, including the Louvre and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Also an occasional architect, Riccio is credited with working on the church of Santa Giustina, which is located in Padua, Italy.  

Regarded as Spain’s most significant sculptors of the 16th century, Damià Forment is remembered for his huge altars and alabaster masterpieces. His works mingled Gothic and Renaissance elements. He is also considered one of the first to introduce Spain to Mannerist art. His works adorn the Huesca Cathedral among others.