author

Francesco Colonna

d. 1527

Best known as the figure traditionally credited with the dazzling Renaissance dream book Hypnerotomachia Poliphili, this Venetian Dominican left behind one of the strangest and most beautiful works of early printing. His name is tied to a book famous for its rich imagery, learned references, and lasting influence on art, design, and literary history.

1 Audiobook

Hypnerotomachia: The Strife of Loue in a Dreame

Hypnerotomachia: The Strife of Loue in a Dreame

by Francesco Colonna

About the author

Born in Venice around 1433 or 1434, he is described in reference works as an Italian Dominican priest and monk associated with the convent of Santi Giovanni e Paolo. He died in 1527.

He is traditionally credited with writing Hypnerotomachia Poliphili, first printed in 1499 by Aldus Manutius. The book is a highly unusual Renaissance allegory and dream narrative, celebrated for its elaborate language and remarkable woodcut illustrations.

Some details of his life remain uncertain, and even the authorship of Hypnerotomachia Poliphili has long been discussed through clues in the text rather than firm documentary proof. Even so, his reputation endures because the book itself became a landmark of Renaissance imagination and book design.