This fascinating volume, published by Harry N. Abrams, Inc., explores the evolution of three-dimensional representation in art through 160 exquisite black-and-white engravings spanning the mid-15th to the 19th centuries. Author Pierre Descargues, a noted French art critic and historian, provides insightful commentary and an introduction that traces the technique from Renaissance masters like Dürer and Piero della Francesca to its practical applications in architecture and garden design. This edition, translated by I. Mark Paris, is particularly significant for its curated selection of plates from rare historical treatises, making it a valuable reference for artists, architects, and collectors of scholarly art books. The book is in good vintage condition, showing a clean interior with crisp illustrations and a tight binding, while the cover exhibits some light age-related toning and minor shelf wear consistent with its age.