Villard de Honnecourt

Villard de Honnecourt

(born c. 1225, Picardy, France—died c. 1250) French architect. He is remembered mainly for the sketchbook he compiled while traveling in search of work as a master mason. The book contains sketches and writings concerning architectural practices of the time. He includes sections on technical procedures and mechanical devices, as well as notes on the buildings and monuments he had seen, offering insights into the variety of interests and work of the 13th-century master mason and providing an explanation for the spread of Gothic architecture in Europe.