Andrea Palladio's I quattro libri dell'architettura was first published in 1570 by Domenico de' Franceschi, and explained the eternal values of classical architecture, the principles of proportion and the design and ornament of the five orders. The volume was illustrated with examples from classical antiquity and from Palladio's own building projects. The original edition included many woodcut illustrations.

The architecture of Palladio underwent a revival of interest in the eighteenth century, especially in Venice and Britain. Joseph Smith was one of the key proponents of the neo-Palladian style, and in 1768 his Pasquali printing press in Venice published this facsimile edition of Palladio's text. The volume incorporates etched plates by Pietro Monaco (1707-72) after the woodcut originals. Unlike previous editions, the plates were fully integrated with the letter press allowing them to be read with the text across facing pages. This particular volume is probably Smith's own copy. The Pasquali press reissued other texts in honour of Palladio, including Tommaso Temanza's Vita in 1762 and Teofilo Gallaccini's Trattato sopra gli errori degli architetti in 1767. Goethe bought a copy of the Pasquali edition in 1786, visiting Smith's grave on the Lido. He wrote 'to him I owe my copy of Palladio, and I offered up a grateful prayer at his unconsecrated grave' (Goethes Sammtliche Werke, Stuttgart and Tubingen 1851, p. 80).