The Books of Albrecht Dürer, the most celebrated painter and Geometer, on the Symmetry of parts in the upright forms of human bodies, translated into Latin.

original: "Alberti Dureri clarissimi pictoris et Geometrae de Symetria partium..." Albrecht Dürer (1471–1528) was a titan of the German Renaissance. By identifying himself as a "Geometer" alongside "Painter," he asserts that art is a science rooted in mathematical principles.

To the Reader.

If by chance you read these words, produced by a bold German hand
And now commanded to flow through Latin original: "ausonios" – a poetic reference to the Ausonians of Italy, here meaning the Latin language sounds,
Grant pardon for any errors, for we do not claim to be without them,
And let the work be recommended to you by its novelty.
For this labor lacked a previous model, nor were there
Any footprints of predecessors for us to follow.
If, however—for I do not condemn all our efforts—any of these
Writings please you, let your decorating favor increase them.

Jo. is the abbreviation for Joachim Camerarius (1500–1574), a famous humanist scholar. He translated Dürer's original German text into Latin to ensure the artist's theories could be read by the international "Republic of Letters"—the scholars and scientists of all Europe who used Latin as their common language.

Below the text, the page features the iconic AD monogram. This emblem, where the 'D' sits inside the legs of the 'A', was one of the first "logos" in art history. It functioned as a legal trademark and a seal of quality for Dürer’s prints and books.