Hypnerptomachia or The Dream of Poliphilus is the work of
Francesco Colonna (1433-1527), a Dominican monk.
A book based on real characters, deeply esoteric, it is a view into the period
of intellectual activity known as the Renaissance. Because of its abstruse and
allegorical nature, The Dream of Poliphilus played an extremely
important role in the creation of initiatory Italian Renaissance gardens.
The book is illustrated with numerous woodcuts by an unknown artist.