In his art treaty 'De' veri precetti della pittura' ('On the True Precepts of the Art of Painting') published in 1586, Giovanni Battista Armenini (1530–1609) provides important notions on painting and drawing techniques. From his hometown of Faenza he travelled extensively, gaining knowledge of artistic trends in 16th-century Italy. His book deals with the major Mannerist painters, reporting and describing the artistic tastes of the time.