Neoclassical Architecture

Neoclassicism surged in the eighteenth and early nineteenth century fueled by Enlightenment ideals, an interest in Greek art and literature, and the aesthetic forms of Classical Greece. The interest in Greek civilization was also sparked by new archaeological discoveries, such as the excavations of Herculaneum and Pompeii, and by the dissemination of illustrations of Greek ruins, such as the Elgin marbles. Neoclassicism signaled a rejection of the ornamental excesses of the baroque, seen as decadent and artificial. Neoclassical architecture adopted a variety of forms depending upon the country in which it developed; nevertheless, these shared some general elements, such as harmony and beauty based on pure architectonic lines, proportional symmetry, and simple geometric forms. Whereas the Classicism of the Renaissance was interested in both Roman and Greek forms, neoclassicists preferred mainly Greek architecture, such as Doric and Ionic columns, posts and lintels, friezes, pediments, and arcs, combined with contemporary elements, with buildings replicated at a massive scale.

Brief History

Neoclassicism is the literary and artistic current that predominated in Europe from about 1750 to 1830. Its objective was to revive the forms and values of classicism, an aesthetic that sought to cultivate and replicate the models of ancient Greece and Rome, as well as their Renaissance versions, based on the harmonious proportions of buildings and ornaments. This movement was adopted in the areas of architecture, painting, sculpture, fashion, interior design, gardening, literature and other disciplines of the arts.

By mid-eighteenth century, the baroque and rococo began to seem excessive and artificial, prompting a move to the simpler forms of the classical style. A renewed interest in balance, mathematics, and logic influenced the preference for pure geometric forms and symmetry. However, far from being a purely classical style, neoclassicism incorporated other stylistic elements, including some typical of Egypt and Asia Minor. Among its characteristics were simple, austere lines, domes, round arches, pediments, friezes and columns, all of which signaled a rejection of a decadent baroque.

The neoclassical trend was based on a philosophy that sought to create buildings on a monumental scale, whose harmonious simplicity and beauty enhanced the lives of the people. Form follows function, and countries of Europe and the Americas saw a spread of neoclassical buildings meant to house hospitals, museums, libraries, theaters, and other venues, with the goal of bringing science and knowledge to society. In other words, the neoclassical style was part of an ideological shift, in which the philosophy of the Enlightenment began to shape social, political, and cultural mores in all areas of daily life.

Traditional autocratic and hierarchical belief systems were recast, and the intellectual, artistic and political arenas opened up to democratic values that sought to build a new society based on the concepts of reason, justice, and equality. The baroque style became associated with notions of an ancien régime, or old power structure, whereas neoclassicism seemed to herald modernity and democracy. These ideas would fuel the movement that spurred the French Revolution in the late eighteenth century. In the United States, the neoclassic took the form of federal style, and was associated with the values and promise of the nascent North American republic.

Overview

Neoclassical architecture presented variations in different countries, particularly in France, England, Germany, Spain, and the Americas. In Italy the baroque remained the dominant aesthetic and central Europe followed the Germanic model.

France led the surge of neoclassicism, though the movement there is divided into two periods: The reign of Louis XVI and the post-revolutionary French empire headed by Napoleon I, which became known as the French empire style. French neoclassic architecture is best represented by the work of Charles-Louis Clerisseau (1721–1820), Pierre Francoise Leonard Fontaine (1762–1853), Claude Nicholas Ledoux (1736–1806), and Charles Percier (1764–1838). French neoclassicism employed simple Doric columns, friezes, unornamented exteriors or facades, and showed a preference for classical ornaments that include Roman shields, Cupids, circular medallions, and decorative carvings of ribbons, and palm trees. Among its most renowned examples are the Paris Pantheon, the Arch de Triomphe, and the Champs Elysees. Napoleon adopted French neoclassicism with few modifications, as he strove to emulate during his rule, the values and forms of the Greco-Roman empires.

In England, architects Robert Adam (1728–1792) and William Chambers (1723–1796) exerted a strong influence in the development of the neoclassical style. In Britain, the neoclassical became known as the regency style, as it flourished during the regency period of George IV. It closely replicated the early Greek style, creating a simple and delicate version of the European neoclassical. Regency era architecture, however, tends to incorporate some rococo elements, such as garlands and bunches of fruit.

Neoclassicism was adopted relatively late in Germany. As the ideals of the French Revolution spread in Germany, it sparked an interest in neoclassicism. Neoclassicism in Germany began with a preference for elements from ancient Rome, followed by a later preference for the Greek. Germany also expressed a preference for monumental proportions and simple geometric shapes. In Germany, the neoclassic is associated with the Biedermeier period, which lasted until approximately 1850. Among Germany’s representatives of the neoclassical style are architects Karl Friedrich Schinkel (1781–1841) and Leo Von Klenze (1784–1864). Its best example is the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, built in the 1700s by Carl Gotthard Langhans (1732–1808).

In the United States, neoclassicism was expressed in the federal style, influenced by the French and British versions. One of its most renowned examples is the Virginia State Capitol, designed by Thomas Jefferson and Charles-Louis Clerisseau. Latin America followed the neoclassical preferences of Spain, which adopted the neoclassical style in combination with some romantic elements, based on mixing several styles into one. Among its most emblematic examples are the Prado Museum and the Astronomy Observatory, designed by architect Juan de Villanueva (1739–1811). Besides Villanueva, the most renowned architect of Spanish neoclassicism is Ventura Rodriguez Tizon (1717–1785), who counts among his many works the Royal Palace of Aranjuez.

Contemporary neoclassical architecture, or neoclassical revival, was a revival of neoclassical architecture in the first half of the twentieth century. In its contemporary version, it is significantly scaled down and very flexible as to the incorporation of different stylistic elements. Rather than prevailing in public monuments, it became popular in middle class homes and town buildings, such as small banks and county courthouses.

Bibliography

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