Revivalism (architecture)

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One of the most famous Gothic Revival structures, Elizabeth Tower sits at the Palace of Westminster in London. Clock Tower - Palace of Westminster, London - May 2007.jpg
One of the most famous Gothic Revival structures, Elizabeth Tower sits at the Palace of Westminster in London.

Architectural revivalism is the use of elements that echo the style of a previous architectural era that have or had fallen into disuse or abeyance between their heyday and period of revival. Revivalism, in a narrower sense, refers to the period of- and movement within- Western architectural history during which a succession of antecedent and remenescent styles were taken to by architects, roughly from the late 18th century, and which was itself succeeded by Modernism. Notable revival styles include Neoclassical architecture (a revival of Classical architecture), and Gothic Revival (a revival of Gothic architecture). Revivalism is related to historicism.

Contents

Western architecture of the 19th century, including Victorian architecture, is an example of Revivalism.

History

19th-early 20th centuries

The Russian Revival-representing Uspenski Cathedral from 1868 in Katajanokka, Helsinki, Finland Uspenski Cathedral Helsinki 2012.jpg
The Russian Revival-representing Uspenski Cathedral from 1868 in Katajanokka, Helsinki, Finland

The idea that architecture might represent the glory of kingdoms can be traced to the dawn of civilisation, but the notion that architecture can bear the stamp of national character is a modern idea, that appeared in the historical and philosophical writing of the 18th century and was given political currency in the wake of the French Revolution. As the map of Europe was repeatedly changing, architecture was used to grant the aura of a glorious past to even the most recent of nations. In addition to the credo of universal Classicism, two new, and often contradictory, attitudes on historical styles existed in the early 19th century. Pluralism promoted the simultaneous use of the expanded range of style, while Revivalism held that a single historical model was appropriate for modern architecture. Associations between styles and building types appeared, for example: Egyptian for prisons, Gothic for churches, or Renaissance Revival for banks and exchanges.[ citation needed ] These choices were the result of other associations: the pharaohs with death and eternity, the Middle Ages with Christianity, or the Medici family with the rise of banking and modern commerce.

Whether their choice was Classical, medieval, or Renaissance, all Revivalists shared the strategy of advocating a particular style based on national history, one of the great enterprises of historians in the early 19th century. Only one historic period was claimed to be the only one capable of providing models grounded in national traditions, institutions, or values. Issues of style became matters of state. [1]

The most well-known Revivalist style is the Gothic Revival one, that appeared in the mid-18th century in the houses of a number of wealthy antiquarians in England, a notable example being the Strawberry Hill House. German Romantic writers and architects were the first to promote Gothic as a powerful expression of national character, and in turn use it as a symbol of national identity in territories still divided. Johann Gottfried Herder posed the question 'Why should we always imitate foreigners, as if we were Greeks or Romans?'. [2]

Present

Modern-day revival styles are frequently placed under the heading of New Classical architecture. Revivalism is not to be confused with complementary architecture, which looks to the previous architectural styles as means of architectural continuity.

Styles

Mixed
Typical historicist house: Grunderzeit building by Arwed Rossbach in Leipzig, Germany (built in 1892) Leipzig Palais Rossbach.jpg
Typical historicist house: Gründerzeit building by Arwed Roßbach in Leipzig, Germany (built in 1892)
Ancient Revival
1862 lithograph of the Aegyptischer Hof (English: Egyptian court), from the Neues Museum (Berlin), built in the Neo-Egyptian style Neues Museum Aegyptischer Hof.jpg
1862 lithograph of the Aegyptischer Hof (English: Egyptian court), from the Neues Museum (Berlin), built in the Neo-Egyptian style
Medieval Revival
St. Michael the Archangel Church in Kaunas was built in Neo-Byzantine style St. Michael the Archangel Church 1, Kaunas, Lithuania - Diliff.jpg
St. Michael the Archangel Church in Kaunas was built in Neo-Byzantine style
Schwerin Palace, historical ducal seat of Mecklenburg, Germany - an example of pompous renaissance revival for representation purposes (built in 1857) Schwerin Castle Aerial View Island Luftbild Schweriner Schloss Insel See.jpg
Schwerin Palace, historical ducal seat of Mecklenburg, Germany – an example of pompous renaissance revival for representation purposes (built in 1857)
Renaissance Revival
Opera, Paris (Palais Garnier) by Charles Garnier, 1861-1875 Paris Opera full frontal architecture, May 2009.jpg
Opera, Paris (Palais Garnier) by Charles Garnier, 1861–1875
Baroque Revival
Other revival

Related Research Articles

A cultural movement is a change in the way a number of different disciplines approach their work. This embodies all art forms, the sciences, and philosophies. Historically, different nations or regions of the world have gone through their own independent sequence of movements in culture, but as world communications have accelerated this geographical distinction has become less distinct. When cultural movements go through revolutions from one to the next, genres tend to get attacked and mixed up, and often new genres are generated and old ones fade.: These changes are often reactions against the prior cultural form, which typically has grown stale and repetitive. An obsession emerges among the mainstream with the new movement, and the old one falls into neglect – sometimes it dies out entirely, but often it chugs along favored in a few disciplines and occasionally making reappearances.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Classical architecture</span> Architectural style, inspired by classical Greco-Roman architectural principles

Classical architecture usually denotes architecture which is more or less consciously derived from the principles of Greek and Roman architecture of classical antiquity, or sometimes more specifically, from the works of the Roman architect Vitruvius. Different styles of classical architecture have arguably existed since the Carolingian Renaissance, and prominently since the Italian Renaissance. Although classical styles of architecture can vary greatly, they can in general all be said to draw on a common "vocabulary" of decorative and constructive elements. In much of the Western world, different classical architectural styles have dominated the history of architecture from the Renaissance until the World War II. Classical architecture continues to inform many architects.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Art of Europe</span> History of European works of art

The art of Europe, also known as Western art, encompasses the history of visual art in Europe. European prehistoric art started as mobile Upper Paleolithic rock and cave painting and petroglyph art and was characteristic of the period between the Paleolithic and the Iron Age. Written histories of European art often begin with the Aegean civilizations, dating from the 3rd millennium BC. However a consistent pattern of artistic development within Europe becomes clear only with Ancient Greek art, which was adopted and transformed by Rome and carried; with the Roman Empire, across much of Europe, North Africa and Western Asia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outline of classical architecture</span> Overview of and topical guide to classical architecture

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to classical architecture:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oculus (architecture)</span> Circular opening in the center of a dome or in a wall

An oculus is a circular opening in the center of a dome or in a wall. Originating in antiquity, it is a feature of Byzantine and Neoclassical architecture. It is also known as an œil-de-boeuf from the French, or simply a "bull's-eye".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Culture of Europe</span> Overview of the culture of Europe

The culture of Europe is diverse, and rooted in its art, architecture, traditions, cuisines, music, folklore, embroidery, film, literature, economics, philosophy and religious customs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neoclassical architecture</span> 18th–19th-century European classical revivalist architectural style

Neoclassical architecture, sometimes referred to as Classical Revival architecture, is an architectural style produced by the Neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century in Italy and France. It became one of the most prominent architectural styles in the Western world. The prevailing styles of architecture in most of Europe for the previous two centuries, Renaissance architecture and Baroque architecture, already represented partial revivals of the Classical architecture of ancient Rome and ancient Greek architecture, but the Neoclassical movement aimed to strip away the excesses of Late Baroque and return to a purer and more authentic classical style, adapted to modern purposes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plateresque</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of architecture</span> Field of history focused on architecture

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Renaissance Revival architecture</span> Group of 19th-century architectural revival styles

Renaissance Revival architecture is a group of 19th-century architectural revival styles which were neither Greek Revival nor Gothic Revival but which instead drew inspiration from a wide range of classicizing Italian modes. Under the broad designation Renaissance architecture 19th-century architects and critics went beyond the architectural style which began in Florence and Central Italy in the early 15th century as an expression of Renaissance humanism; they also included styles that can be identified as Mannerist or Baroque. Self-applied style designations were rife in the mid- and later 19th century: "Neo-Renaissance" might be applied by contemporaries to structures that others called "Italianate", or when many French Baroque features are present.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spanish architecture</span> Architecture of buildings in Spain

Spanish architecture refers to architecture in any area of what is now Spain, and by Spanish architects worldwide. The term includes buildings which were constructed within the current borders of Spain prior to its existence as a nation, when the land was called Iberia, Hispania, or was divided between several Christian and Muslim kingdoms. Spanish architecture demonstrates great historical and geographical diversity, depending on the historical period. It developed along similar lines as other architectural styles around the Mediterranean and from Central and Northern Europe, although some Spanish constructions are unique.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Portuguese architecture</span> Overview of the architecture of Portugal

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Architecture of Italy</span> Overview of the architecture in Italy

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">French architecture</span> Overview of the architecture in France

French architecture consists of numerous architectural styles that either originated in France or elsewhere and were developed within the territories of France.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Historicism (art)</span> Art and architecture inspired by historic styles

Historicism or historism comprises artistic styles that draw their inspiration from recreating historic styles or imitating the work of historic artists and artisans. This is especially common in architecture, where there are many different styles of Revival architecture, which dominated large buildings in the 19th century. Through a combination of different styles or the implementation of new elements, historicism can create completely different aesthetics than former styles. Thus, it offers a great variety of possible designs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Russian neoclassical revival</span>

Russian neoclassical revival was a trend in Russian culture, most pronounced in architecture, that briefly replaced Eclecticism and Art Nouveau as the leading architectural style between the Revolution of 1905 and the outbreak of World War I, coexisting with the Silver Age of Russian Poetry. It is characterized by a merger of new technologies with a moderate application of classical orders and the legacy of the Russian Empire style of the first quarter of the 19th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timeline of Italian architecture</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peruvian colonial architecture</span> Architectural style combining European styles with the local Peruvian reality

The Peruvian colonial architecture, developed in the Viceroyalty of Peru between the 16th and 19th centuries, was characterized by the importation and adaptation of European architectural styles to the Peruvian reality, yielding an original architecture.

This is an alphabetical index of articles related to architecture.

References

  1. Bergdoll, Barry (200). European Architecture 1750–1890. Oxford University Press. p. 139, 140, 141. ISBN   978-0-19-284222-0.
  2. Bergdoll, Barry (200). European Architecture 1750–1890. Oxford University Press. p. 139, 140, 141, 142, 145. ISBN   978-0-19-284222-0.

Further reading