Eighteenth Century Architecture

1. Eighteenth Century Architecture Architectural History ACT 322 Doris Kemp

2. Topics • The Eighteenth Century • The Palladians • Colen Campbell • Robert Adams

3. The Eighteenth Century • Eighteenth century developments encompassed several elements • Late Baroque work predominated • Emergence of new styles • Decorative aspects of the Baroque • A curiosity of earlier times, places, and cultures

4. The Eighteenth Century • Eighteenth century was part of the “Age of Enlightenment” • An era in which scientists and mathematicians laid the foundation for modern achievements in their fields • Philosophers proposed rational forms of government that were put into practice by the American and French revolutions

5. The Eighteenth Century • Three major developments of the eighteenth-century that would eventually give way to twentieth-century architecture • Neo-Classicism • Romanticism • Industrial Technology • Neo-Classicism and Romanticism gained their influence through the revival of the English Palladio

6. The Palladians • The Palladians • Group of architects that favored a simpler approach to architecture • Found in the works of Paladio • Leaders included • Colen Campbell (1676? – 1729) • Scottish architect and editor • Richard Boyle (1694 – 1753) • Third Earl of Burlington • William Kent (1685 – 1748) • Painter, architect, and landscaper • Robert Adam (1728 – 1792) • A architect of Scottish decent

7. The Palladians • Colen Campbell • Illustrations of classical English buildings brought him fame and the attention of Lord Burlington • Commissioned Campbell to undertake major reconstruction of the Burlington House in London • Key Structure • Mereworth Castle in Kent

8. The Palladians • Mereworth Castle (1723) • Designed a near-replica of the Villa Rotunda at a slightly larger scale • Contains several practical devices including the incorporation of fireplace flues in the ribs of the dome

9. The Palladians http://www.brynmawr.edu/Acads/Cities/wld/wdpt1.html

10. The Palladians • William Kent • Became very friendly with Lord Burlington during his Grand Tour of Europe • Lord Burlington used Kent’s work to design his own variation of the Villa Rotunda at his Chiswick House outside of London

11. The Palladians • Chiswick House • Located outside of London, England • Smaller version of the Villa Rotunda • Drew on several sources in its design • Features obelisks placed at the edge of the roof that contain chimney flues

12. The Palladians http://www.brynmawr.edu/Acads/Cities/wld/wdpt1.html

13. The Palladians http://www.brynmawr.edu/Acads/Cities/wld/wdpt1.html

14. The Palladians http://www.brynmawr.edu/Acads/Cities/wld/wdpt1.html

15. The Palladians http://www.brynmawr.edu/Acads/Cities/wld/wdpt1.html

16. The Palladians • Robert Adams • Created several drawings of ruins in Yugoslavia • Were later published as Ruins of the Palace of the Emperor Diocletian at Spalato, in Dalmatia • Décor and furnishings were very important to Adam • Major contribution • Adelphi scheme on the River Thames near London

17. The Palladians • The Adelphi • Consisted of houses facing four streets • Two parallel and two perpendicular • Houses were of brick with stone and terra-cotta trim • Featured central end pavilions without incorporating the giant pilasters or columns of earlier times

18. The Palladians http://www.brynmawr.edu/Acads/Cities/wld/wdpt1.html

19. The Palladians http://www.brynmawr.edu/Acads/Cities/wld/wdpt1.html

20. The Palladians http://www.brynmawr.edu/Acads/Cities/wld/wdpt1.html

21. References • Sullivan, Mary; http://www.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/ • http://www.brynmawr.edu/Acads/Cities/wld/wdpt1.html • Trachtenburg/Hyman; Architecture: From Prehistory to Postmodernity • Wodehouse/Moffett; A History of Western Architecture

22. Eighteenth Century Architecture Architectural History ACT 322 Doris Kemp