Talk:Greek Revival architecture/Archive 1

References?

"...contempt towards anything British, including architecture. The Roman, or Federal style, was no longer favored. Greece was now looked at the true home of Democracy, and the Mother of Rome. Also, Greece had begun her war of independence against the Ottoman Empire in 1821, invoking much sympathy from the newly independent United States. The Greek Revival style would eventually be known as the National style."

I'm not sure I buy the above statement. It seems odd that America just followed the same architectural trends as were happening elsewhere - including the UK. I don't think Greece invoking sympathy from USA had anything to do with it. Neo-classical architecture was already an arriving fashion - check out the Neoclassical elements of the White House. The Greeks had long since stopped building in the ancient style. Secondly, if this style is known as the National style, why is it not under that title? Giano | talk 10:23, 30 April 2006 (UTC)

Having grown up in Alexandria, Virginia, and heard and read a lot over the years about the Greek Revival origins of American Federalist Architecture (which is just one form of Greek Revivalism) I cannot say I have ever run across it's election as the American governmental form as an expression of "sympathy" for Greek contemporaries. The metaphorical reference as I understand it is ancient Athenian Democracy. This explains why neither Gothic Revival nor Romanesque Revival ever were employed, despite their popularity in other venues. They represented imperialism on the one hand and feudalism on the other--neither being attractive to American sensibilities.

Another point. While Jefferson's architectural references were certainly classical, I would not put him in the "Greek Revival" category. His designs are known in Virginia as "Jeffersonian Colonial" in order to avoid making too facile a comparison. Actually his most recognizable ancient referent isn't Greek at all-but the Pantheon! --Vaquero100 23:05, 6 May 2006 (UTC)

One more point of agreement, Giano: I agree that the term "national style" should be avoided in this context. "Federalist style" says it well along with a reference to Greek Revival's popularity in Southern plantation society. As I understand it "national style" in architectural terms is more akine to "vernacular." Thanks again, Giano for bringing me into some of these conversations! --Vaquero100 23:13, 6 May 2006 (UTC)

• The use of classical styles for Government and administrative buildings and Gothic etc. for ecclesiastical, and domestic buildings goes way back to the time of Palladio and Alberti, and is far from peculiar to America. The Houses of Parliament in London is the one exception (queue for millions of editors to now list others) I can think of; and that is probably because it was replacing as a national symbol the former medieval Palace of Westminster.

Jefferson actually referred to Palladio's book as his bible [1] so I think he looked back to Rome rather than Grecian architecture. However one must remember that the Greeks came first. I wonder if whoever inserted the lead image in this page Image:Dayton-ohio-courthouse-old.jpg has ever visited the Roman Maison Carrée. Time for a re-write I think, any volunteers? Giano | talk 17:17, 7 May 2006 (UTC)

I've finally removed the offending text, but this should be a proper page really, it's an important subject in architecture - again any volunteers?......please? Giano 19:38, 29 November 2006 (UTC)

Assessment comment

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All in all this a well researched article. However, I have some concern regarding the appropriateness of using the image of the 'Forks of Cypress' as an example of the architectural style. As the entrance door/sidelights/transom of this structure are not at all Greek Revival in their form. And this particular characteristic is one of the key characteristics that is used to

Last edited at 22:33, 19 April 2008 (UTC). Substituted at 14:53, 1 May 2016 (UTC)