Historical Dictionary of Neoclassical Art and Architecture
By (author) Allison Lee Palmer
Publication date:
11 February 2011Length of book:
312 pagesPublisher
Scarecrow PressISBN-13: 9780810861954
Neoclassicism refers to the revival of classical art and architecture beginning in Europe in the 1750s and lasting until around 1830, with late Neoclassicism lingering through the 1870s. Neoclassicism is a highly complex movement that brought together seemingly disparate issues into a new and culturally rich era, one that was, however, remarkably unified under the banner of classicism. This movement was born in Italy and France and then spread across Europe to Russia and across the ocean to the United States.
The Historical Dictionary of Neoclassical Art and Architecture provides an overview of Neoclassicism, focusing on its major artists, architects, stylistic subcategories, ideas, and historical framework of the 18th century style found mainly in Europe and the United States. This is done through a chronology, an introductory essay, an extensive bibliography, and over 200 dictionary entries on famous artists, sculptors, architects, patrons, and other historical figures and events.
The Historical Dictionary of Neoclassical Art and Architecture provides an overview of Neoclassicism, focusing on its major artists, architects, stylistic subcategories, ideas, and historical framework of the 18th century style found mainly in Europe and the United States. This is done through a chronology, an introductory essay, an extensive bibliography, and over 200 dictionary entries on famous artists, sculptors, architects, patrons, and other historical figures and events.
Author Palmer characterizes neoclassicism as “the revival of classical art and architecture beginning in Europe in the 1750s and lasting until around 1830, with late neoclassicism lingering through the 1870s.” Palmer is associate professor of art history at the University of Oklahoma and author of Historical Dictionary of Architecture (2008), also part of Scarecrow's Historical Dictionaries of Literature and the Arts series. Following a format similar to other titles in the series, Historical Dictionary of Neoclassical Art and Architecture begins with a 3-page chronology and a 14-page introduction. A 237-page dictionary section isthe heart of the book. Entries feature mostly painters, sculptors, architects, and other figures. Assorted entries also address relevant subjects including Biedermeier, French Revolution, Grand Tour, Rococo, Romanticism, and Veduta (“a painted, drawn, or engraved landscape of a specific place”), which has a 2-page entry. Boldface within an entry identifies subjects having their own main entry. See also references are frequent. An extensively subdivided 35-page bibliography (including a bibliographical essay) concludes the book. Recommended for academic and large public libraries.