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Why did 18th-century architects criticize parts of Christopher Wren’s architectural style?
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Christopher Wren
Sir Christopher Wren, detail of an oil painting by Sir Godfrey Kneller, 1711; in the National Portrait Gallery, London.
Eighteenth-century architects criticized Christopher Wren’s work because they perceived elements of his architectural style as unclassical. As a new generation of architects emerged, they moved away from the Baroque school that Wren and his followers had established, choosing instead to look back to the work of Inigo Jones for inspiration.1
Despite this criticism, Wren’s influence remained significant throughout the 18th century and beyond, particularly regarding his dome designs. His work on St. Paul’s Cathedral served as a lasting model for architects worldwide, inspiring structures ranging from the Church of Sainte-Geneviève in Paris to the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.1