Vitruvius Britannicus
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Vitruvius Britannicus is a seminal work by Colen Campbell, first published in 1715. It is a folio of engravings showcasing contemporary British buildings in a classical style. This publication, along with an English translation of Andrea Palladio's treatise, fueled a significant revival of Palladian architecture in England during the Georgian period.1
Palladianism itself is an architectural style rooted in the principles of classical antiquity, as documented by the Roman architect Vitruvius and later by Andrea Palladio. The style emphasizes clarity, order, and symmetry, incorporating classical forms and decorative motifs. Vitruvius Britannicus played a crucial role in disseminating these ideas and influencing architectural trends in Britain and beyond.12
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Palladianism…first volume of Colen Campbell’s Vitruvius Britannicus (1715), a folio of 100 engravings of contemporary “classical” buildings in Britain (two more volumes followed in 1717 and 1725), the designs of which had enormous influence in England. William Benson, a Whig member of Parliament, had already built the first English Palladian…
Read More…first volume of Colen Campbell’s Vitruvius Britannicus (1715), a folio of 100 engravings of contemporary “classical” buildings in Britain (two more volumes followed in 1717 and 1725), the designs of which had enormous influence in England. William Benson, a Whig member of Parliament, had already built the first English Palladian…
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Western architectureGreat Britain…the first volume of his Vitruvius Britannicus. Advocating the judgment “truly of the Merit of Things by the Strength of Reason,” his heroes were Vitruvius, Palladio, and Inigo Jones; his villains, the architects of the Italian Baroque: “The Italians can no more now relish the Antique Simplicity.” The works of…
Read More…the first volume of his Vitruvius Britannicus. Advocating the judgment “truly of the Merit of Things by the Strength of Reason,” his heroes were Vitruvius, Palladio, and Inigo Jones; his villains, the architects of the Italian Baroque: “The Italians can no more now relish the Antique Simplicity.” The works of…
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