ROMANTICISM architecture: characteristics and works [with PHOTOS]

The Romanticism always had an eye on the past, its main objective being the recovery of the style of ancient times or, at the same time, less, to be able to be inspired and offer a new interpretation of styles such as Byzantine, Mudejar, Baroque, Gothic, etc. An eclectic style that developed between the XIX and early XX century.

In this lesson from unPROFESOR.com we offer you the main characteristics and works of the architecture of Romanticism. Discover them with us!

Index

1. What is Romanticism?
2. Characteristics of Romantic architecture
3. Characteristics of the constructions of romantic architecture
4. Most representative works of Romanticism architecture

The Romanticism emerged in the late 18th and early 19th centuries as response to classicism and academicism, its precedents being the Baroque and the Rococo. In addition, Romanticism is considered as the art of the third state, distancing itself from the nobility and the Church.

Romanticism moves away from the Greco-Latin rules and

A characteristic that will be very evident as far as the architecture of Romanticism is concerned, thus highlighting currents such as the Neo-Mudejar, Neo-Baroque, Neo-Gothic or Neo-Byzantine, among other styles.

The architecture of Romanticism sought its inspiration in architectural styles from other eras, but adding cultural elements of that moment. Romantic architecture spread between the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, living its peak between the years 1825 to 1875. Starting in 1880, Romantic Architecture was overtaken by the rise of Eclecticism.

Thus, romantic architecture lacks a basic characteristic, imitating the architectural styles of the time medieval, adding the prefix neo, new or renovated, in front of the style, being the neo-Gothic one of the most featured.

Between the characteristics of Romantic architecture can be pointed out:

• Inspiration is taken from medieval christian culture, especially Romanesque, Gothic and Byzantine.
• It breaks with academicism from classicism, strict and intellectual, giving way to an artistic style full of passion, creative, free and open to the emotions of the author.
• Nature It is also another of the sources of inspiration, observing it as great and full of strength and beauty, surpassing Humanity, minuscule in the face of its immensity.
• Individualism is defended, exalting the self.
• They make the ideas of the French Revolution.
• Is rejected industrialization.
• The glory of the past is sought and exoticism inspired by Greece, Africa and all those cultures with a glorious past full of mystery and enigmas.

• The purpose of the romantic constructions was pragmatism, that is, to be more useful than decoratives.
• Each country adopted an architectural style different or with different notes, providing a different meaning, from turning it into a national style, a style that reflects the economic status of the elites or recreates the spirit of an era regarded as glorious.
• Were introduced new construction methodsYou like metallic structures, as well as bricks of different colors and shades.
• The most common styles of romantic architecture were ten: the neo-baroque, the neo-Byzantine, the neo-Greek, the neo-colonial, Georgian, Neo-Egyptian, Neo-Gothic, Neo-Mudejar, Neo-Renaissance and Neo-Romanesque.
• The origin of romantic architecture is located in the United Kingdom, gaining strength and consolidating in countries such as Germany and France, as well as in Spain, Italy and Austria, as well as in Latin America. Although in Latin America the romantic architectural movement did not have the same relevance.
• When coinciding in time with the Industrial Revolution, the most common buildings were the Public Buildings, factories, as well as more sumptuous constructions such as palaces or houses.

The architecture of Romanticism, also known as historicist for its interest in the architecture of past eras, has as main works:

• Some of the first works are the Scottish castles of Inveraray (1746) and Culzean (1777), works by William Adam. Some constructions to which we should add the Abbotsford House mansion (1824), by the romantic writer Walter Scott, and who followed the neo-Gothic style.
• In 1836 neo-Gothic buildings as emblematic as the Westminster Palace, by Charles Barry and Augustus Pugin, or the British Parliament, projected by A. W. Pugin (1812-1852) and Charles Barry (1795-1860).
• At neo-gothic-indian the Royal Pavilion of Brighton, the work of John Nash (1752-1835), stands out.
• In France the figure of the architect stood out Eugène Viollet-le-Duc with restorations of medieval monumental complexes such as the Citadel of Carcassonne or the Castle of Roquetaillade.
• On neo-renaissance style highlights the Schwerin Palace (1842-1857) in Mecklenburg, Waddesdon Manor (1874), of the Rothschild family, the Rhine Palace (1883-1888) of Strasbourg, former Kaiserpalst.
• Plays neo-baroque are the façade of the Palais or Palace of the Paris Opera, by Charles Garnier (1875), Paris, an eclectic exercise presents on this front a style clearly Baroque, Salta Cathedral (1858-1882), in Argentina, the Saint-Jean-de-Kenty Church (1893-1898) in Chicago or the Bode Museum (1897-1904) in Berlin
• On style neo-romanesque The Natural History Museum (London) (1873-1880), built by Alfred Waterhouse, the Marseille Cathedral (1852-1893), the Garrison Church Saint-Martin, Dresden (1893-1900) and the beautiful Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Paris (1875-1923), by Paul Abadie ..
• And, in style neo-mudejar we find the Casa Árabe (1881-1886) in Madrid, the Seville railway station (1899-1901) and the Plaza de Toros de las Ventas (1922-1929), in Madrid.

If you want to read more articles similar to Romanticism architecture: characteristics and works, we recommend that you enter our category of History.

• VVAA (1981) Dictionary of Architects, Editorial Gustavo Gili
• Paletta, L (1984) History of Architecture, Hermann Blume Ediciones.
• Ware, D and Beatty, B, (1994) Illustrated Manual Dictionary of Architecture, Gustavo Gili Editions
• Calatrava Escobar, Juan, (2011) Romanticism and architecture. Architectural historiography in Spain in the mid-19th century, Abada Editores