Holland Park Living
Greek Revival
The Greek Revival movement arose from a distrust of the old Palladianism (which formed the traditional Classical Style). The exponents disliked the Classical style for preferring ancient Roman over ancient Greek design, and for not authentically reproducing the original design precepts. Neo-Classicism embraced a number of moves away from Classicism and Greek Revivalism is the 'fundamentalist' branch.
The upshot of direct study of ancient buildings was the conclusion that the ancient Greeks had in fact been superior to the ancient Romans in terms of design, and this led to the Greek Revival movement. Two English architects, James “Athenian” Stuart and Nicholas Revett, wrote The Antiquities of Athens which were published in three stages in 1762, 1789 and 1795.
The first piece of Neo-Classical (and Greek Revival) architecture in England was a Greek Doric temple built by James Stuart in the grounds of Hagley Park Worcestershire in 1758.
John Soane was a Greek Revivalist and his idiosyncratic house at No. 13 Lincoln's Inn Fields (1812-13), (now the John Soane Museum) is an example of the style, as is the facade of the Bank of England which he also designed. The British Museum designed by Robert and Sidney Smirke in 1823 was also built in Greek Revival style.
