stripped Classicism

Classical architecture from which mouldings, ornament, and details have been elided, leaving visible only the structural and proportional systems. Boullée, J. J. Burnet, F. Gilly, L. Krier, Ledoux, Speer, Speeth, Stern, and Troost, among many others, experimented with stripped Classicism. It is a feature of late-C18 and early C19 Neo-Classicism, as well as of the Rational architecture of C20, notably works by Grassi and Rossi. Sometimes Classical ornament is merely suggested or implied, as when incisions are used instead of mouldings. With most stripped or diagrammatic Classicism the Orders are only alluded to in the most subtle way, but could be added, as the proportions and dispositions of elements would permit this. Soane's Dulwich Picture Gallery and Mausoleum, London, is an example. Not to be confused with starved Classicism.

Bibliography

• Council of Europe (1972)
• J. Curl (2001)
• Middleton & Watkin (1987)
• Powers (ed.) (1987)
• D.Watkin (1996)
• W&M (1987)

The full bibliography for this book is available to download as a pdf file.
Download the bibliography for A Dictionary of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (PDF: 1.2MB)