GEORGIAN STYLE
AND THE RENAISSANCE IN
EUROPE
Britain, being an island and
so far from the European culture, geographically and characteristically, was the
last country to fall under the influence of the new movement of the
Renaissance, reaching the island by way of Prance and the Netherlands.
The Renaissance had a strong
recognition of the inherent human right to enjoyment of life; a new order had
already been formed when the Renaissance reached Britain, the people having
thrown off the ecclesiastical domination, so were ready to accept the new
thinking.
As late as the end of the 18th
century, the population of England and Wales was 8 million, one million of
these residing in London, with Norwich and Bristol being next in order of
importance in Britain. The general increase in wealth and the rise in standards
of comfort are seen in the extant numbers of Georgian town houses.
Anglicisation of design, style
and gardens took place in the reigns of Queen Anne and the four Georges,
producing convenient and comfortable housing to suit the needs of the
increasing middle classes, arising out of the general prosperity promoted by
international trade and cooperation, stemming from the Peace of Utrecht in
1713.
In Italy, Classicism began in
1500 until 1600, when Baroque held until 1760 and the Antiquarian movement took
over. In France, Classical .design began in 1589 and lasted until 1715, the
Late Style continuing until 1830; Whereas in England, Elizabethan, Jacobean and
Stuart were distinctly English, the full European influence not taking a
foothold until the Georgian period.
Georgian Style relates to the
period 1702 - 1830, the specific period of 1728 to 1745, being the time of
Edmond Prideaux at Prideaux Place, Padstow, being in George II reign of 1727 -
1760. This was the era of Hawksmoor, Vanbrugh, Archer; The English Baroque
being supplanted, before it had run it's course, by the Palladian phase. James
Gibb, a devotee of the Baroque from 1709, was accommodated into the Palladian
by 1714. Palladianism held the country from 1710 - 1750, books by Campbell
& Leoni did much to promote it's restrained Classicism, most acceptable to
English tastes.
The Earl of Burlington, taken
with Colin Campbell's "Vitruvius Britanicus", visited Italy a second
time in 1719, returning with William Kent. Lord Burlington, himself, became a
designer, assisted by Henry Flitcroft; a protogee being Isaac Ware. Books
proliferated on the new style, Batty Langley especially. Bath was under
re-planning by the Woods, with the assistance of Ralph Allen. Town planning was
ordered to the Palladian principles. Landscape art reached it's climax in the
work of Lancelot ( Capability ) Brown.