Architecture and Painting of the 17 th, 18th and 19th century in England

17th Century: The Baroque in Architecture and Painting

Previous concepts: The Renaissance came later in England than in the continent. In the field of
architecture, it came in the 17 th century. In England, the 17 th century is practically the age of the renaissance,
the Classical period. While on the continent, the European was building on the baroque tradition. As the
Renaissance arrived later in England than in the continent, the Baroque also arrived later in England than in
the continent. The Renaissance was introduced by Inigo Jones in the field of architecture. He introduced the
shapes of pure Italian in his buildings. It was associated with harmony, symmetry, simplicity, austerity,
straight lines, understatement, proportion, etc. It had greek and Italian characteristics. These classical
traditions were also evidenced in Christopher Wren’s architecture.

The Baroque took place during the last decade of the 17 th century (1790s) and the first three decades
of the 18th century. It is the opposite of the Renaissance. It is characterized by the lack of harmony, no
symmetry nor proportion, and instead of a flat façade, they presented semi-circular shapes, movement.
Borromini and Bernini are regarded as the most important, outstanding Baroque Italian artists. The
Baroque did not develop in isolation; it developed in connection with other cultural aspects. We cannot
understand the Baroque if we do not associate the Baroque with the development of the period, mainly with
the scientific period, absolutism and the European counterreformation. The baroque is the expression of the
age of experiment and scientific age. In the 17th century, there were important developments in the
scientific (mathemathics, astronomy, physics, medicine etc) and technology fields. All of this developments,
specially the ones concerning with astronomical development (heliocentric theory, the development of the
telescope), made man realized that all of the sudden the earth was not the center of the universe, which
meant going against the teachings of the church because the church taught that earth was the center of the
universe. Arguing that the sun was the center of the universe, the position of man was affected. The law of
gravitation formulated by Newton was the last step since it proved that the universe keeps going without
the presence of God. When men realized that they were just a point in the universe, men began to feel
unprotective, solitude and loneliness but at the same time, they have discovered all of this by themselves,
with their own in intellect. So, that feeling of tension inside of man, contradictory feelings characterized the
17th century and they were reflected in the field of art by the Baroque (chiaroscuro). That is why the baroque
is the expression and the outcome of the age of experiment and scientific age. The second aspect is
absolutism, autocratic and aristocratic monarchs. In paintings, the genre of the baroque was portrait of the
members of the aristocracy, the ladies of the cout and the monarchs. The baroque is said to be an
expression of an elite. The baroque is associated with a social class  the aristocracy and royal family. The
third element was in Europe, the counterreformation. The baroque, in the field of art, was the expression of
the counterreformation in Europe. The counterreformation was a movement within the catholic church
immediately after the reformation in England (second half of the 16 th century and the first half of the 17 th
 Architecture and Painting of the 17 th, 18th and 19th century in England

century). This movement that tried to counteract the effects of the protestant reformation; it aimed to make
individuals come back to the catholic church. IN Europe, this movement used painting with religious
subjects to appeal to individuals’ feelings: the painting of the virgins, the Madonna’s with the child. Some
painters were Velazquez, Murillo and Greco in Spain. However, this was no so in England.

In England the baroque was not important because its short lived. The English taste is characterized by
its simplicity, preference for understatement, moderation, austere; so, it is quite the opposite of
overelaboration, overdecoration. Baroque was not according to the English tradition at heart.

Characteristics of the Baroque in Architecture

One of the main characteristic is massiveness  Strong imposing, huge buildings and constructions.
Movements was another trade: the use of moveness and curves in the Façade. Space moulding and
buildings. Some of the buildings had a theatrical character due to its scenic quality.

Some words that described the Baroque: elaboration, exaggeration, overelaboration, rich and fussy
details, very ornamented, excess, exuberant, eccentric, etc.

The purpose of baroque architecture was to produce in the viewer a sort of impact, to shock the
viewer because it appealed to the senses, feelings and emotions. Baroque  emotions.

Baroque was an eclective style  a mixture or blending of elements. In the baroque building, it can be
evidenced classical elements such as the columns, the clusters, the pilasters, among others. This is because
the baroque made used of the classical language too, but the syntax or the way they were arranged was
completely different. They used classical elements without respecting the use of proportion, symmetry and
harmony.

The material used for the buildings were bricks and stone. The exponents of the Baroque I England
were: sir John Vanbrugh, Nicholas Hawksmoor and James Gibbins.

Some instances of the Baroque in Italy Borromini and Bernini: Piazza San Pedro (theatrical
character, colonnades by Bernini, the semicircular façade), Iglesia San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane by
Borromini (the use of classical elements: the capitals, the columns but the elaboration, such as statues or
medallons with a lot of details.), Sant'Agnese in Piazza Navona (it inspired the towers in Saint Paul
cathedral).

Some instances of the Baroque in England:

 James Gibbs was a baroque architect who built many churches, but he is said to build sober baroque
since the buildings were not overelaborated. One of the churches was St. Martin-in-the-field which had
greek columns with Corinthian capitals, pilasters, and the pediments. In the façade it can be appreciated the
 Architecture and Painting of the 17 th, 18th and 19th century in England

semi-circular arch which is Romanesque and the spire typical of the gothic. This evidenced eclecticism
(different atmosphere- periods). Many critics said that he was baroque but in a more renaissance-like
because his buildings lacked movements. Another church is St. Mary-le-Stand in which is evidenced classical
elements such as pediments, pillars and pilasters, surline arch typical of Italian architecture, but at the same
time, a porch or hall can be appreciated which is not flat. There is movement. (baroque). The senate was
also constructed by Gibbs. The façade is flat and evidenced symmetry, proportion and harmony. Greek
language such as pediments, columns and capital, greek pilasters are present in the building. The size of the
pilasters can mark the baroque style.

John Vanbrugh was another great architect in England who built many castles and country houses. One of
his buildings was Blenheim Palace made up of different constructions. It evidenced classical language and
great proportions, massiveness and solid building evidenced in the columns. The building material is stone.
Another trade is the design of the gardens. Another building that he created was Castle Howard. The
classical language is almost always present but it is baroque because of the arrangement or syntax of the
classical language and the proportions of the buildings.

 The third most important baroque architect was Nicholas Hawksmoor who also built many churches but
more baroque like than Gibbs. One of his buildings was Christ Church in which eclecticism is present = Italian
arch with greek columns = classical language and the spire which is gothic. Another church was St. Mary
Woolnoth which did not look like a church since it resemble to the Norman period but there are elements of
the greek tradition too.

Characteristics of the Baroque in Paintings

It was not an important style in England. In fact, the English school of painting has been created in the
18th century so the 17th century was not important in this field.

One of the most outstanding baroque painters was Van Dyck who was invited to work for the court of
Charles I. Van Dyck was from the Netherlands; he studied in Italy with Tiziano Vecellio known in English as
Titian /ˈtɪʃən/. He returned to the Netherlands and then, he was invited by Charles I. There is a great
different between what he produced in the continent (better quality) and what he produced in England (less
substantial). In England, he produced aristocratic and court art which implied portraits of Charles I and of
the members of the aristocracy.

A trace of the baroque painting was the use of chiaroscuro which is the contrast between light and
darkness, bright and strong shadow and it expressed the tension of the period. The protagonist or key role
in baroque painting is played by the light = the use of intense, deep, rich colours. Another trace is the use of
diagonals and movement with no straight lines. There is no symmetry. Another protagonist of the baroque
piece of painting is the FOLD, typically in European baroque (it is associated with the counterreformation
 Architecture and Painting of the 17 th, 18th and 19th century in England

since it expressed the suffering and contortion of the people). Realism is present in the paintings since the
painter faithfully represent reality. Baroque is associated with autocracy and absolutism since it was the art
of the aristocracy. The genre was Portraiture. In these Portraitures, we can appreciate the introduction of
landscape but not ass the protagonist but as the background which anticipate an important tradition of the
English painting: landscape paintings.

 Van Dyck painted many portraits of Charles I and members of the court: chiaroscuro, Bright colors,
movements (the position of the hands as a kind of criticism), diagonals, nature in the background.

 Some other painters were: William Dobson who was the only English painter and he painted the
cavaliers. His paintings presented the same characteristics. Hunting was represented as an activity of
aristocracy. Godfrey Kneller was a German painter who painted for Charles I and Charles II and he painted
many members of the royal society with the same technique. Peter Lely was a Dutch painter who painted
for Charles II and the beauties of the court.

Seascape and atmospheric painting were two English tradition introduced by the Vandenberg, father
and son. The latter refers to the atmosphere that surrounded the sea (the stormy sea and dark sky, the
clouds, dense fog) they were the antecedent for Turner. Another painter was Francis Barlow who initiated
another English tradition in the 17th century that was continue later on: Animal painting. His paintings are
famous for being full of birds skillfully depicted.

18th and 19th Century: The Neoclassicism in Architecture

This is the Hanoverian period which marked the beginning of a new dynasty. Among the many
changes and events that took place during this period, we can name politically speaking,the emergence of
the figure of the Prime minister and economically speaking, the industrial revolution which turned England
into an industrial Country. So, land was not the main means of production and source of wealth anymore,
since now industry and trade were the most important activities. The impact of these changes were the
emergence of new classes: industrial capitalist and the conscious working class. Politically speaking, both
groups demanded representation in parliament and they demanded enfranchisement, which was achieved
through Reform Bills.

In the field of art, we are going to refer to the neoclassical period. The last stage or climax of the
baroque that found expression in the continent was the Rococo, but it did not happen in England. It is called
rococo because of its excess, abandons, excess decorations, frivolity, etc. and it started in France in the court
of Loui XV and XVI. After the baroque came to an end in England, there was a sort of reaction against the
excess, overdecoration, ornamentation, overelaboration of the baroque which was expressed by a new
movement called NEOCLASSICISM. Neoclassicism also developed in the 18th century also in Europe which
 Architecture and Painting of the 17 th, 18th and 19th century in England

was referred as Classicism and in England as Neoclassicism. Neoclassism was a reaction, a turn away from
the baroque style that started in the 1714 or first decades of the 18 th century and it is the expression of the
period; that is to say the philosophical atmosphere of the period  the Enlightenment (emphasis on reason
and rationality) The enlightenment is associated with French outstanding philosophers such as Rousseau,
Voltaire, Montesquieu among others. This emphasis on reason and rationality was translated to the field of
architecture. The preference for rationality was translated by the adoption of simple forms  simplicity,
understatement, moderation and austerity.

Neo means new and classicism has to do with the classical shapes that is the Greek and Roman forms.
Thus, it meant a return to the past, the greek and roman culture, language, thought and shape. The
Neoclassical meant going back and re visiting the truly Palladian shapes and forms.

Characteristics of Neoclassicism in Architecture

Neoclassicism implies going back to the Classical elements. Among the traces uses we can find
rectangular and square shapes, greek elements such as pediments, columns with its capital and pilasters,
the semicircular roman arch, Italian elements such as the dome. What characterized this return was
symmetry, proportion, austerity, moderation, simplicity and harmony, which marks a style of great
refinement.

The industrial revolution meant not only a growth of population but also a redistribution of
population. This resulted in dense settlement of people. There was a need for urban areas to expanded.
Besides, England was experience a period of economic growth and commerce increased considerably. Since
there were lack of space, there was necessary a method to build houses but at the same time that met
economy space. This is the main reason for the architectural development that characterized this period 
domestic and civic or public buildings like museums, post offices, and commercial centers, but the
dominant building type was domestic  THE TERRACE or GEORGIAN TERRACE in which the neoclassical
elements were used.

Another reason, in addition to urban expansion and density of population, was the community of
interest between city and country dwellers that took place in the 17 th century. Big land holders and upper
middle class built beautiful country houses in the countryside but at the same time, they wanted to have
dignified dwellings in the cities. However, it was not always possible to maintain two houses: one in the
country and one in the country house. So, the Terrace house implied a block built in the same style as to give
the impression of a palace since the entire block was treated as one building but they were made up of
several houses, put together that looked alike. Each of these houses were owned or rented by this upper
higher middle classes and big land holders. It looked like the family was the owner of the whole block and it
gave dignity to the owner.
 Architecture and Painting of the 17 th, 18th and 19th century in England

One example of this style is the Wellington Museum by Robert Adam, who was one of the
outstanding Neoclassical architects. The façade have symmetry, proportion and harmony and greek
elements such as columns and its Corinthian capitals and pilasters, the use of rectangular windows and
straight lines can be appreciated. These buildings looked like Greek temples. Another instance of
neoclassical building is the Summerset house by William Chambers. It also presents the same characteristics
such as harmony and symmetry, with classical language (columns with female ionic capital (con rulitos)) and
a small dome. Mansion house - Lord Mayor is another example of neoclassical building (greek columns,
pediments and Corinthian capitals (more elaborated)).

Neoclassical or Classical? Depends on the period in which it was built.

THE TERRACE  In the 18th century, it is said that this building types shaped London and other cities
such as the city of Bath. It is a whole street or complete block treated as an architectural whole but it was
made up of individual houses one next to the other that looked alike. The aim was to give dignity to the
owner. It began to be built in the 18 th century with neoclassical buildings but this tendency within the 19 th
century and even in the 20 th century. In the 18 th century and 19th century a family had the entire house, but
nowadays, each floor is a flat that is rented or is inhabited by one family. In general, the layout could be a
straight street or with the shape of a crescent (semicircular shape.) Houses shared and were separated by a
thick wall so as to prevent the spread of fire in case of one of the other houses got fire. What indicated the
end of a house and the beginning of another was the chimney-stacks. The building material was stone or
brick, and in the 19th century, the walls were also covered with stucco which was a mixture of plaster,
Portland, and water. Generally, these houses consisted of 4 floors and the importance and dignity of the
floor were indicated by the size of the windows: the ground floor which had short square windows for the
solidity of the building, the first floor was the most important floor since the living quarter of the family
were in this floor, and the presence of the balcony (those balconies build by iron implied that it was built
during the industrial revolution- by the mid-18 th c.) also give dignity to the floor  it had larger windows, the
second and third floor presented smaller windows and the fourth or last floor had square windows since
was the area were servants lived. Many of these Terrace houses had a sort of porch and some steps that
lead to the entrance door. The door used to have a sort of semicircular fanlight to let light in. Straight lines
and classical language are used such as hoods on brackets, greek columns, and sash windows (guillotina)
with white frames (in the 20th country it was also popular the bay window). Different versions of terrace
houses have hit-stiff roof which was a Netherland characteristic and gabbles. Those terrace houses built in
the 19th century were characterized by the pagoda balconies that had to do with Romantics which was a
reaction to reason and rationality and focused on emotions and feelings. Curiosity and desire to include
something exotic, unexpected and strange characterized romantic architecture (gothic).
 Architecture and Painting of the 17 th, 18th and 19th century in England

The most famous architects associated with the Terrace houses were the Wood, father and son, in the
city of Bath who built the Royal Crescent (John Wood) (ionic capitals), Adams in London, and Nash who was
one of the greatest architects built crescent in Park street (19th century).

The mews were the back part of the terrace houses in which the horses, the stables and where they
put away the carriages and in the first floor, up the stables, there lived the servitude. This area had been
modified and now, it is one of the most expensive urban areas to live. It had been reshaped with private
roads and houses were painted of different colours.

19th Century: The Revivals in Architecture

In the 19th century, one of the main traces was the revivals in architecture. Architecture during this
period falls under three categories: Regency architecture, Revival architecture and Industrial architecture.

 Regency architecture (1800-1830) is the continuation of the tradition of terrace buildings:

domestic buildings built in brick or stone and covered with stucco and characterized by classical elements.
Nash continued this tradition. It is called regency because it coincided with the period England was ruled the
future George IV as regent when his father went mad.
 Revival architecture (1800 &1830 until early XX) meant going back to the past for
inspiration, reviving past styles in architecture. Though this revivals found inspiration in the past, they were
accompanied by the new technical and technological developments that resulted by the industrial revolution
and the use of new materials such as glass, steel and iron. This tendency to return to the past is related to
the Romantics since they put emphasis on feelings and emotions and freedom of expression. Romantics
worship nature and they wanted to go to the past so as to escape from the beautiful landscapes in England
that had been ruin and spoiled by the industrial revolution (chimneys with smoke, presence of railways,
machine). They thought that one of the way to escape was the medieval period. There were two revivals: the
classical revival and the gothic revival.
 The classical revival included to types of revivals: the Italianate which meant vising or reusing the
classical language of the Italian renaissance but it was not important in England and the Greek revival which
introduced the greek shapes in architecture. Buildings built in the greek revival were like greek Acropolis, for
example churches erected as replicas of the building/ temples in the Acropolis. During this period, civic,
municipal buildings and even churches were built since there was also a kind of religious revival which
aimed an spiritual regeneration. The most representative exponents of greek revival are Buckingham palace,
the Bank of England, the Royal exchanged and the National gallery (with a dome) by William Wilkins. John
Nash was associated with this revival.
 The gothic revival was the most important revival in England and it implied the
reintroduction of Medieval work with the gothic shapes. The gothic is associated with the English
 Architecture and Painting of the 17 th, 18th and 19th century in England

nationality and nation; it is the identification of the national style. Besides, gothic is linked to the romantic
movement since they wanted to escape and go to the past as a source of genuine inspiration and strange
world. Gothic revival shaped the face of Victorian England. The gothic revival consisted on 3 stages: the
early, high and late Victorian gothic revival. The most representative building was the Houses of
Parliament: Westminster palace built by Charles Barry and Augustus Pugin (interior decoration). In the
1830s, the houses of parliament got burn and only one room survived with the original double hammer tin
roof made of wood. For the rebuilding of the houses of parliament, there was a competition and the only
requirement was that only two styles would be allowed: The Gothic and the Tudor style. Those were two
styles representative of the English identity. One of the façade is perpendicular due to the size of the
windows; we can appreciate the lancets, buttresses, flat of pointed arch, etc.) The only classical element
was the symmetrical plan; mst of gothic churches were asymmetrical because they were built in several
centuries and new additions were made. The House of Lords is highly decorated and all in red while the
house of common is understatement and simplicity of a green colour. Other representatives are King’s
parade (a wall was built with pointed arch, buttresses and pinnacles.), London Royal Court by George
Edmund (a strong gothic style but with round towers that were French), Truro Cathedral by John Pearson
(late and strong gothic), Liverpool Cathedral by Scott (perpendicular and lancet windows, rose windows)
and the most stylize and simplified version of Guildford cathedral (emphasis of verticality).
 Industrial architecture (XIX until XX) emerged as a consequence of the industrial revolution
and mainly as a consequence of the use of new material: iron, glass and steel. The Growth of population
was a cause since it created the need to produce on larger scales and to produce more; in order to produce
more, machinery was applied and the factories were built in order to create the keep this machinery and it
should be resistant. So, the industrial revolution brought about the need for buildings with a new structure
to host the machinery. Another cause was the need to transport products due to the increase of commerce
and trade. That is why the railway emerged. This is the period of engineering because the architects were
overshadowing for this outstanding production.
Some instances of this architecture are Cristal Palace by Paxton (prefabricated structure made of iron
and glass that was built to house an art exhibition sponsored by Queen Victoria. Then it was dismantle and
at the end, it got fire), Tower bridge (a piece of engineering using iron and steel as material), Greenhouses in
Kew Gardens, the iron bridge (the first bridge made of iron), Forth Railway Bridge (it is a structure made of
iron and it is one of the largest bridges in the world) and Birmingham New Street- St. Pancras Railway
station (tall ceilings for the size of the trains and the steam).
 Architecture and Painting of the 17 th, 18th and 19th century in England

18th and 19th Century in Paintings

18th century in Painting
In the 18th century, it can be seeing the beginnings of an English tradition in painting. During the Stuart,
there were foreign painters. No, for the first-time English painting began to emerge in the 18 th century.
These painters became so important that became continental. So, in the 18 th century, we can see the
beginning of a new school of painting and a national tradition began with the emergence of native artists.
The Royal Academy of Art was created by an act of George I in the 1768/9 and its first president was
Reynolds. The purpose of the academy was to foster the study of the art and British art.

Hogarth, Reynolds, Gainsborough, and Stubbs  subject matter

1) William Hogarth (1697-1764): he was a very insular English; he never left England. He was
against the strong admiration for the Italian art. He considered that people admired Italian paintings so
much that they thought that British painters were inferior. He was an observer of High and Low life. Through
his painting he tries to teach a sort of moral- moral lessons; there were moralizing factors in his paintings.
He was very critical (criticized the aristocracy). He made many conversation pieces at the beginning of his
career but these were not his most important works; his works were kind of baroque (chiaroscuro,
diagonals, shadows); so, he was baroque in style but he did not belong to that period. He also made some
mythological art and some portraits (his self-portrait was a painting of the English dog and the himself. It
was very simple). His most important production were series of conversation pieces that made a story. One
of his most famous painting was Marriage a la mode through which he criticized the aristocracy society and
arranged marriage. It tells the story about two families: one has money but not title and the other one has
the title but not money.
2) Joshua Reynolds (1723-1792): He spent many years in Italy studying paintings and his source
of inspiration was the Italian baroque and masters (Rafael, Ruben). When he came back to England, he
wanted English painters to acquire these grounds of art. For him, there was a hierarchy of subject matter:
historic painting of the religious and classical style typical of the renaissance, portraits, landscapes and still
life. His portrait was very different from Hogarth since he painted himself with Miguel Angelo. He preached
about the great style of Italian paintings but at the end, he ended up painting portraits because people paid
him to do so.
 Architecture and Painting of the 17 th, 18th and 19th century in England

3) Thomas Gainsborough (1727-1788): He was a country man and for him, the best kind of
painting was landscape paintings, specially the countryside. He made some portraits at the beginning of his
career but little by little he began to introduce landscape in the background in portraits and conversation
pieces. However, as his career progress, the landscape gained more and more important. And eventually, he
painted Landscape and nature.

4) George Stubbs (1724-1806): He was one of the most important painters’ representative of
the Animal painting. He painted animals specially one animal: Horses. In his paintings, he studied the
anatomy of the horses. Some of his works were, Horse frightened by a Lion Circa, Mares and Foals in the
Landscape and Whistle Jacket.

19th century in Painting

th
The 19 century is the century of the Romantic movement. It is a music, literary, artistic movement
that took place in Europe which reached its climax in the 19 th century. It reacted against the industrial
revolution and the enlightenment (emphasis on reason and rationality). They emphasis on emotion, feelings
and imagination since for them, they were most important than reason. It focused on the individual and the
spontaneous. There was a glorification of the medieval past and nature over man. In these paintings, there
was an exaltation of imagination and glorification of nature. In England, romanticism started with landscape
painting.

Constable, Turner and Black  subject matter. All were romantic painters and the subject matter
were nature; they had different styles, though.

1) John Constable (1776-1837): He painted landscapes and his source of inspiration was the
South of England. He tried to be realistic in his paintings. In his paintings, it is conveyed humidity and thick
vegetation. He uses shades of the same color (green). He painted same painting in different times of the
year. Some examples are Hadleigh Castle Circa and Salisbury Cathedral from the meadows. He painted his
childhood’s house, conveying this coming back to the past.
2) Joseph William Turner: He was a topographic painter (landscape seeing from above) and he
painted some mythology at the beginning. But he is associated with seascape paintings: the sea and ships in
their different forms. (calm or strong see). His paintings were very similar to the Bandevelde. Towards the
end of his career, he turned towards the abstraction: abstract paintings. He was an atmospheric painter (at
the distance) that experimented with light and shadows, using brush strokes. Some paintings were Sun
raising through Vapor, the burning of the houses of Lord and Commons, Dutch Boats in a gale and Calais
Pier.
 Architecture and Painting of the 17 th, 18th and 19th century in England

3) William Black (1767-1827) He is a romantic but he differs from the others because he
painted the world of his imagination and emotions. It was a reaction against portraits and landscape
paintings. His sources of inspiration were his interpretation of the Bible and Shakespeare. He made use of
linear and curvilinear and flaming lines belonging to the medieval tradition. He was influenced by Miguel
Angelo. In one of his paintings people looked with muscularity, like statues. Some paintings were god
judging Adam, The ghost of a flea, Newton and the Divine Comedy.