The palladianism is an architectural style which takes as a starting point the works and the style of the Italian architect Andrea Palladio. The palladianism was particularly important in England in first half of the 18th century and with the the United States a little more tardily.

The palladianism, very inspired by traditional Antiquity, privileges the geometrical forms and seeks to create a harmony of volumes. It takes again elements of Roman architecture: gantries, Cupola S, galleries of column S. One often criticized his coldness and its lack of imagination. Others saw an international and rationalist style there. It applies in particular to the rural villas of the Anglo-Saxon countries.

Works and theories of Palladio

Andrea Palladio, architect of private and public buildings in Venezia, takes as a starting point the Latin ancient architecture. Its theories, which it gathered in the Four Books of architecture , privilege the harmony of the proportions on the decorative expansion.

Palladianisme in England

Under the Stuart, certain constructions, those of Inigo Jones in particular, are inspired by works of Palladio.

The great time of architecture palladienne in England east however the second quarter of the 18th century, with achievements such as Chiswick House by Lord Burlington, and the abbey of Woburn by Henry Flitcroft.

With the the United States

Thomas Jefferson, president of the United States between 1801 and 1809, expressed interest for several fields of which architecture. Having remained on several occasions in Europe, he studied the villas ancient Rome and the buildings of Palladio. Of return in America, it wishes to apply formal syntax of it to public edifices and deprived, downtown and in the countryside. It thus worked out several plans of buildings located in Virginia, among which its house of Monticello, close to Charlottesville. Good example of style palladien, it points out the hotel of Salm located at Paris, that Jefferson could contemplate whereas he was ambassador of his country in France. It used ancient components such as doric columns, tetrastyle gantries and a central dome. It also contributed to the plan of the Université of Virginia, built starting from 1817. The project enables him to apply its architectural designs. The college library is located under a Rotonde capped with a dome which takes as a starting point the the Pantheon of Rome. The unit presents a great homogeneity thanks to the use of brick and the wood painted in white. But these materials make it original compared to the tradition palladienne.

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