Historicism or historism () comprises artistic styles that draw their inspiration from recreating historic styles or imitating the work of historic artists and artisans. This is especially common in architecture, where there are many different styles of Revival architecture, which dominated large buildings in the 19th century. Through a combination of different styles or the implementation of new elements, historicism can create completely different aesthetics than former styles. Thus, it offers a great variety of possible designs.
Overview
In the history of art, after Neoclassicism which in the Romantic era could itself be considered a historicist movement, the 19th century included a new historicist phase characterized by an interpretation not only of Greek and Roman classicism, but also of succeeding stylistic eras, which were increasingly respected. In particular in architecture and in the genre of history painting, in which historical subjects were treated with great attention to accurate period detail, the global influence of historicism was especially strong from the 1850s onwards. The change is often related to the rise of the bourgeoisie during and after the Industrial Revolution. By the end of the century, in the fin de siècle, Symbolism and Art Nouveau followed by Expressionism and Modernism acted to make Historicism look outdated, although many large public commissions continued in the 20th century. The Arts and Crafts style managed to combine a looser vernacular historicism with elements of Art Nouveau and other contemporary styles.
The influence of historicism remained strong until the 1950s in many countries. When postmodern architecture became widely popular during the 1980s, a Neohistorism style followed, that is still prominent and can be found around the world, especially in representative and upper-class buildings.
Western historicist styles
International
Baroque Revival
Beaux-Arts
Byzantine Revival
Egyptian Revival
Gothic Revival
Greek Revival / Neo-Grec
Moorish Revival
Neoclassical
New Classical / Neohistorism
Renaissance Revival (Châteauesque/Italianate/Palazzo style) Romanesque Revival Second Empire Swiss chalet style Vernacular
British Empire
Adam style
Bristol Byzantine
Carpenter Gothic (Canada) Edwardian Baroque Indo-Saracenic Revival (India) Jacobethan Queen Anne style Regency Scottish baronial style (Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) Tudor Revival / Black-and-White Revival
France
Directoire style
Empire style
Napoleon III style
Austria and Germany
Biedermeier
Gründerzeit
Nazi architecture
Resort style
Rundbogenstil
Greece and Balkans
Mycenaean Revival
Serbo-Byzantine Revival
Italy
Stile Umbertino
Mexico
Spanish Colonial Revival architecture
Mayan Revival
Netherlands
Traditionalist School
Portugal
Pombaline
Neo-Manueline
Soft Portuguese style
Romania
Romanian Revival
Russian Empire and USSR
Byzantine Revival
Russian Revival
Stalinist architecture
Scandinavia
Dragestil
National Romantic style
Nordic Classicism
Spain
Neo-Mudéjar
United States
Jeffersonian architecture
American Renaissance
Carpenter Gothic
Collegiate Gothic
Colonial Revival
Federal style
Greco Deco
Mayan Revival
Mediterranean Revival
Mission Revival
Polish Cathedral style
Pueblo Revival
Queen Anne style
Richardsonian Romanesque
Spanish Colonial Revival
Territorial Revival
See also
Gründerzeit
Revivalism (architecture) Resort architecture () – a specific style of historicism, that is popular on the German Baltic Sea coast Academicism Musical historicism
References
External links
Historicism, Teaching, and the Understanding of Works of Art by Stuart Richmond (on JSTOR)