Architecture. Зайцева И.В. - 36 стр.

       3.5 Read the text to find answers to the questions


                                        Text 3 C

                                  The Age of Revivals

        1 Why is the 19th century called the time of urbanization in Europe and
America?
        The Industrial Revolution, which introduced new materials and techniques,
made the 19th century the time of the vast expansion of cities or urbanization in Europe
and America. Then more buildings were constructed than in all previous ages added
together. The total effect of all this on European towns and cities was, however, to
replace the wonderful unity of the street by a chaotic miscellany of buildings, each
asserting its own individuality.
        2 What was the main aim of the architects during that period?
        The role of the architect was merely confined to decorating the building's
facades. Throughout Europe nearly every past style was re-examined and reused, but as
the century wore on styles of the past were no longer imitated exactly, but were looked
on as a quarry from which architects could extract different elements. Richness of form
and picturesqueness of effect were the principal aim.
        3 For what types of buildings were different styles chosen and why?
        Styles began to be chosen not just for fashion but for their associative qualities:
Roman for justice, Gothic for learning and churches, Byzantine mainly for churches, the
Italian Renaissance for palaces and ministries, Greek for government, Venetian for
commerce, Oriental for leisure, the Baroque for theatres and opera houses, Romanesque
for public architecture. Nevertheless, the 19th century revival architecture was
dominated by the Classic Revival, or Neoclassicism, and the Gothic Revival, or Neo -
Gothic.
         4 What are the main features of Neoclassicism?
        The center of international Neoclassicism was Rome. The cradle of Italian
antiquities, it provided the stage, but the leading actors in the Neoclassical play were
French, German, or English. The finest works of this style were characterized by their
grandeur of scale; strict geometric organization; simplicity of forms; Greek or Roman
detail; dramatic use of columns; particularly to articulate interior spaces and create
urban landscapes; and a preference for blank walls and the contrast of formal volumes
and textures.
        5 When and how did Art Nouvean develop?
        A reaction against stylizations came nearer to the end of the century. It, too, was
concerned with decoration more than construction and aimed at creating a style –
especially a style of ornament – that owed nothing to the past. This style was known at
the time under a variety of rubrics: Art Nouvean in France and Belgium; “modern style”
in England; Jugendstil in Germany; Secessionsstil in Austria; “style Liberty” or “style
floreale” in Italy; “modernisme” in Spain. Art Nouvean is characterized by organic and
dynamic forms, curving design and whiplash lines. The curved line may be floral in
origin (Belgium, France) or geometric (Scotland, Austria). This florid type of