Une méprise stylistique : l’architecture néoclassique du dix-huitième siècle

Abstract

A stylistic misunderstanding : the 18th Century neoclassical Architecture. The author, praising a recently published book about the Nantes theater built by Mathurin Crucy in 1784-1787, wishes there had been more French publications about 18th century architecture in the past fifteen years or so. The excellent scientific presentation of the too little recognised architect’s masterpiece is an invitation to reassess the adequancy of the stylistic approach of art, as set down in the 19th century. The concept of neoclacissism, which seemed to be the rule in the many works published between 1970 and 1980 (the 1972 London exhibition or the book by, Allan Braham, 1980), was mainly based on the narrow notion of imitating Antiquity, while it largely ignored the notion of emulation, resorting to an imagination aroused by the new moral, psychological and political demands of an alla'antica French architecture in the years 1760 to 1780. Publications about Piranèse et les Français (1976-1978) opened the wray and A. Braham had an intuition of this but, since 1989, too many unpublished academic studies should have convinced publishers to serve research and the public much better.