In the late 18th and 19th centuries, there was a hearkening back to the ancients, more specifically the Greeks and the Romans, in the fields of literature, the fine arts, architecture and the decorative arts. Thus was born the neoclassical age. Inspired and influenced by classical art, there was a surge to recreate its ideals and make people aware of the great body of work left to the world by the ancients. What the neo-classicists did was to draw inspiration from the past. They created a new format, but preserved classical ideals. Reason was their watchword.
Neoclassicism was an uprising against the Rococo style, characterized by its elaborate ornamentation and the Baroque, with its excessive decoration. Restraint and regularity of form as embodied by the classicists is what the neo-classicists laid emphasis on in the architectural and visual art fields. These characteristics were incorporated into new arrangements.
Neoclassical leanings were evident during the French Revolution, as also the American War of Independence. The Byzantine influence was apparent in the neo-classic style of certain countries. In the 19th century, several European and American buildings...