Experiential aspects of English neoclassicism: implications for the history of classical archaeology

Abstract

This research project involves an analysis of the physical experience of neoclassicism and antiquity in eighteenth century England, and the effect of experientialism on the development of English architecture and material culture. This thesis defines experiential neoclassicism; analyzes the mechanisms of neoclassical dissemination into English society; and demonstrates how experiential neoclassicism was manifested in domestic, ornamental, and public structures. The research methodology includes: an examination of antiquity surveys published in the eighteenth century; a discussion about the influence that these publications had on the architecture and decorative arts of England; identifying principal neoclassical structures; and discussing their origin and genesis (including neoclassical houses, ornamental garden structures, and public building projects). There is an examination of neoclassicism in relation to experiential learning theory and sensory analyses, and case studies demonstrating how the mechanics of neoclassicism operated. The dissertation concludes with a discussion of the effect that neoclassicism had on the development of classical archaeology in England, and the implications for future provenance studies.