Greek Revival
T
he Greek Revival Style began with public
buildings in Philadelphia in 1820, and quickly
became popular for residences. With its
symmetrical shape, low roof lines, columns
and pediments, the style mimicked Greek temples -and was thought by Americans at the time to embody
the concept of Democracy. From 1830 to 1850 nearly
every new public or private building incorporated
some Greek Revival elements.
The style was adopted in most areas of the country,
with regional differences. In warm southern
climates, piazzas and porticoes were popular.
Austere farmhouses with understated pilasters were
built further north. The style has two variations,
"temple" which incorporates most of the Greek themes with pilasters, columns, pediments, wide
friezes and porticoes. The other variation is more modest, incorporating the simple, rectangular
Greek building shape and few embellishments. In order to replicate the look of marble, Greek
Revival homes were almost always painted white.
An example of a simple Greek Revival with
pilasters, rather than columns. A pilaster
projects only slightly from the wall and
resembles a flat column with a base, shaft
and capital. Many Greek Revival homes have
both columns and pilasters. Note the heavy
cornice (the section of molding just below
the roof), typical of Greek Revival homes.
Thrifty New Englanders often simply turned the gable end of earlier Colonial style homes to the
street and redesigned the front entrance in the Greek Revival style. The gable was turned into an
impressive pediment, a low-pitched triangular gable, and often extended to rest on a row of
columns. This was a common departure from an otherwise symmetrical layout. The front door
was to one side of the gable end, and connected to a long entrance hall. Rooms were single file
on the other side of the hall.
While often associated with imposing columns and porch entries, the style can range from very
simple, rectangular buildings with pilasters to grand mansions with elaborate cornices and
friezes. The cornice is the uppermost section of moldings along the top of a wall or just below a
roof. A frieze is a horizontal band which runs above doorways and windows or below the cornice.
How Greek Revival Spread
Although the roots of Greek Revival in America can be debated
by scholars, there’s no doubt that the style found fertile ground
in our new republic. Two factors probably led to the popularity of
the style: prosperity in the first half of the 19th century and the
advent of pattern books that promoted the Greek Revival style.
Although there were many pattern books, those by Asher
Benjamin and Minard Lefever are perhaps the most remembered
today because condensed paperback versions have been
republished.
Pattern books were the 19th century equivalent of Southern Living, making the latest taste
available in the hinterlands. Carpenters and builders used these pattern books and while some
buildings are faithful copies of the patterns in the books, most often the books were used to
put Greek Revival details on the kind of buildings carpenters already knew how to build. Details
important to the Greek Revival style include columns with capitols based on the ancient orders
of Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian; columns and trim that are battered or get slightly larger at the
bottom; cornices with moldings; and generously-sized windows. I always appreciate the care
taken in the door case – the combination of the door, sidelights, and moldings that invites entry
to the house.
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These are floor
plans for a Greek
Revival house in
Kentucky.●
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“Greek Revival” Questions
Answer these questions on a separate sheet of paper. Restate each question.
1. What city did Greek Revival begin in? When did it become popular?
2. What were the first types of buildings to use Greek Revival?
3. What is a frieze? Where is it located?
4. A __________ is located in the uppermost section of moldings along the top of a wall.
5. How is a pilaster different from a column?
6. List three ways that Greek Revival tried to imitate Ancient Greek Temples.
7. Why did Greek Revival become popular?
“How Greek Revival Spread” Questions
Answer these questions on a separate sheet of paper. Restate each question.
1. What was the main way this style spread?
2. Who were two of the people responsible for the spread of Greek Revival?
3. How can we see the evolution of pattern books in today’s society?
4. What were the uses of pattern books for the common carpenter?
5. Design a pattern book for your home. Include all stories.