After Robert Adam

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Robert Adam is recognized internationally as a great architectural genius for his building, interior, and furniture designs. The “Adam Style” became broadly popular and has never disappeared, dominating the colonial Federal period in American architecture. Presented here are reproductions of copper plate engravings from the Robert and James Adam publication Works in Architecture, the most important architectural book of the 18th century. Some of the finest engravers available were hired to produce the plates.

After George Dahl

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As one of Dallas' most prominent architects, George Dahl designed many of the concepts for the Texas Centennial held at Fair Park in 1936. During his professional career, Dahl was involved in over 3,000 projects throughout the country that are estimated to be worth $3 billion today. He passed away in 1987, but had lived to see his most famous project, Fair Park, fastidiously restored and named a National Historic Landmark in 1986. Presented here are reproductions of some of Dahl's original design concepts for the Texas Centennial celebration.

Historic New Haven, CT

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Turn of the century New Haven, Connecticut comes to life in these original designs
incorporating views of notable landmarks and Yale University.

Neoclassical Architecture

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The classical style of architecture dating back to the ancient Greek and Roman civilizations has influenced succeeding architects for centuries. Beginning in the 1400's, man has returned time and again to resurrect the classical ideal and apply it to new buildings.

Palladio (1508 - 80) is the classic exponent of the use of an architectural system. He developed a set of optimum formulae which he adapted to particular projects, yet avoided becoming repetitious or a prisoner of his own style. Palladio's influence was enormous, his abilities and solutions were functionally and aesthetically superior to anything which had gone before, proving him one of the greatest architects of all time.

The Renaissance in Europe meant architects would no longer be confined to only building great churches and cathedrals. The emerging monarchies and nobility of England, France and Western Europe created demand for talented architects throughout the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries.

The practice of good architecture, however noble, nevertheless did not assure greatness or honor. Any architects relied on travel to foreign countries, especially the Grand Tour to Italy and later the Middle East, to garner fame. To secure the graces of the best society however, one last task was required - the production of a spectacular book.

These lavish, expensive folios were meant to illustrate an architect's insight into the classical system and his application of the order to his buildings. It has come down through the centuries as an important exercise for many great architects.

Neoclassical architecture is a living, breathing approach, breaking new ground while continually drawing from the wisdom of the early architects.

Presented here are reproductions from the great neoclassical architecture books. The prints are uncolored and printed on heavy Rising Mills fine art press paper, an incredibly pure museum quality paper product of the hightest archival, acid free, non-contaminating, fade-resistant quality. This paper makes an excellent medium for adding color washes.

Raphael Frescos

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These reproductions are from 18th century hand-colored copper engravings that were the first made of the great frescos painted by Rafaello Sanzio d' Urbino or "Raphael" in the Vatican Loggia in 1517. The publication of the engravings began as a collaboration between painters Gaeiano Savorelli and Pietro Camporesi and the engravers Giovanni Ottaviani and Giovanni Volpato culminating in the publication of Delle Logge di Rafaele nel Vaticano. The classical motifs used in the frescos, such as arabesques and grotesques, were freely based on the decorations in Nero's Domus Aurea (Golden House) which was excavated in Rome about 1480. The fresco paintings and, later, the wider circulation of the original engravings contributed to the revival of these motifs in the neoclassical era.

Rosette Drawings

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Beaux Arts presents reproductions after original 19th century graphite drawings of botanical flower rosettes.