The architect and builder's miscellany or pocket library

Collection History

These books, along with some extracted plates, feature in the NYPL exhibition "Decoration in the Age of Napoleon: Empire Elegance Versus Regency Refinement," Edna Barnes Salomon Gallery, September 3, 2004 - April 2, 2005. Many of these volumes come from the Astor and Lenox Library collections and from the private library of the architect Thomas Hastings, of the partnership Carrere and Hastings, responsible for the Library's landmark building on Fifth Avenue.

Background

Out of the formal Neoclassicism that pervaded late eighteenth-century European building and decoration were born two distinct movements, now known as the Empire Style and the Regency Style. The origins of these styles were deeply political and social in nature. Napoleon I, self-styled Emperor of the French, assumed the throne in 1804, and immediately launched an ambitious art and design program that lasted until the end of his reign in 1815. The Empire Style spread across Europe, particularly to those countries that fell under the rule of France. Napoleon's rival for influence on the arts was George, Prince of Wales, and Prince Regent from 1811-1820, and finally, King George IV of England. The Regency period has been variously dated, but it generally begins in 1783 and ends by 1837. Both the Empire and Regency Styles continue today as popular period revival modes.

Related Resources

NYPL. "The Empire and Regency Styles," by Paula Baxter. (2004) <http://www.nypl.org/research/chss/spe/art/artarc/empire/>

Collection Data

Names
Middleton, Charles, 1756-ca. 1818 (Architect)
Dates / Origin
Date Issued: 1799
Place: London
Publisher: Printed for the author and sold by J. Debrett ... [and 4 others]
Library locations
The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Art & Architecture Collection
Shelf locator: MQWK 90-4950
Topics
Architecture -- England
Genres
Prints
Drawings
Architectural drawings
Plans
Physical Description
Extent: [3] leaves, [60] leaves of plates : col. ill. ; 18 cm
Etchings
Handcolored
Type of Resource
Still image
Text
Identifiers
RLIN/OCLC: NYPG89-B48776
NYPL catalog ID (B-number): b11222479
Universal Unique Identifier (UUID): f6569ba0-c6ea-012f-6395-3c075448cc4b
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