 neo-grec is a term referring to late manifestations of neoclassicism, early neo-renaissance now called the greek revival style, which was popularized in architecture, the decorative arts, and in painting during france's second empire, or the reign of napoleon iii, a period that lasted approximately between 1848 and 1865. it was one of many "revival styles" of the mid to late 19th century, and just one among several concurrent modes of classicism. the neo-grec vogue took as its starting point the earlier expressions of the neoclassical style inspired by 18th-century excavations at pompeii, which resumed in earnest in 1848, and similar excavations at herculaneum. ==decorative arts== in the decorative arts, neo-grec was based on the standard repertory of greco-roman ornament, combining motifs drawn from greek vase-painting and repetitive architectural motifs like anthemions, palmettes, greek key with elements from the adam and louis xvi styles of early neoclassicism (c. 1765â1790), and of napoleonic-era egyptian revival decorative arts; it can be identified by the frequent use of isolated motifs of classical heads and figures, masks, winged griffins, sea-serpents, urns, medallions, arabesques and lotus buds confined within panels, shaped reserves or multiple borders of anthemion, guilloche, and greek fret pattern. neo-grec was eclectic, abstracted, polychromatic, and sometimes bizarre. its treatment was intentionally dry and linear. its vignettes and repeating patterns lent themselves to stencilling. typical "neo-grec" color harmonies were rich and harsh: black motifs and outlines against "pompeian" red, powder blue and puce, bistre and olive drab might be combined in a single decor. === decorative arts in britain === in spite of much effort, it was not till after the publication of stuart's athens, in 1761, and of adam's spalatro &mdash; a statistical description, with many plates, of the palace of diocletian &mdash; in 1757, that the reign of pure and severe classicism began in england, although inigo jones, sir christopher wren, and sir john vanbrugh had all done their best. even then the classic struggled with the chinese, sir william chambers's book of chinese interiors having been published in the same year with spalatro, while the best workers condescended to design and gild and carve, when required, in all the mesquinages of the rococo. excellent things were nevertheless produced not only by the chippendales, but by george hepplewhite, among others, henry copeland and matthias lock, by thomas sheraton, and particularl
Greek_Revival_architecture Neoclassical_movements Revival_architectural_styles