There were two significant branches to the Georgian classical architecture- Palladianism appeared just before 1720 and lasted roughly until 1750, and was then superseded by Neo-Classicism which ran until approximately 1800. Palladianism was a reaction to the baroque of the seventeenth century (in the second picture the two styles are compared, in favour of Palladianism), and can be traced to the publication of two influential books- the ‘Vitruvius Britannicus’ by Colen Campbell in 1717, which included engravings of classical buildings, and a discussion of the works of Palladio; and also the printing of a translation of Palladio’s 1570 ‘I Quatrro libri dell’ architettura’.




This drawing is from Isaac Ware's 1738 transaltion of Palladio's Quattro Libri - it depicts Palladio's Palazzo Iseppo Porto at Vicenza.

This drawing is from Robert Morris's "Essay in Defence of Ancient Architecture" of 1728. The door on the left is in the baroque style, which he described as a, "monstrous lump of deformity", while the door on the right was considered to be tasteful as it was designed using the architectural rules of the ancients.
Palladianism was a national phenomenon, with its new forms usually radiating out from London, although there was normally a delay as it took time to reach the provinces.It was probably most cohesive in the years 1715-1740. After 1740 though, instead of concentrating purely upon the works of Palladio, English architects began to look to the Roman and Greek examples as these were more purely classical than their derivatives, due to the influence of men like Sir William Cambens and the brothers Robert and James Adam, who were dominant forces from 1760 to 1790. There was such a change in opinion that by the nineteenth century the style of Palladianism was thought to be too decorative and too free with the use of architectural elements such as columns and pilasters by architectural theorists.

The new brand of Georgian style was to be much more refined with flatter mouldings, and thinner glazing bars, and generally less emphasis on decoration. It was in this later period that architects realized that the ancient world had encompassed a greater variety of building styles, so this encouraged more plurality as architects sought to use these new sources. The wider Georgian style was also challenged by a new interest in the Gothic and a simultaneous attraction in Chinoiserie, but these never achieved the popularity of the former 'polite' style. Later still the Picturesque emerged in the late 1770s and this style was characterised by irregularity, variety, and a freer approach to decoration.

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