Regency

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Regency. Strictly speaking, the style of English architecture and decoration fashionable during the illness of King George III (1810–20), when George, Prince of Wales (1762–1830), was Regent, but loosely applied to the period from the late 1790s to the accession of King William IV (1830–7). It was essentially Neo-Classical, embracing Egyptian, Greek, and Pompeian motifs, and was much influenced by the Empire style of France. Regency taste was showy, eclectic, and opulent, uninhibitedly drawing on Oriental themes such as Chinoiserie and the Hindoo style, Gothick, and many diverting styles. It was particularly associated with the Picturesque and with the architecture of Nash.

Bibliography

Lampugnani (ed.) & Dinsmoor (1986);
Morley (1993);
H. Osborne (1975);
Parissien (1992a)

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