Egyptian / Egyptian Revival Architecture - Table of Contents.................................Illustrated Architecture Dictionary
Egyptian Revival Architecture Style
The First Revival: Napoleon's Empire style - Early 19th century
In France, Napoleon's Egyptian campaign of 1798 stimulated a taste for Egyptiennerie manifested in the decorative arts and a few built structures.
A revival style (1830-1850) distinguished by distinctive columns and capitals and a smooth monolithic exterior finish.
The Second Revival - 1920s Art Deco Substyle
Egyptian motifs were taken up in the 1920s by Art Deco architects and designers.
Sparked by the discovery of Tutenkhamen's tomb in 1922, the Egyptian Revival style became popular during the decade, its application to funerary art especially appropriate.
Egyptian Revival style Although it was not frequently used. Egyptian Revival style seemed most appropriately applied to building projects associated with eternity and the afterlife -- churches, prisons, cemeteries. Egyptian Revival's potential for exotic, mysterious theatricality lent itself well to movie-palace design of the 1920s.Egyptian Revival Features:
- Battered walls
- Roll or rope-like moldings
- Bundled shaft
- Lotus flower capital
- Smooth ashlar finish providing a monumental effect reminiscent of pylons or gateways to Egyptian temples
- Deep cavetto or gorge-and-roll cornice (Egyptian cornice)
- Flat roofs generally
See also: Egyptian Revival FURNITURE
Egyptian Revival examples in Buffalo:
- Illustration above: Daniel Good Mausoleum
- Ryley Mausoleum
- Pierce Monument Portal
- Gilbert Monument Sphinx
- McKinley Monument Obelisk
- 204 Allen Street Cavetto cornice
