What does neoclassicism mean?
Neoclassicism is the revival and reinterpretation of the artistic, literary, and architectural ideals of ancient Greece and Rome. It became especially influential in Europe and North America during the 18th and 19th centuries, encouraging clarity, symmetry, proportion, restraint, and references to classical mythology and history. Its best-known expression is neoclassical architecture, with columned façades, balanced compositions, and carefully ordered ornament. The movement also affected literature, painting, sculpture, music, furniture, and interior design. Although it was not simply a return to the distant past, neoclassicism deliberately adapted ancient models to contemporary European culture. Today, the term may refer either to this historical movement or more broadly to any work that consciously imitates its forms and ideals. Its association with order and intellectual discipline distinguishes it from romanticism, with which it is often contrasted.
nounNeoclassicism is an 18th- and 19th-century cultural movement that sought to revive the forms, ideals, and restraint associated with classical Greece and Rome. It had a major influence on architecture, decorative arts, literature, painting, and music.
- A cultural and artistic movement, especially prominent in the 18th and 19th centuries, that revived and adapted the styles, principles, and subject matter of classical antiquity.
- The broader practice or style of imitating classical Greek and Roman models in architecture, literature, visual art, and the decorative arts.
"The building's symmetrical façade and restrained ornament are characteristic of neoclassicism."
"The museum's neoclassicism is evident in its restrained façade, symmetrical rooms, and columns inspired by ancient temples."
"Several early novelists adapted the moral seriousness and formal balance of classical literature within the wider movement of neoclassicism."
The plural is uncommon and is used when referring to separate instances, periods, or manifestations of neoclassical culture.
"The exhibition compares neoclassicisms that developed differently in Britain and France."
Neoclassicism made the ancient world modern: its columns, symmetry, and sober restraint became the visual signature of an era that prized order and clarity.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does neoclassicism come from?
Neoclassicism combines the classical element classic, derived from Latin classicus, with the Greek-derived combining form neo-, meaning new. The term was formed in the 19th century to describe the renewed interest in classical antiquity that had developed during the previous century. Classic, classical, and classification share the same Latin root, while the word's connection with Greece and Rome reflects the ancient models that the movement sought to revive.
Related word forms
How neoclassicism is actually used
The term is most often used for a historical cultural movement or a style based on classical Greek and Roman models. It can sound academic or historical, although architecture and design professionals also use it as a label for contemporary neoclassical work.
Easily confused with neoclassicism
Classicism refers more broadly to adherence to classical models and principles, whereas neoclassicism names the specific historical movement that revived those models during the 18th and 19th centuries.