When the classicism of Servandoni made its appearance, it was a unique occurrence in French architecture and is perhaps, rather the expression of a theatre-painter's fantasy than the severe work of an architect. The struggle against the rococo style was soon in full swing, supported by such theorists as Blondel and Laugier. In 1737 Souffiot (1709-80) created an important build ing of classical inspiration—the HOtel-Dieu in Lyons—and met with such success that he was called to Paris and entrusted with the building of the St. Genevieve church (Pantheon). This build ing, which testifies to a profound knowledge of Greek (Paestum) and Roman antique as well as of Italian high Renaissance, ushers in the eclecticism which prevailed in the 19th century. Ange Jacques Gabriel (1710-82) works more in conformity with French tradition in his buildings, such as the Ecole militaire and Garde meubles (Place de la Concorde) in Paris, and in the Petit Tri anon, near Versailles. Gabriel's interiors show the developed Louis XVI. style, and correspond, to a certain extent, to the Eng lish Adam style, but are more soft in their echo of the rococo.
While the architecture of south Germany thus emanates from Italy, that of north Germany is dependent upon Dutch models. Building activity in north Germany was practically stagnant until the beginning of the 17th century, when the talented architect and sculptor Andreas Schluter (1664-1714) was entrusted with the rebuilding of the royal castle in Berlin, a task continued by Jo hann Friedrich von Eosander (1670-1729). Prussia comes into close contact with French culture in the middle of the 17th cen tury, and Georg Wenceslaus Knobelsdorf (1699-1753) was en trusted with the building of the city castle and the French church at Potsdam ; the architecture of both is severely classical. During the latter part of the i8th century, French influence becomes more and more prominent in Germany. The so-called "Zopfstyle" ap
pears as a mixture of French Louis XVI. and German baroque style. The most typical exponent of this early classicism is Carl von Gontard (1736-1802).
In the Netherlands artistic development came to a standstill after an extraordinarily flourishing period during the preceding centuries. As early as in the i8th century Holland developed in its churches that severe planning and sober appointments which have since become so common. Belgium came more and more under French influence during the i8th century, and therefore came under the influence of the French neo-classicism during the latter part of the century.
In Spain, at the beginning of the i8th century, Don Jose de Churriguera (1650-1723) developed the Spanish high baroque, with its sumptuous decoration and strange mixture of styles, which has been named Churrigueresque (q.v.).
Portugal during the i8th century concentrated its strength on a gigantic building, the Mafra castle, which, from an artistic point of view, however, does not justify the enormous cost of its erection.
Amongst the Scandinavian countries Sweden played a promi nent role in the architectural history of the baroque period, espe cially through the activity of the Tessin family of architects. Nikodemus Tessin, the younger, created in the royal palace of Stockholm perhaps the most perfect building of the time emanat ing from the school of the Roman Renaissance. Later the Swedish art of building approached closer to French models.
Politically the period of the French Revolution ushers into view a totally new epoch in the history of the Continent. The rupture is less evident in the history of art. Apparently the severe no vantique, which characterizes the period following the Revolution, is a direct continuation of the classicism of the last phase of l'ancien regime. In reality, however, the Revolution introduced into this field also a totally new conception, which becomes ever more apparent during the 19th century. This is the eclecticism founded on archaeological studies. There is a fundamental dif ference between the conception of architecture of this new period and that of the Renaissance. Whilst the masters of the Renais sance and their successors gained inspiration for new creation from the classical architecture, the architecture of the 19th century is principally imitative and its highest aspiration is to come as close to the architectonic creations of past times as possible, but not to surpass or transpose them. This imitation is not limited to the antique only, but seeks its models amongst all the building styles of earlier times. The eagerness for archaeological research be comes wedded to romanticism, which in its literary enthusiasm for old times is blind to the requirements of the present day.