Is It Italianate or Victorian?
scottjlowe via flickr /Artwork: designslinger]
We received an email that asked the question in our title today. Rhonda has just moved
to San Francisco from Houston, and her fellow tenants have been talking a lot about the city's Victorian architecture. Some people have told her she lives in a Victorian building, and others, an Italianate. She wanted to know what the difference was, and wrote to us.
I've encountered any number of people over the years who find the differences in
Victorian architecture confusing. I don't blame them. I've looked through books on architectural styles in the past, and one will say one thing and one will say something else. Everyone seems to agree that the term Victorian describes a design period that coincides with the reign of Queen Victoria of England. So, we're talking from about 1837 to 1901. Many historians distinguish between English and American Victorian, I've found the styles to be pretty similar, but we're going to stick with the American brand.
This is where I think it gets confusing for people. During the entire period known as
Victorian, several individual styles emerged that have their own set of particular architectural details, which fall under the Victorian umbrella. That's where Italianate comes in, well in most cases. I've read some books that put Italianate and Gothic Revival into a category called Romantic Revival, even though the styles emerged during the Victorian era. Everyone seems to agree that Second Empire, Stick, Eastlake, Queen Anne, Shingle and Richardsonian Romanesque (there's a mouthful for you) qualify as Victorian styles. And don't be surprised to find a Shingle style house described as a Queen Anne. Is your head spinning yet?
This is a lot of information. So, I will write a series of posts over the next few weeks, and
talk about each individual style. For now though Rhonda, you can feel comfortable knowing that you live in a quintessential San Francisco Victorian, with Italianate detailing. And, next week I will write a post about just what makes an Italianate an Italianate. Welcome to San Francisco by the way!
Shingle style, wallyg via flickr /Artwork: desingslinger]
Posted by designslinger at 3/4/2009 6:00 AM 
Categories: Architecture, History, Dictionary, Interior Design, Decorative Arts
Tags: Victorian architectural styles
Categories: Architecture, History, Dictionary, Interior Design, Decorative Arts
Tags: Victorian architectural styles
I have always heard about Victorian style and was aware of the fact it got the name after the Queen but definitely was at a loss regarding American Victorian and those variants you mention. Please let me know when you post that article. I am interested and don't want to skip it. Thanks. On second thought I see here that I can subscribe to the post :)