The conservation movement : a history of architectural preservation : antiquity to modernity

**Shortlisted for the 2014 SAHGB Alice Davis Hitchcock Medallion**. In many cities across the world, particularly in Europe, old buildings form a prominent part of the built environment, and we often take it for granted that their contribution is intrinsically positive. How has that widely-shared belief come about, and is its continued general acceptance inevitable? Certainly, ancient structures have long been treated with care and reverence in many societies, including classical Rome and Greece. But only in modern Europe and America, in the last two centuries, has this care been elaborated and energised into a forceful, dynamic ideology: a ‘Conservation Movement’, infused with a sense of historical destiny and loss, that paradoxically shared many of the characteristics of Enlightenment modernity. The close inter-relationship between conservation and modern civilisation was most dramatically heightened in periods of war or social upheaval, beginning with the French Revolution, and rising to a tragic climax in the 20^th^-century age of totalitarian extremism; more recently the troubled relationship of ‘heritage’ and global commercialism has become dominant. Miles Glendinning’s new book authoritatively presents, for the first time, the entire history of this architectural Conservation Movement, and traces its dramatic fluctuations in ideas and popularity, ending by questioning whether its recent international ascendancy can last indefinitely. In Many Cities Across The World, Particularly In Europe, Old Buildings Form A Prominent Part Of The Built Environment, And We Often Take It For Granted That Their Contribution Is Intrinsically Positive. How Has That Widely-shared Belief Come About, And Is Its Continued General Acceptance Inevitable? Certainly, Ancient Structures Have Long Been Treated With Care And Reverence In Many Societies, Including Classical Rome And Greece. But Only In Modern Europe And America, In The Last Two Centuries, Has This Care Been Elaborated And Energised Into A Forceful, Dynamic Ideology: A 'conservation Movement', Infused With A Sense Of Historical Destiny And Loss, That Paradoxically Shared Many Of The Characteristics Of Enlightenment Modernity. The Close Inter-relationship Between Conservation And Modern Civilisation Was Most Dramatically Heightened In Periods Of War Or Social Upheaval, Beginning With The French Revolution, And Rising To A Tragic Climax In The 20th-century Age Of Totalitarian Extremism; More Recently The Troubled Relationship Of 'heritage' And Global Commercialism Has Become Dominant. Miles Glendinning's New Book Authoritatively Presents, For The First Time, The Entire History Of This Architectural Conservation Movement, And Traces Its Dramatic Fluctuations In Ideas And Popularity, Ending By Questioning Whether Its Recent International Ascendancy Can Last Indefinitely. Introduction : The Conservation Movement : Stepchild Of Progress. -- Pre-1789 : Foundations Of The Movement : Care For Old Buildings In The Pre-modern Age (harbingers Of Heritage : Antiquity, Christendom, Renaissance. -- Antiquarian Antecedents : 17th And 18th Centuries). -- 1789-1914 : Growth Of The Movement : First Modern Ideologies Of Conservation (international Revolutions And National Heritages, 1789-1850. -- The Life-force Of Age : Restoration And Anti-scrape, 1850-1890. -- Militant Monuments : Nationalist Conservation Rivalries, 1890-1914). -- 1914-1945 : Crisis Of The Movement : Mass Heritage, Mass Destruction (monument Wars : Devastation And Rebuilding, 1914-39. -- Total War And Cultural Bombing, 1939-45). -- 1945-1989 : Heyday Of The Movement : Parallel Narratives Of Post-war Preservation (parallel Lives : New And Old In The West, 1945-1968. -- From Counter-culture To Control : Western Triumphs Of Conservation, 1968-89. -- Heritage Complexities In The Socialist Bloc, 1945-1989. -- Charters And Conventions : The Internationalisation Of Heritage, 1945-1989. -- Post-1989 : The Contemporary Story (heritage In The Age Of Globalisation, Post-1989). -- Epilogue. Miles Glendinning. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 494-509) And Index. Winner of the 2016 Antoinette Forrester Downing Award presented by the Society of Architectural Historians.In many cities across the world, particularly in Europe, old buildings form a prominent part of the built environment, and we often take it for granted that their contribution is intrinsically positive. How has that widely-shared belief come about, and is its continued general acceptance inevitable?Certainly, ancient structures have long been treated with care and reverence in many societies, including classical Rome and Greece. But only in modern Europe and America, in the last two centuries, has this care been elaborated and energised into a forceful, dynamic ideology: a ‘Conservation Movement', infused with a sense of historical destiny and loss, that paradoxically shared many of the characteristics of Enlightenment modernity. The close inter-relationship between conservation and modern civilisation was most dramatically heightened in periods of war or social upheaval, beginning with the French Revolution, and rising to a tragic climax in the 20th-century age of totalitarian extremism; more recently the troubled relationship of ‘heritage'and global commercialism has become dominant.Miles Glendinning's new book authoritatively presents, for the first time, the entire history of this architectural Conservation Movement, and traces its dramatic fluctuations in ideas and popularity, ending by questioning whether its recent international ascendancy can last indefinitely. Front Cover 1 The Conservation Movement: A History of Architectural Preservation 3 Copyright Page 4 Contents 5 Acknowledgements 7 List of Abbreviations 8 Introduction: The Conservation Movement: Stepchild of progress 11 Part I: Pre-1789 Foundations of the Movement: Care for old buildings in the pre-modern age 17 One. Harbingers of heritage: Antiquity, Christendom, Renaissance 18 Two. Antiquarian antecedents: 17th and 18th centuries 44 Part II: 1789-1914 Growth of the Movement: First modern ideologies of conservation 72 Three. International revolutions and national heritages: 1789–1850 73 Four. The life-force of age: Restoration and Anti-Scrape, 1850–90 124 Five. Militant monuments: Nationalist conservation rivalries, 1890–1914 146 Part III: 1914-45 Crisis of the Movement: Mass heritage, mass destruction 193 Six. Monument wars: Devastation and rebuilding, 1914–39 194 Seven. Total war and cultural bombing: 1939–45 242 Part IV: 1945-89 Heyday of the Movement: Parallel narratives of postwar preservation 264 Eight. Parallel lives: New and old in the West, 1945–68 265 Nine. From counter-culture to control: Western triumphs of conservation, 1968–89 326 Ten. Heritage complexities in the socialist bloc: 1945–89 365 Eleven. Charters and conventions: The internationalisation of heritage, 1945–89 396 Part V: Post-1989 The Contemporary Story 421 Twelve. Heritage in the age of globalisation: Post-1989 422 Epilogue 454 Notes 456 Bibliography 499 Image credits 515 Index 519 Shortlisted for the 2014 SAHGB Alice Davis Hitchcock Medallion . In many cities across the world, particularly in Europe, old buildings form a prominent part of the built environment, and we often take it for granted that their contribution is intrinsically positive. How has that widely-shared belief come about, and is its continued general acceptance inevitable? Certainly, ancient structures have long been treated with care and reverence in many societies, including classical Rome and Greece. But only in modern Europe and America, in the last two centuries, has this care been elaborated and energised into a forceful, dynamic ideology: a ‘Conservation Movement’, infused with a sense of historical destiny and loss, that paradoxically shared many of the characteristics of Enlightenment modernity. The close inter-relationship between conservation and modern civilisation was most dramatically heightened in periods of war or social upheaval, beginning with the French Revolution, and rising to a tragic climax in the 20 th -century age of totalitarian extremism; more recently the troubled relationship of ‘heritage’ and global commercialism has become dominant. Miles Glendinning’s new book authoritatively presents, for the first time, the entire history of this architectural Conservation Movement, and traces its dramatic fluctuations in ideas and popularity, ending by questioning whether its recent international ascendancy can last indefinitely. In many cities across the world, particularly in Europe, old buildings form a prominent part of the built environment, and we often take it for granted that their contribution is intrinsically positive. How has that widely-shared belief come about, and is its continued general acceptance inevitable? Certainly, ancient structures have long been treated with care and reverence in many societies, including classical Rome and Greece. But only in modern Europe and America, in the last two centuries, has this care been elaborated and energised into a forceful, dynamic ideology: a 'Conservation Movement', infused with a sense of historical destiny and loss, that paradoxically shared many of the characteristics of Enlightenment modernity. The close inter-relationship between conservation and modern civilisation was most dramatically heightened in periods of war or social upheaval, beginning with the French Revolution, and rising to a tragic climax in the 20th-century age of totalitarian extremism; more recently the troubled relationship of 'heritage' and global commercialism has become dominant. Miles Glendinning's new book authoritatively presents, for the first time, the entire history of this architectural Conservation Movement, and traces its dramatic fluctuations in ideas and popularity, ending by questioning whether its recent international ascendancy can last indefinitely. Book jacket.