Description:

Reception studies are now a core part of classical studies. Yet, the study of ancient art and architecture has lagged behind the reception of classical literature, philosophy, and drama. My talk aims to discuss the state of the field of the study of architecture in classical reception studies. The talk then argues for reframing receptions of classical architecture as Neo-Antique rather than Neo-Classical. In this talk I will also emphasize the importance of placing the reception of classical architecture in direct conversation with the reception of ancient Egyptian and Near Eastern architecture as they are part of the same phenomenon of reinterpreting the past for contemporary aims. Finally, I will examine “ancient exempla”—ancient Mediterranean buildings, monuments, and architectural types—that have been reinterpreted globally—from Argentina to India, from the post-antique period to the present. In this talk I draw upon research for my current book project, Ancient Fantasies and Modern Might, on the reception of ancient architecture at World’s Fairs in United States (1893–1915) and for my next book project. This new project, provisionally entitled Ancient Exempla, aims to present a framework for studying the reception of ancient Mediterranean architecture by examining specific buildings, monuments, and architectural types in a global context.

Biography:

Elizabeth R. Macaulay is an Associate Professor of Liberal Studies, Classics, Middle Eastern Studies, and Digital Humanities at The Graduate Center, The City University of New York. Her research examines the intersection of antiquity and modernity. She is the author or editor of seven books, including Antiquity in Gotham: The Ancient Architecture of New York City (2021), Classical New York: Discovering Greece and Rome in Gotham (2018), and Housing the New Romans: Architectural Reception and Classical Style in the Modern World (2017). Her most recent book is Archaeological Ambassadors: A History of Archaeological Gifts in New York City (2024). Currently, she is finishing a book on the reception of ancient architecture at World’s Fairs from 1893 to 1915 in the United States. Educated at Cornell and Oxford Universities, she has been a general trustee of the Archaeological Institute of America and the American Schools of Overseas Research. She chairs the board of Smarhistory.org, the Center for Public Art History, where she is also a regular contributor and acquiring editor. Her essay and videos on Smarthistory.org have reached over 1.4 million viewers.