With a fondness for classical antiquities and neoclassical design, the connoisseur Thomas Hope (1769–1831) sought to influence Georgian taste by promoting informed interior decoration, displaying his own considerable art collection, and writing with insight on aesthetic topics. This two-volume work, originally published posthumously in 1835, traces the evolution of Western architecture since antiquity. Hope was a keen traveller, and the examples he cites are drawn from buildings that he studied on journeys through Europe and beyond, notably in those countries bordering the Mediterranean. Volume 2 contains the precise line drawings that accompanied the first edition, showcasing many western European and ecclesiastical buildings and details. The work's analytical index, which appeared in 1836, is illustrated with wood engravings of features mentioned in the text and has been incorporated in this reissue.
