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classicism Definition

clas·si·cism (klas′ə siz′əm)

noun

  1. the aesthetic principles or qualities regarded as characteristic of ancient Greece and Rome; objectivity, formality, balance, simplicity, restraint, etc.
  2. adherence to such principles
  3. knowledge of the literature and art of ancient Greece and Rome; classical scholarship
  4. a Greek or Latin idiom or expression
classicism Synonyms

classicism

n.

aesthetic principles, objectivity, dignity, balance, refinement, formality, simplicity, restraint, pure taste, harmony, elegance, understatement, nobility, formal style, classicalism, reverence for the ancients, observance of classical principles, lucidity, classical taste, the grand style, conventional formality, proportion, propriety, rhythm, symmetry, regularity, majesty, grandeur, polish, finish, clarity, rationalism, eloquence, Atticism, purity, neoclassicism, Ciceronianism, sobriety, high art, sublimity, excellence, severity, established forms, well-turned periods, Hellenism; see also elegance 2.

classicism Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • embrace: I was surprised to the extent which Baldwin, known mainly for contemporary dance, had embraced classicism - both steps and tutus.
  • include: He abjures any political or ideological etiquette, including the classicism versus Romanticism debate, then so popular in Europe.
  • embody: His work, although of modern simplicity and abstraction, embodies an enduring classicism of spirit.
  • preserve: There is little that can compare with the well preserved classicism of Ston Easton Park.
  • mix: At his best, Dravid mixes orthodox classicism with the wristy flourish associated with the subcontinent.
  • bring: There was a revival of classicism brought about by the Grand Tour taken by 18th century gentry.

Adjective modifier

  • French: Admittedly, he brought to his study all the prejudices, both good and bad, of French classicism.
  • late: A fine example of late Georgian classicism which has recently been restored to its former glory.
  • new: This expressed itself in a new classicism reflecting the revival of what was believed to have been the ancient Empire of Great Britain.
  • Victorian: The earlier villas were completed in Regency cottage style, which was later to give way to mid and early Victorian Palladian classicism.
  • pure: A diet of the purest classicism is no prescription for the future.
  • English: Contained within the debate is a consideration of the growth of English classicism over this period.

Noun used with modifier

  • century: Death is also a preoccupation of eighteenth century classicism.
  • pop: That said, Captain Wilberforce continues to be an engaging live presence and his brand of pop classicism is always welcome down my way.