The origin of neoclassicism and its expansion in america and colombia

Abstract

Neoclassicism emerged in Europe during the eighteenth century as a rational response to the excessive ornamentation of the Baroque period, proposing a lighter, more harmonious architecture grounded in the formal purity of Greco-Roman references. Its expansion coincided with profound cultural, political, and urban transformations in cities such as Paris and London, where the style became consolidated as a symbol of order and modernity. From these centers, the movement spread throughout Latin America, where Creole elites adopted its ideals as a language of civilization and progress, expressed in art academies, administrative buildings, and new urban configurations. In Colombia, its development was closely tied to the construction of the republic and the search for a state identity based on stability and reason, which allowed for the emergence of emblematic works and regional adaptations that incorporated local materials and responded to climatic conditions. Overall, this process demonstrates that Neoclassicism not only transformed architecture but also influenced the urban and cultural evolution of Latin American territories