A LEFT-EYED VIEW
Italianate Villa
Posted by Steven (Chicagoland, United States) on 27 January 2012 in Architecture and Portfolio.
Of all the homes built during the Victorian era, the romantic Italianate style became the most popular. With their nearly-flat roofs, wide eaves, and massive brackets like those seen here, these homes suggested the romantic villas of Renaissance Italy. The Italianate style is also known as Tuscan, Lombard, or bracketed.
Italianate architecture knew no class boundaries. The high square towers made the style a natural choice for upscale homes of the newly rich. However the brackets and other architecture details, made affordable by new methods for machine production, were easily applied to simple cottages.
Italianate remained the preferred house style in the USA until the 1870s. After the 1870s, architectural fashion turned toward late Victorian styles such as Queen Anne. This home was spotted in Geneva, Illinois.
Photo captured January 16, 2011.
All photos are copyrighted and may not be reproduced or distributed without my expressed, written consent.
Michael Rawluk from Williams Lake, BC, Canada
Very cool. It must be nice to live in an area with so much great architecture.
27 Jan 2012 5:05am
Curly from South Shields, United Kingdom
A fine example which sits nicely in your snow, good choice to go black and white.
27 Jan 2012 9:04am
Ronnie 2¢ from Atlantic Shores, United Kingdom
Indeed, a very distinctive style . . the high ceilings and tall windows must make for such gracious living. Most of us, now, live in homes designed by accountants.
27 Jan 2012 9:20am
Florence from Paris, France
A very nice house indeed. I would love to live here !
27 Jan 2012 9:40am
Stephen from Canberra, Australia
Superb composition - a grand and attractive style of architecture.
27 Jan 2012 11:11am
Laurette from Johannesburg - Fourways, South Africa
A superb capture of this beautiful and very elegant home. This photo works beautifuly in b&w. The contrast between dark and light brings out so much detail in this image and the winter atmosphere. Well done !!
27 Jan 2012 11:16am
Francisco Romero from Carbajal de la Legua, Spain
Wonderful image. The owner would probably appreciate an enlargement.
27 Jan 2012 4:12pm
franz from Baden, Austria
glad to see the old lady sitting there in all her splendor! very beautifully and effectively captured!
27 Jan 2012 5:16pm
Rick from Toronto, Canada
Amongst my very favorite architectural styles, and very handsomely depicted in this gorgeous old building and your elegant black and white framing.
28 Jan 2012 12:39am
Elaine Hancock from Rockville, United States
Beautiful image. What a lovely home. I like the architecture. I think my favorite thing is the front porch. I have always wanted I front porch where I could sit. Great b&w!
28 Jan 2012 1:09am
Judy aka L@dybug from Brooksville, FL, United States
I was really excited when I saw your post, Steven. We lived in my in-law's home in NY state in the early 60's in a very similar home. Please click here to see an image I posted a while back.
28 Jan 2012 1:50am
@Judy aka L@dybug: Amazing how similar the two homes are in design!
SONY DSLR-A300
1/200 second
F/9.0
ISO 100
26 mm
italianate
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geneva
illinois
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