« […] one of the most perfect pieces of Architecture in Europ, emulating even some of the greatest now at Rome it selfe. » : perception et description de l’architecture française et italienne dans le journal de voyage de John Evelyn

Abstract

This article examines the travel activities and records of the English author John Evelyn, who undertook an extensive journey through continental Europe in the mid-17th century and documented his impressions in a retrospective travel account called the Diary. The analysis focuses on Evelyn’s descriptions of the buildings that he visited during his stays in Paris and Rome. The descriptive passages are examined comparatively taking account of Evelyn’s descriptive methods and his understanding of architecture. The central aim is to establish which buildings he saw in Paris and Rome and how he assessed what he saw. The judgments formulated in the Diary are examined in relation to Evelyn’s later writings on architecture in order to find out (1) whether John Evelyn was able to acquire knowledge about architecture and urban planning based on his travel impressions and (2) whether this knowledge enriched his later reflections on architecture and enabled him to form an independent opinion.

Keywords

• description of architecture
• perception of architecture
• urban planning
• travelogue
• educational journey
• England