The Parthenon at Athens, Greece and at Nashville, Tennessee

Wilson, Benjamin Franklin, 1867-Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

Rating 2.6
Word count
51K words
Chapters
6

Tags

English Originals World HistoryArchitecture Human GeographyHistorical ReappraisalAncient ArchitectureTwin CitiesArchitectural HistoryIllustrated GuideTraditional AestheticsParthenonComparative CultureCross-Cultural View

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.The Parthenon at Athens, Greece and at Nashville, Tennessee by WilsonAuthor: Wilson, Benjamin Franklin, 1867-,Language: English, Class: NA: Fine Arts: Architecture, Release Date: Jan 9, 2019

Editor's review

This book discusses the Parthenon in Athens alongside the Parthenon in Nashville, falling at the intersection of architectural art and the history of classical reception. Author Benjamin Franklin Wilson presents, from a comparative perspective, the differences between the two同名 buildings in form, function, and cultural context, helping readers understand the basic vocabulary of ancient Greek architecture while also seeing how classical forms were transplanted and recreated in modern America. As a public-domain e-book, it is short and includes explanatory content, making it suitable as supplementary material for an introduction to architectural history or thematic reading. When reading, it is worth focusing on the relationship between "copying and re-creation": the Nashville version is not simple imitation of antiquity but a reinterpretation of classical ideals in a particular historical period. For readers planning to visit the Acropolis in Athens or Nashville, Tennessee, the book can also serve as pre-trip background reading to help establish an observational framework. Note that the book was written early, and some historical statements may differ from contemporary research; it is best read alongside newer works of architectural history.

Who it's for

A good fit for

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Reading tips

  1. Read the table of contents and illustration captions first to establish a basic comparative framework for the two buildings before entering the main text.
  2. While reading, jot down differences between the two sites in materials, proportions, and uses to form comparative notes.
  3. If planning an on-site visit, finish the relevant chapters before departure and compare details on site.
  4. Be cautious about earlier historical statements and read alongside a contemporary general architectural history.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

Contents

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6

FAQ

Does this book mainly discuss the Parthenon in Athens or in Nashville? Both. The author compares the Parthenon in Athens, Greece, with the replica Parthenon in Nashville, Tennessee, focusing on their similarities and differences in form, function, and cultural context rather than introducing only one.
Can readers without an architecture background understand it? Yes. The book is aimed at general readers and emphasizes description and comparison without relying on specialized terminology. Look up architectural terms with images or a dictionary when needed; the threshold is not high.
Is this book suitable to read while traveling? It works well as pre-trip background reading. It is short enough to finish before departure, helping you notice details such as proportions, column orders, and spatial layout on site. But it is not a travel guide and does not provide practical information such as transportation or tickets.
As a public-domain e-book, might the content be outdated? Written early, some historical statements may differ from contemporary research. It still has reference value for its comparative perspective, but for accurate up-to-date archaeological conclusions, read it alongside other contemporary works of architectural history.

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About the author

Wilson, Benjamin Franklin, 1867- Author

Very little is known about the life of Benjamin Franklin Wilson (1867-), and public information about him is limited. Only one work by him is extant, titled The Parthenon at Athens, Greece and at Nashville, Tennessee. Judging from the title, the book places the Parthenon in Athens, Greece, alongside its replica in Nashville, Tennessee, and discusses the history, architectural form, and later reception and reproduction of classical buildings. A topic of this kind reflects the author's interest in the classical architectural tradition and its transmission across regions, and the writing may lean toward architectural history and comparison. Since only this one work is held, nothing can be known about his education, career, or the full range of his writing; public information is limited, and readers may treat the book as an introductory text on two presentations of the Parthenon, while its specific scholarly influence awaits further evidence.