Introduction

The work of Julien-David Leroy (1724–1803) represents a struggle to reinvigorate a long tradition of architectural writing centered on the proper design and use of the classical orders. His main publication – Les Ruines des plus beaux monuments de la Grèce (1758; 2nd ed. 1770) – offered illustrations of the Greek orders in various contexts, applying new scholarly methods and conceptual frameworks to understand their transformation over time and their effects on the observing subject. Upon its publication, Les Ruines was heralded as a revolution and generated intense controversy, positioning Leroy for membership in the elite Paris Académie Royale d’Architecture. His career strategy proved both effective and insidious: having transformed himself into the leading French authority on Greek architecture, Leroy ultimately subverted the entire system of classical aesthetics from within one of the leading institutions dedicated to promoting its core principles.