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The Architecture of H.H. Richardson and His Times, Second Edition

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This is the classic biography of Henry Hobson Richardson. Born in Louisiana (1838) and kept by a speech impediment from attending West Point, he attended Harvard and the École des Beaux-Arts and subsequently became the most influential American architect of his time (1866-86). His work was instantly popular (much of it was won in competition) and remains iconic to this day ("Richardson Romanesque"). His work established high standards for wide range of functions (churches, civic buildings, hospitals, libraries, college buildings, railroad stations) that remain difficult to meet. His office engendered architects (e.g. Charles Follen McKim and Stanford White) that later founded their own firms and become leaders in the profession.

This work remains the best biography of Richardson, but includes only 114 illustrations in small format and also lacks a chronological project summary. Those seeking more should augment this work with `H. H. Richardson: Complete Architectural Works' by Jeffrey Karl Ochsner (MIT 1982) for an excellent project catalogue; `Henry Hobson Richardson and His Works' by Mariana Griswold Van Rensselaer (published in 1888 and reissued by Dover in 1969) which includes some of Richardson's major works; and `Selected Drawings: H. H. Richardson and His Office' by James F. O'Gorman (published by MIT in 1974) which provides a useful selected collection of office drawings.