The Architecture of Charles Bulfinch

More than two hundred year have passed since the birth in Boston of the first native American architect, and it is time for a critical reappraisal of the works of Charles Bulflnch. The purpose of this book is to provide the documentation for such a reassessment. Although I have not entirely eschewed the privilege of subjective judgment, my primary objective has been the codification of the numerous and scattered sources relating to almost half a century of architectural effort. Because the facts of Bulfinch's career as architect and administrator have already been told, I have concentrated on the works themselves, deeming them a sufficient record of the architect's New England background, his European tastes, and his American practice. To this end the commissions are arranged chronologically, and though each is treated separately, taken together they make up the record of a splendid achievement and a powerful influence.