Dr. Richard Cleary

Biography

Richard Cleary is a Professor Emeritus in the School of Architecture at the University of Texas at Austin. He joined the faculty in 1995 and is an architectural historian specializing in early modern European architecture and city design, with a focus on topics related to 19th-century architecture in the United States. His particular interest lies in the architect-client relationship. Cleary earned his B.A. and M.A. from the University of Wisconsin and his Ph.D. from Columbia University. Prior to his appointment at the University of Texas, he taught at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. He is the author of 'The Place Royale: Urban Design in the Ancien Régime' (Cambridge University Press, 1999), a study that examines the politics of urban design in France during the 17th and 18th centuries. He also authored 'Merchant Prince, Master Builder: Edgar J. Kaufmann and Frank Lloyd Wright' (Carnegie Museum of Art and University of Washington Press, 1999), which catalogs an exhibition he curated at the Heinz Architectural Center of the Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, exploring the enduring relationship between Wright and his loyal patrons, particularly in relation to Fallingwater, one of the greatest buildings of the 20th century. Cleary is currently working on topics related to the architecture of French immigrants in 19th-century Texas.

Research Interests