The American architect John Russell Pope (1874-1937) was the major exemplar of the classical tradition in the United States. More than any other, he was responsible for the stylistic showcase of classical elegance demanded by the federal government and by wealthy private citizens during the first third of the 20th century. His work is mostly on the East Coast, with Washington, Baltimore, and the New York City area being major centers.

John Russell Pope was born in New York City on April 24, 1874. His father, a portrait painter of renown who had been elected to the National Academy of Design in 1857, died when Pope was only six years old. The family claimed descent from John Pope, who arrived in Massachusetts in the 1630s. His mother's family (Loomis) were also pre-Revolutionary War residents of America.

To this family background, Pope added an extraordinary talent and capacity for hard work. His...