The design of Government House, Calcutta, is an adaptation of the plan of Kedleston Hall in Derbyshire which was built for Lord Scarsdale, the great-great-grandfather of Lord Curzon of Kedleston, in the years1759-1770 by the renowned architect Robert Adam. Although the fame of Kedleston was on many lips in the second half of the 18th century on account of its decorative features and the beauty of its style, it was not this so much as the remarkable suitability of the general design to the conditions of a tropical climate which led to its adoption as the general model for Government House, Calcutta, which was built in the years 1799-1803. Read more : http://www.google.co.in/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=government%20house%20in%20calcutta&source=web&cd=4&sqi=2&ved=0CHIQFjAD&url=http%3A%2F%2Frajbhavankolkata.gov.in%2FPDF%2FCHAPTERI.pdf&ei=YcXQTp6yI8a8rAeK19XXDA&usg=AFQjCNHeEHVRUl5DyLYKN-q1NAPLpSWiMw&sig2=k_rMQKuojSE0zGrGgehe3A&cad=rja

Raj Bhavan (Bengali: রাজ ভবন Raj Bhôbon, Hindi Rāj Bhavan, 'Government House') is the Governor's palace in Kolkata, West Bengal. Built in 1803 and once the residence of the Viceroy of India, and called Government House, the palatial building is now the residence of the Governor of West Bengal. The present Governor, H.E. Mayankote Kelath Narayanan, resides in the building. Read more : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raj_Bhavan_%28West_Bengal%29

It seems only a (bad) copy of a "villa" made by the italian architect Andrea Palladio in XVIth century. http://www.outletsweetvenice.com/it/it/details.php?id=47

And the palladian architecture it's only a revival of roman architecture...that's a revival of hellenistic...and so on...

Sig Di Francesco ~ I cannot see any resemblance at all between the Venetian " villa " that you have highlighted above and either Kedleston Hall or Government House, Calcutta ?? Other than that the latter two must nod their heads, as you point out, loosely in the direction of Andrea Palladio ~ who was, of course, a leading (if not the leading) light in the revival of the 'classical' architectural style in Europe. Kedleston was designed by Robert Adam, who while heavily influenced by Palladian design, tried to avoid its ' revisions' as much as possible in an attempt to return to the ' purity' (as he percieved it) of ancient Rome and Greece.

The purity that he perceived through previous experiences of the palladian school of England (inspired by Palladio and others). Palladio was not the sole architect of this revival of classical style, but he was the main for the english school. I.e. you call "palladian motive" the "finestra serliana", invented by Serlio. Logically we know very well that the time of Adam was not the time of Palladio, but the buildings of the ancient Rome were very very differents from these (despite the efforts to imitate them). An exemple: http://www.grey-panthers.it/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Santuario-Ercole.JPG

Maybe that you see the Government House of Calcutta more classical than I see...perhaps in particulars, like capitals or cornices. But the idea of central pseudo-temple with two side wings is very palladian.

... I take your point Sig Di Francesco ~ but ~ have another look at the design of Government House, Calcutta ~ it has an inverted 'pseudo-temple' and FOUR radiating wings ( at Kedleston only two of the four proposed wings were ever built)... constant tinkering and experimentation with 'style' meant that the 'Palladian' had been, effectively, superseded by the 'neo-classic' by about 1780/90... certainly in Britain (and by extension, in India)...

By the way, if we consider the whole plan it's an evolution and experimentation.

Logically we can see more "chiaroscuno" (between columnes), but it's an illusion of classicity. Roman and greek architectures were colorful.

The same "chiaroscuro" it's yet present in "palazzo Chiericati" (1560). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palazzo_Chiericati