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Drawing
Chambers, William - Enlarge image
Drawing
- Date:
18th century (made)
- Artist/Maker:
Chambers, William (Sir), born 1723 - died 1796 (designer)
- Materials and Techniques:
Pen and ink, pencil and watercolour
- Museum number:
7078:50
- Gallery location:
Prints & Drawings Study Room, level E, case A, shelf 229, box B
The lettering describes Fought as a Musical Topographer, although he was in fact a musical typographer. The inscription at the bottom of the design refers to carver Sefferin Alken, who lived at Dufours Court. He worked on many of Chambers's projects including Blenheim Palace, Charlemont House and Peper Harrow and presumably carved this shop sign. The sign has apparently not survived. One can perhaps suggest a personal link between Chambers and Fought to explain this minor commission.
Chambers was born in Sweden and died in London. He travelled widely, visiting China, and studied architecture at the Ecole des Arts, Paris, from 1749 and in Italy from 1750 to 1755. Many of his drawings from this period are contained in his important 'Franco-Italian' album, held in the V&A. Chambers moved to London in 1755 and published his influential Treatise on Civil Architecture in 1759. Chambers demonstrated the breadth of his style in buildings such as Gower (later Carrington) House and Melbourne House, London, in such country houses as Duddingston, Scotland, and in the garden architecture he designed for Wilton House, Wiltshire, and at Kew Gardens. He became head of government building in 1782, and in this capacity built Somerset House, London.
