Drawing
ca. 1765 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This design was probably intended to be worked up into a finished design by an assistant.
Chambers designed and built at least nineteen houses in Berners Street and possibly about twenty-six. The first house, no. 13 was for him and designed in 1764-1765. The houses were well built but all the houses that Chambers designed in Berners Street have been demolished.
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.
Chambers designed and built at least nineteen houses in Berners Street and possibly about twenty-six. The first house, no. 13 was for him and designed in 1764-1765. The houses were well built but all the houses that Chambers designed in Berners Street have been demolished.
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.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Pencil |
| Brief description | Sketch plan for the central ornament of a ceiling for no.20 Berners Street; William Chambers. |
| Physical description | Sketch plan for the central ornament of a ceiling for no.20 Berners Street. On the verso, a faint and partial sketch, apparently for a composition of arches and columns, perhaps for an interior. The design for the ceiling shows a rosette with radiating medallions. (Scale: ½ in. to I ft.) |
| Dimensions |
|
| Marks and inscriptions |
|
| Object history | Bought from E. Parsons, 1869. |
| Historical context | Chambers designed and built at least nineteen houses in Berners Street and possibly about twenty-six. The first house, no.13 was for him and designed in 1764-1765. The houses were well built but all the houses that Chambers designed in Berners Street have been demolished. This design was probably intended to be worked up into a finished design by an assistant. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This design was probably intended to be worked up into a finished design by an assistant. Chambers designed and built at least nineteen houses in Berners Street and possibly about twenty-six. The first house, no. 13 was for him and designed in 1764-1765. The houses were well built but all the houses that Chambers designed in Berners Street have been demolished. 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. |
| Associated objects | |
| Bibliographic references |
|
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 7078:7 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | June 30, 2009 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest
