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Drawing

18th century (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Plan of the a theatre by leading architect and designer Sir William Chambers (1723-1796). This drawing is traced from another, and may show the Teatro Regio. The plan shows the theatre to be a long narrow building. Grand staircases lead to a horseshoe-shaped auditorium surrounded by radiating boxes. One of the longer sides of the plan, the main façade, is decorated with paired pilasters. The other side has a further range of accommodation.

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
Pen and ink with grey wash
Brief description
Plan of the a theatre, possibly of the Teatro Regio, 18th century, Sir William Chambers (1723-1796).
Physical description
Plan of the a theatre. The plan shows the theatre to be a long narrow building. Grand staircases lead to the horsehoe-shaped auditorium surrounded by radiating boxes. On the longer sides of the plan,the main facade, is decorated with paired pilasters. The other side has a further range of accommodation.
Dimensions
  • Height: 302mm
  • Width: 436mm
Production typeDesign
Marks and inscriptions
'Theatre of Turin' (Inscribed in ink)
Production
Attribution note: This drawing is traced from another and may show the Teatro Regio.
Subjects depicted
Summary
Plan of the a theatre by leading architect and designer Sir William Chambers (1723-1796). This drawing is traced from another, and may show the Teatro Regio. The plan shows the theatre to be a long narrow building. Grand staircases lead to a horseshoe-shaped auditorium surrounded by radiating boxes. One of the longer sides of the plan, the main façade, is decorated with paired pilasters. The other side has a further range of accommodation.

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.
Bibliographic reference
Snodin, M. Sir William Chambers. London: V&A Publications, 1996.
Collection
Accession number
7075:6

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Record createdJune 30, 2009
Record URL
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