Image of Gallery in South Kensington
Request to view at the Prints & Drawings Study Room, level E , Case A, Shelf 229

Drawing

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

Ground floor plan of a theatre, 18th century, by an unknown artist but possibly owned by leading architect and designer Sir William Chambers (1723-1796). In addition to the seating and stage wings, this plan indicates the size and position of the chandelier in the auditorium.

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 pencil
Brief description
Ground floor plan of a theatre, 18th century, unknown artist, possibly owned by Sir William Chambers (1723-1796).
Physical description
Ground floor plan of a theatre. In addition to the seating and stage wings, this plan indicates the size and position of the chandelier in the auditoriu,.
Dimensions
  • Height: 478mm
  • Width: 303mm
Production typeDesign
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'Libarti Theatre' (Inscribed in pencil in a ninteenth-century hand and then crossed through.)
  • (Watermark: Strasbury bend sloping right and a lily (cf. Churchill 1935, 433; Van der Ley).)
Object history
Bought from Parsons
Production
Attribution note: Although this plan is not drawn by Chambers, it is probable that it was once in his possession. It is drawn by the same hand as the plan of the Tordinona Theatre, Rome, cat. 555. which bears an inscription in Chambers's hand.
Subjects depicted
Summary
Ground floor plan of a theatre, 18th century, by an unknown artist but possibly owned by leading architect and designer Sir William Chambers (1723-1796). In addition to the seating and stage wings, this plan indicates the size and position of the chandelier in the auditorium.

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
7075:5

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Record createdJune 30, 2009
Record URL
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