Drawing
1773 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The fact that this elevation is framed on bright-blue paper suggests that it is perhaps an early presentation or exhibition drawing and that the arch was built to a later, lighter design.
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 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
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Pen and ink, pencil and watercolour |
| Brief description | Elevation of the entrance gateway to Piccadilly of Melbourne House, Westminster for the 1st Lord Melbourne; William Chambers. |
| Physical description | Elevation of the entrance gateway to Piccadilly of Melbourne House, Westminster for the 1st Lord Melbourne. The courtyard in front of Melbourne House was protected by a screen wall with two carriage gates and a central Doric arch with a pedestrian gate. This is shown in this design, depicting the central section in a rustic setting, like a park gate, replacing the flanking walls, which formed the ends of low service buildings, with a paling fence backed by a stand of trees. This design is framed with bright-blue paper. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Object history | Bought from C.J. Richardson, 1864. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | The fact that this elevation is framed on bright-blue paper suggests that it is perhaps an early presentation or exhibition drawing and that the arch was built to a later, lighter design. 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 |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | 3432 |
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| Record created | June 30, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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