Drawing
18th century (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
This drawing was made either for potential clients or as academic drawing exercises. It is possible that the alterations around the arch in pencil may represent Chambers's teaching a pupil or assistant in his office.
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 and partial plan of a small Doric gateway; William Chambers. |
Physical description | Elevation and partial plan of a small Doric gateway. On the verso, perspectival exercises and a partial plan of a building with staircase. The archway, drawn in an office hand, is in a rather plain Doric style. Around the arch are numerous alterations and emendations in pencil, mostly to do with the various mouldings. On the back are two exercises to do with drawing segments of circles in perspective, an unidentifiable sketch, and a partial plan of a building with a long narrow staircase compartment with semicircular ends. In ink are two drawings showing a pair of pilasters with a niche between them. (Scale: 1 7/8 inches to 10 feet). |
Dimensions |
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Style | |
Object history | Bought from C.J. Richardson, 1864. |
Historical context | This modest drawing was made either for potential clients or as academic drawing exercises. |
Subjects depicted | |
Summary | This drawing was made either for potential clients or as academic drawing exercises. It is possible that the alterations around the arch in pencil may represent Chambers's teaching a pupil or assistant in his office. 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 Catalogue Number: 774 |
Collection | |
Accession number | 3380 |
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Record created | June 30, 2009 |
Record URL |
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