Preliminary design for the statue of the architect Andrea Palladio (1508-1580) commissioned by Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington by William Kent (1685-1748).

Preliminary design for the statue of the architect Andrea Palladio (1508-1580) for the entrance front of Chiswick House, Middlesex and executed by J M Rysbrack ca. 1727.

The bearded head shown in the drawing differs completely from the clean-shaven portrait of Palladio represented by Rysbrack and may well be no more than Kent's original thought for the pose of the statue in relation to that of the companion figure of Inigo Jones. The head depicted does, however, appear to relate to that of the similarly posed and draped figure by the ivory carver J F Verskovis which is one of three such figures decorating the pediment of the Walpole Cabinet in the Department of Furniture and Woodwork and identified by M I Webb as a representation of Rubens.

Sculptures known to have been designed by Kent are relatively few but are accorded positions of great prominence. In Westminster Abbey Kent designed the monuments to Newton and Earl Stanhope (both carved by John Michael Rysbrack) and to Shakespeare (carved by Peter Scheemakers) and received substantial fees for doing so. He also designed the figures of Palladio and Inigo Jones (carved by Rysbrack) for the entrance front of Lord Burlington’s Chiswick House. It is, therefore, possible that he may have designed sculptures for other locations.

Preliminary design for the statue of the architect Andrea Palladio (1508-1580) by designer and architect William Kent (1685-1748). It was commissioned by Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington for the entrance front of Chiswick House, Middlesex, and executed by J.M. Rysbrack, c. 1727. The bearded head shown in the drawing differs completely from the clean-shaven portrait of Palladio represented by Rysbrack and may well be no more than Kent's original idea.

Kent visited Rome in 1715 where he met Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington who became his patron. Boyle encouraged Kent’s interest in architecture when they returned to London together and Kent soon started receiving commissions for buildings and furniture in the classical style. His most famous buildings include Holkham Hall, Norfolk, and the Horse Guards, Whitehall.

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