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Request to view at the Prints & Drawings Study Room, level E , Case SB6, Shelf SH5

Design

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

An early design for Bellamont Forest, Co. Cavan, [?] on two sheets formerly joined, showing the front elevation of a small villa with a distyle in antis portico. The Doric columns have been roughly altered in ink to form Ionic capitals. A domed roof is added in pencil. On the back of the left hand sheet is a ground plan of the same villa.

This drawing is part of the Vanbrugh Album from the Library at Elton Hall. The Album contains 254 drawings and includes works by Sir John Vanbrugh, Sir Edward Lovett Pearce, William Talman, Nicholas Hawksmoor, Richard Castle and anonymous draughtsmen in Vanbrugh's office. It was created ca. 1945-54 and was purchased by Victoria and Albert Museum in 1992.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Pencil, pen and ink and wash
Brief description
An early design for Bellamont Forest, Co. Cavan, on two sheets formely joined in the Vanbrugh Album; attributed to Sir Edward Lovett Pearce (ca.1695-1733).
Physical description
An early design for Bellamont Forest, Co. Cavan, [?] on two sheets formerly joined, showing the front elevation of a small villa with a distyle in antis portico. The Doric columns have been roughly altered in ink to form Ionic capitals. A domed roof is added in pencil. On the back of the left hand sheet is a ground plan of the same villa.
Dimensions
  • Height: 30.4cm
  • Width: 21.1cm
  • Height: 30.4cm
  • Width: 20.5cm
Taken from Lorimer, C. and Newton, C. (ed.), The collection of drawings by Sir John Vanbrugh and his circle in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London: V & A, 1996, p. 48, cat. 118.
Style
Production typeDesign
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'write to Mr William to Mr Barrington' (Inscribed on the back)
  • (Inscribed in ink with measurements and dimensions.)
Object history
Part of the Vanbrugh Album, which was purchased in 1992 with the aid of the National Heritage Memorial Fund, the National Art Collections Fund, The Monument Trust, The Sainsbury Trust, and an anonymous donor.
Historical context
Bellamont Forest was designed for Thomas Coote, who married Pearce's aunt, Ann Lovett. The house was finished by 1729. In designing Bellamont about 1728, Sir Edward Lovett Pearce introduced into Ireland the first thoroughly designed four-square Palladian villa, just as, in England, Colen Campbell had done about 1718 with Baldersley Park (former Newby Park), Yorkshire. Loosely inspired by Palladio's Villa Pisani at Montagnana, Pearce noted `This villa looks wonderfully well and much understood ye designe ought not to have been shaded there is no portico but half pillars. Ye pillars in ye hall have same effect as crowding and did not please, but ye whole as not having been finished is going to ruin - of brick'. See E.2124.74 for Pearce's original design for the ground floor plan. The inscription on the back of this drawing is thought by Colvin and Craig to be in the hand of Pearce. For other designs related to Bellamont Forest see also E.2124.32, .67, .74, .157, .158, .166, .181.
Production
Attribution note: Scale: 1 inch to 4½ feet.
Subjects depicted
Place depicted
Summary
An early design for Bellamont Forest, Co. Cavan, [?] on two sheets formerly joined, showing the front elevation of a small villa with a distyle in antis portico. The Doric columns have been roughly altered in ink to form Ionic capitals. A domed roof is added in pencil. On the back of the left hand sheet is a ground plan of the same villa.

This drawing is part of the Vanbrugh Album from the Library at Elton Hall. The Album contains 254 drawings and includes works by Sir John Vanbrugh, Sir Edward Lovett Pearce, William Talman, Nicholas Hawksmoor, Richard Castle and anonymous draughtsmen in Vanbrugh's office. It was created ca. 1945-54 and was purchased by Victoria and Albert Museum in 1992.
Associated objects
Bibliographic references
  • Lorimer, C. and Newton, C. (ed.), The collection of drawings by Sir John Vanbrugh and his circle in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London: V & A, 1996, p. 48, cat. 118.
  • Griffin, D. 'Irelan'ds Palladian Gem', Irish Arts Review , Vol 3, No 4, Winter 1986
Collection
Accession number
E.2124:3-1992

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Record createdMay 14, 2009
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