Drawing
mid 1770s (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This design is part of a group of over 900 drawings of frames, mainly for pier glasses, overmantels, and girandoles. Many of these workshop designs share similar characteristics such as leaf scrolls and festoons of husks. Most of them are numbered, contain information about who ordered them, the date, the price (written in code), the colour of the frame and the dimensions of the finished object.
The drawings from John Linnell's workshop survive over the period 1773 to 1783. From April 1773 to August 1778, the workshop produced about twelve pieces a month. Production decreased over the next two years to 3 or 4 pieces a month. In 1783 these designs were no longer produced.
Robert Adam, a leading architect, was a key influence on the neoclassical designs of John Linnell. Linnell worked with Adam for the first time at Kedleston Hall, Derbyshire, and they worked together on a number of other occasions. In the early 1770s festoons of husks began to be used on pier glasses and they are very prominent within these workshop designs.
John Linnell (1729-1796) was the son of the famous furniture maker William Linnell (ca. 1703-1763). Unlike most furniture makers, John Linnell gained a design education at the St. Martin's Lane Academy, which was founded by William Hogarth in 1735. In 1750, aged 21, he joined his father's firm as a designer. On his father's death in 1763, John Linnell took over the family firm. During his lifetime John Linnell produced high quality furniture, which rivalled that of other leading furniture makers such as Thomas Chippendale, John Cobb and William Ince and John Mayhew.
The drawings from John Linnell's workshop survive over the period 1773 to 1783. From April 1773 to August 1778, the workshop produced about twelve pieces a month. Production decreased over the next two years to 3 or 4 pieces a month. In 1783 these designs were no longer produced.
Robert Adam, a leading architect, was a key influence on the neoclassical designs of John Linnell. Linnell worked with Adam for the first time at Kedleston Hall, Derbyshire, and they worked together on a number of other occasions. In the early 1770s festoons of husks began to be used on pier glasses and they are very prominent within these workshop designs.
John Linnell (1729-1796) was the son of the famous furniture maker William Linnell (ca. 1703-1763). Unlike most furniture makers, John Linnell gained a design education at the St. Martin's Lane Academy, which was founded by William Hogarth in 1735. In 1750, aged 21, he joined his father's firm as a designer. On his father's death in 1763, John Linnell took over the family firm. During his lifetime John Linnell produced high quality furniture, which rivalled that of other leading furniture makers such as Thomas Chippendale, John Cobb and William Ince and John Mayhew.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Ink, pencil, yellow and black watercolour |
| Brief description | 4 designs for frames, 2 designs for moulding; John Linnell. |
| Physical description | 'No. 125' A design for moulding, egg and leaf. The paper over the design is scrubbed out. 'No. 124' A design for neoclassical moulding. 'No. 123' A design for an oval looking glass. Half of the design is highly finished, the other half is less detailed. The frame is vertically aligned with neoclassical moulding. The top of the frame features c-scrolls and the bottom features a patera. The urn finial sits on a triangular base. From the leaf scroll handles descend husk festoons, supported by acanthus scrolls around the sides. The apron features a palmette, husk festoons and acanthus scrolls. Two candle sockets curl from the patera. 'No. 122' A half-drawn design for an oval picture frame. The crest only features a bow. The frame features neoclassical moulding. 'No. 121' A design for a rectangular frame, possibly an overmantel. The design is relatively simple. The frame features neoclassical moulding. 'No. 120' A design for a rectangular pier glass. The frame is vertically aligned. The central panel of the glass is rectangular, surrounded by bead and reel moulding. Surrounding this panel is further glass, 4 inches across. This section has seven paterae, and the top has serpentine lines. The crest is topped by a large urn flanked by large animal head handles. Below the base of the urn is a palmette. From the mouths of the rams fall husk festoons, which are supported by acanthus scrolls. The acanthus scrolls terminate with a patera. The apron features husk festoons, acanthus scrolls and a patera. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This design is part of a group of over 900 drawings of frames, mainly for pier glasses, overmantels, and girandoles. Many of these workshop designs share similar characteristics such as leaf scrolls and festoons of husks. Most of them are numbered, contain information about who ordered them, the date, the price (written in code), the colour of the frame and the dimensions of the finished object. The drawings from John Linnell's workshop survive over the period 1773 to 1783. From April 1773 to August 1778, the workshop produced about twelve pieces a month. Production decreased over the next two years to 3 or 4 pieces a month. In 1783 these designs were no longer produced. Robert Adam, a leading architect, was a key influence on the neoclassical designs of John Linnell. Linnell worked with Adam for the first time at Kedleston Hall, Derbyshire, and they worked together on a number of other occasions. In the early 1770s festoons of husks began to be used on pier glasses and they are very prominent within these workshop designs. John Linnell (1729-1796) was the son of the famous furniture maker William Linnell (ca. 1703-1763). Unlike most furniture makers, John Linnell gained a design education at the St. Martin's Lane Academy, which was founded by William Hogarth in 1735. In 1750, aged 21, he joined his father's firm as a designer. On his father's death in 1763, John Linnell took over the family firm. During his lifetime John Linnell produced high quality furniture, which rivalled that of other leading furniture makers such as Thomas Chippendale, John Cobb and William Ince and John Mayhew. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | E.3488-1911 |
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| Record created | June 30, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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