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, grey and yellow watercolour. |
| Brief description | Three designs for looking glasses, one design for a girandole; John Linnell. |
| Physical description | 'No. 35' A design for a rectangular looking glass. Two thirds of the mirror is drawn. The frame is vertically aligned. The frame has an intertwining laurel and ribbon pattern and acanthus scrolls and husk festoons. The crest features an anthemion. Husk festoons with ribbon details surround the anthemion. This looking glass appears to have been designed for a particular space, because the walls are drawn out. 'No. 36' A design for a girandole. One half is highly finished, the other has rough sketching. The frame is vertically aligned. The candle sockets are supported by acanthus scrolls. There are two cornucopia. Beading detail curls throughout. The frame features neoclassical moulding. The crest features an urn finial on a stand, and acanthus scrolls. 'No. 37' A design for an oval looking glass. Half of the design is highly finished, the other half is barely sketched. The frame is vertically aligned. An oval of acanthus leaves divides the mirrored glass, creating a mirrored border. The frame features neoclassical moulding. The apron features two cornucopia. Beading decoration intertwines with other details. The crest features an urn finial. Acanthus scroll detail follows the top curve of the mirror. 'No. 38' A design for a rectangular looking glass, with an urn finial. The frame is vertically aligned. The frame features bead and reel moulding, fluting, acanthus scrolls and husk festoons. The apron features a ram's head. |
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| 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.3472-1911 |
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| Record created | June 30, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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