Architectural Design
18th century (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
Elevation of a candlestick in the form of a griffin probably by John Yenn (1750-1821) from the office of leading architect and designer Sir William Chambers (1723-1796). The candlestick is shown in profile, painted in a buff colour. The drawing has an ink border with false shading, as if there were a pink mount around the sheet. The griffin sits on a base decorated with a panel of scrolling foliage. An inscription has been trimmed off the bottom right-hand corner of the sheet. The probable first use of this design was in two pairs of ormolu griffins; one at Hinton Ampner and the other at Blenheim Palace. Such an early use is supported by the yellow wash of this drawing. It is clear that this drawing, which has come down to us as finished presentation drawings by the young John Yenn, is Chambers’s conception.
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
Categories | |
Object type | |
Materials and techniques | Pen and ink, pencil and watercolour |
Brief description | Elevation of a candlestick in the form of a griffin, 18th century, John Yenn (1750-1821) office of Sir William Chambers (1723-1796). |
Physical description | Elevation of a candlestick in the form of a griffin. The candlestick is shown in profile, painted in a buff colour. The drawing has an ink border with false shading, as if there were a pink mount around the sheet. The griffin sits on a base decorated with a panel of scrolling foliage. An inscription has been trimmed off the bottom right-hand corner of the sheet. |
Dimensions |
|
Production type | Design |
Gallery label | John Yenn (1750-1821)
after Sir William Chambers
(1723-1796)
Design for a candlestick
British, about 1775-1785
Pen and ink and wash
This candlestick is in the shape of a griffin,
a fierce-looking mythological creature. It
was made in "black basaltes", an unglazed
black stoneware by Josia Wedgwood at his
Etruria factory in Staffordshire. The design is
very like one published by Chambers in
1791 in his Treatise on... Civil Architecture
and similar to figures made in ormolu by
Matthew Boulton.
E.5029-1910 |
Object history | Bought from J. Starkie Gardner, 1910. |
Historical context | The probable first use of this design was in two pairs of ormolu griffins; one at Hinton Ampner and the other at Blenheim Palace. Such an early use is supported by the yellow wash of this drawing. |
Production | Attribution note: It is clear that this drawing, which has come down to us as finished presentation drawings by the young John Yenn, is Chambers's conception. |
Subjects depicted | |
Summary | Elevation of a candlestick in the form of a griffin probably by John Yenn (1750-1821) from the office of leading architect and designer Sir William Chambers (1723-1796). The candlestick is shown in profile, painted in a buff colour. The drawing has an ink border with false shading, as if there were a pink mount around the sheet. The griffin sits on a base decorated with a panel of scrolling foliage. An inscription has been trimmed off the bottom right-hand corner of the sheet. The probable first use of this design was in two pairs of ormolu griffins; one at Hinton Ampner and the other at Blenheim Palace. Such an early use is supported by the yellow wash of this drawing. It is clear that this drawing, which has come down to us as finished presentation drawings by the young John Yenn, is Chambers’s conception. 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, M. Sir William Chambers. London: V&A Publications, 1996.
|
Collection | |
Accession number | E.5029-1910 |
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Record created | June 30, 2009 |
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