Drawing
18th century (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
Elevation of a base motif for a chimneypiece tablet at Duntish Court by leading architect and designer Sir William Chambers (1723-1796). Duntish Court (formerly Castle Hill) was a substantial house with ceilings and chimneypieces designed by Chambers and executed about 1760. Much altered externally in the nineteenth century, the house was largely demolished in 1965. The drawing of the vase, cat.609, by John Yenn, relates to the central vase on a chimneypiece in one of the rear rooms (photographs in NMR). It was also used on a chimneypiece at Gower House, and evidently elsewhere too (see cat.791).
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 pink and grey washes |
Brief description | Elevation of a base motif for a chimneypiece tablet at Duntish Court, 18th century, Sir William Chambers (1723-1796). |
Physical description | Elevation of a base motif for a chimneypiece tablet at Duntish Court. |
Dimensions |
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Production type | Design |
Object history | Bought from B. Quaritch, 1863 (Yenn Album). |
Historical context | Duntish Court (formerly Castle Hill) was a substantial house with ceilings and chimneypieces designed by Chambers and executed about 1760. Much altered externally in the nineteenth century, the house was largely demolished in 1965. Elevation of a vase motif for a chimneypiece tablet. The drawing of the vase, cat.609, by John Yenn, relates to the central vase on a chimneypiece in one of the rear rooms (photographs in NMR). It was also used on a chimneypiece at Gower House, and evidently elsewhere too (see cat.791). |
Subjects depicted | |
Summary | Elevation of a base motif for a chimneypiece tablet at Duntish Court by leading architect and designer Sir William Chambers (1723-1796). Duntish Court (formerly Castle Hill) was a substantial house with ceilings and chimneypieces designed by Chambers and executed about 1760. Much altered externally in the nineteenth century, the house was largely demolished in 1965. The drawing of the vase, cat.609, by John Yenn, relates to the central vase on a chimneypiece in one of the rear rooms (photographs in NMR). It was also used on a chimneypiece at Gower House, and evidently elsewhere too (see cat.791). 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.
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Collection | |
Accession number | 3861:7 |
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Record created | June 30, 2009 |
Record URL |
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