Drawing
18th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This was the most extraordinary of all Chambers's spectacular staircases.
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
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Pen and ink, pencil and watercolour |
| Brief description | Section of the staircase of Melbourne House, Westminster for the 1st Lord Melbourne; William Chambers. |
| Physical description | Section of the staircase of Melbourne House, Westminster for the 1st Lord Melbourne. This drawing shows a north-south section of the staircase hall looking towards the western wall. The compartment was in the centre of the house and it rose to the top of the house, where it was lit by an octagonal skylight, the lantern decorated with swags of acanthus. The compartment is decorated in a restrained manner relying on the spectacular staircase for effect. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Object history | Bought from C. J. Richardson, 1864. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This was the most extraordinary of all Chambers's spectacular staircases. 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. |
| Associated objects | |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | 3422 |
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| Record created | June 30, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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