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Architectural Design

18th century (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Elevation of a ewer by John Yenn (1750-1821) from the office of leading architect and designer Sir William Chambers (1723-1796). The ewer has a round body on a base with a gadrooned foot. The foot stands on a disc base which is uncoloured. The lower part of the body of the vase is cupped in alternating leaves and flowers. The neck is strigillated between bands of laurel. The reddish colouring of the drawing and the monumental nature of its design, suggests that this flagon was to be executed in bronze. A drawing for a similar, but not identical flagon is at the SM. This has a plain neck and a simple upswept handle with vegetal decoration. 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.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Pen and ink, pencil and watercolour
Brief description
Elevation of a ewer, 18th century, John Yenn (1750-1821) office of Sir William Chambers (1723-1796).
Physical description
Elevation of a ewer. The ewer has a round body on a base with a gadrooned foot. The foot stands on a disc base which is uncoloured. The lower part of the body of the vase is cupped in alternating leaves and flowers. The neck is strigillated between bands of laurel. The reddish colouring of the drawing and the monumental nature of its design, suggests that this flagon was to be executed in bronze.
Dimensions
  • Height: 400mm
  • Width: 223mm
Production typeDesign
Object history
Bought from J. Starkie Gardner, 1910.
Historical context
A drawing for a similar, but not identical flagon is at the SM.
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 ewer by John Yenn (1750-1821) from the office of leading architect and designer Sir William Chambers (1723-1796). The ewer has a round body on a base with a gadrooned foot. The foot stands on a disc base which is uncoloured. The lower part of the body of the vase is cupped in alternating leaves and flowers. The neck is strigillated between bands of laurel. The reddish colouring of the drawing and the monumental nature of its design, suggests that this flagon was to be executed in bronze. A drawing for a similar, but not identical flagon is at the SM. This has a plain neck and a simple upswept handle with vegetal decoration. 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.4994-1910

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Record createdJune 30, 2009
Record URL
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