Architectural Design thumbnail 1
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Architectural Design

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

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 with grey washes.
Brief description
Elevation of a chimneypiece, set against a wall with a dado; William Chambers
Physical description
Elevation of a chimneypiece, set against a wall with a dado. This drawing is in an office hand. On the backing sheet is a pencil drawing of an elaborate hanging lamp by J. Starkie Gardner.

The sheet has been laid on to another sheet which has been partially torn away. This in turn has been glued on to a sheet with engraving which has also been torn away leaving only fragments of the engravings behind. Further strengthening strips have been glued to the top and bottom edges of the sheet.
Dimensions
  • Height: 264mm
  • Width: 401mm
Style
Object history
Bought from J. Starkie Gardner, 1910.
Summary
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 Catalogue Number: 794
Collection
Accession number
E.4971-1910

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Record createdJune 30, 2009
Record URL
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