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Record drawing for a ceiling for the library, 1766, as executed, but to a different colour scheme (1)

The library is located on the principal storey of the house in the north range, between the breakfast room to the east, and the great staircase to the west.

The use of this room prior to Adam's works is unknown. It was transformed into a library in order to replace Francis Child's library in the demolished east range - a necessary task as in 1756 Francis Child had purchased the library of a renowned book collector, the Hon. Bryan Fairfax, for £2,000.

The ceiling was executed in accordance with Adam's design, but it was painted white, rather than following the colour scheme of this alternative design. It survives in situ, but during the nineteenth century this ceiling was painted light green, its white scheme being reinstated during the tenure of the V&A Museum.

There are two complete Adam office copies of this drawing within the National Trust drawings collection at Osterley. One is colour-washed, and the other shows the executed white scheme, and is grey-washed. There is also an Adam office set of laid-out wall elevations for this room at Osterley, showing a scheme of inbuilt Ionic bookcases, as executed by John Gilbert, but with an alternative frieze which was not executed. The room is decorated with ten paintings above the bookcases by Antonio Zucchi, and an overmantel painting which has been attributed to Giovanni Battista Cipriani.

Harris has noted that unlike other contemporary libraries, this room was not used as a family reception room, and instead the gallery fulfilled this function at Osterley.
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