Drawings 39, 42 to 46 are drawings in Joseph Michael Gandy's sketchbook and were probably preliminary drawings for the more finished drawings 40, 41 and 43. A perspective of the staircase at Holwood, probably drawing 40, was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1800.

Drawings 39 to 45 show the principal staircase as a leisurely double-return form. The drawings vary in the decorative treatment of the first floor ceiling and balustrades, the distribution of columns and arches, and the skylight form. Drawings 40, 41 and 44 show Ionic columns on the first floor supporting four lunettes and a pendentive dome. The ceiling is ornamented with incised beams spanning between each column and pilaster. Drawing 39, probably an unfinished perspective, shows a skylight on a circular plan over the stairwell, omitting a stair rail and ceiling ornament.

The staircase is surrounded by a corridor on the first floor. To the south (left-hand side of drawings 39 to 41), two quarter-stairs ascend to a door into the bowed drawing room.

Drawing 46 is a rough perspective of an alternative stair that corresponds with earlier plans (drawings 31 to 35). In the perspective, an ionic colonnade and three round-headed arches surround the stairwell, and wide segmental lunettes support a shallow-domed ceiling.

SM 4/1/3 is a lecture drawing and a copy of drawing 42 at a larger scale, showing an interior perspective of the stairwell from the ground floor.

The V&A has one drawing showing an interior perspective of the best staircase as in drawings 39 and 46 (P. du Prey, V&A catalogue, cat.s 79-81).

Gandy worked as an assistant in Soane's office from 1798 to 1801, thereafter receiving occasional commissions for his exceptional draughtsmanship.

Group

Digitisation of the Drawings Collection has been made possible through the generosity of the Leon Levy Foundation

If you have any further information about this object, please contact us: drawings@soane.org.uk