Explore Collections Explore The Collections
You are here: CollectionsOnline  /  [5] Finished drawing for an elevation of the west front of the College of Justice, 1791, unexecuted

Browse

  • image SM Adam volume 33/01

Reference number

SM Adam volume 33/01

Purpose

[5] Finished drawing for an elevation of the west front of the College of Justice, 1791, unexecuted

Aspect

Elevation of a two-storey, twelve-bay building with a hipped roof and a domed octagonal tower to the rear. The central five bays of both floors project forwards. The ground floor is arcaded and rusticated and has a central stepped entrance with a fanlight above the door. The first floor is articulated by a mixture of Corinthian columns and pilasters with the central five bays supporting a pediment containing a central cartouche of the coat of arms of Edinburgh, with acroteria above. The projecting outer bays have openings in pedimented moulded surrounds with consoles, with medallions above and this design is repeated in the outer bays of the building, with heraldry flanked by sphinxes on plinths above. The entire elevation is adorned with a variety of decorative elements including vermiculated panels, inset circles, strigilated panels, and a mixture of geometric, festoon, and enclosed anthemion friezes

Scale

bar scale of 1 1/2 inches to 10 feet

Inscribed

West Front of a new Design for part of the College of Justice & of a Library for the Dean & Faculty / of Advocates & also of a Library for the Writers to the Signet &c / (verso) 5 Pieces 1 Plan 1 Section 3 Plan Advocates Library Edinh

Signed and dated

  • 1791
    Robt Adam Architect 1791

Medium and dimensions

Pen, pencil and wash within a ruled border on laid paper (648x479)

Hand

Possibly
Adam office hand, possibly Robert Morison or John Robertson

Literature

Bolton, 1922, p. 11
Brown, 1989, p. 75
Kerr, 1998, pp. 4-7
For a full list of literature references see scheme notes.

Level

Drawing

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