Explore Collections Explore The Collections
You are here: CollectionsOnline  /  [29] Staircases I K, L M (lobby) and upper part

Browse

  • image SM 33/3/B35

Reference number

SM 33/3/B35

Purpose

[29] Staircases I K, L M (lobby) and upper part

Aspect

Section of the Lobby / on the Line I K, Section of the Lobby / on the Line L M and The Plan of upper part / of Staircase

Scale

to a scale

Inscribed

as above, The Marquis of Buckingham, Design for Staircase &c to the Gothic Library at Stowe, a:a equal space at the Top / & Sides of the Windows, a a a, Section of the Lobby I K. ante room, Library, The Plan of the upper part / of staircase, Section of the Lobby / on the line L M, Dimensions of B --- / Return. Flat ----, Groined (twice), Niche Heads, d note in forming the Bracketing / for the Ceiling at this end observe / the Arches against the wall e.e. / dormer into the Niche Head, (red pen) The Basso Rellievo settled by the Marq: / to be placed here / and the niche omitted / with Mr Rothwell / at Stowe

Signed and dated

  • 1805
    Copy / Lincolns Inn Fields

Medium and dimensions

Pen, red pen, pencil, sepia, blue, yellow and light red washes, pricked for transfer, on laid paper (685 x 525)

Hand

Soane office

Notes

See drawing [28] for the same design though labelled (on drawing [26]) G H instead of I K as here.
This drawing shows (in a sketchy way) Soane's idea for top lighting. M. McCarthy discusses this in his article on Stowe, viz. 'Another characteristic device, by which Soane found expression for that 'lumiere mysterieuse' he so prized is seen in the lighting of the upper flight of the staircase. A tapering hexagonal cone conducts natural light from the roof to the relatively shallow groined ceiling'. (M.McCarthy, 'Soane's ''Saxon '' Room at Stowe', Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians, XLIV, 1985, p.145)

Level

Drawing

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