Preliminary design and finished drawing for the ceiling and recess ceiling of the little drawing room, 1763 and 1765, Adam volume 11/100 executed with minor alterations (2)

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Robert and James Adam office drawings
- Country houses
  - Audley End, Saffron Walden, Essex: designs for the house and park for Sir John Griffin Griffin Bt (later 4th Lord Howard de Walden), 1763-85 (18)
    - House: designs for the library, little drawing room, great parlour, great drawing room, and a dressing room

Purpose

Preliminary design and finished drawing for the ceiling and recess ceiling of the little drawing room, 1763 and 1765, Adam volume 11/100 executed with minor alterations (2)

Notes

The little drawing room is located on the south front of the south range at Audley End, adjacent to the great drawing room.

The colourful design shown in Adam volume 11/100 was executed with minor alterations and remains in situ, supported by the original Spalatro order columns, although the intercolumniation of these columns was altered at the request of Lady Griffin in order to accommodate her evening skirts. This space was intended for the use of ladies, while the men were in the great drawing room next door.

The interior is conspicuously Roman in style, and this ceiling was made in imitation of a ceiling in the Baths of Augustus, Rome. It was painted by Biagio Rebecca, and is comparable to the breakfast room at Mellerstain.

There is a drawing for the executed ceiling design at the house dated 1763. According to an account in the Essex Record Office Adam charged £15.15s for this drawing. There is also a drawing showing laid out wall elevations for the room at the house.

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

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Contents of Preliminary design and finished drawing for the ceiling and recess ceiling of the little drawing room, 1763 and 1765, Adam volume 11/100 executed with minor alterations (2)