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  • image SM Adam volume 47/6

Reference number

SM Adam volume 47/6

Purpose

[18] Unfinished design for the auditorium, c1789, unexecuted

Aspect

Elevation of an auditorium showing the raked pit, Royal box and surrounding boxes. The boxes are arranged in four tiers. The first tier is ornamented with putti within wreaths of husks and anthemia, the second with enclosed anthemia and arabesques, the third with lunettes enclosing swags and musical instruments, which alternate with tridents flanked by sea creatures, and the fourth with anthemia and cameos set within beaded lozenges. The first tier has Corinthian columns ornamented with acanthus leaves, surmounted by Corinthian columns ornamented with encircling vines in the second tier. There are tapering herm pilasters in the third tier, surmounted by tapering pilasters ornamented with drop calyx in the fourth tier. Above all this there is a frieze of fret, with an apron of shields and festoons. The Royal box is positioned in the first tier and is shown with a bow front. To the left of the boxes there is an entrance surmounted by a niche with statuary and this is flanked by giant Corinthian pilasters, ornamented with arabesques and calyx. To the left of the entrance there are a pair of giant Corinthian fluted columns, with a frieze of fluting and rosettes. Beyond this there is a relieving arch, surmounted by a roundel containing a bust, and a frieze of festoons and instruments

Scale

bar scale of 2 inches to 5 feet

Inscribed

Elevation of part of the Boxes to a larger scale (in pencil)/ No 6 (in pencil) / faint pencil inscription

Signed and dated

  • c1789
    c1789

Medium and dimensions

Pen, pencil and coloured washes including Indian yellow, verdigris and pink on laid paper (677 x 516)

Hand

Possibly
Office hand, possibly Robert Morison or Daniel Robertson

Verso

Notation, modern curatorial hand

Watermark

JWHATMAN, fleur-de-lis within a crowned cartouche

Literature

Bolton, 1922, Volume II, Index p. 40
Sheppard, 1960, Volume XXIX, (i), p. 249
For a full list of literature references see scheme notes.

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