Walls and floor are washed a pale green, the columns are white, doors and skirting are a mahogany brown, niche and alcoves have classical sculpture. Soane's copy of the presentation drawing made for Frederick Hervey, Bishop of Derry (who succeeded his brother as (4th) Earl of Bristol, 22 December 1779) is very carefully drawn and rendered. He re-used it for his Royal Academy lecture 7 to illustrate a discussion of proportion in rooms and the use of internal columns to increase 'the variety and movement of our plans' (D.Watkin, Sir John Soane: the Royal Academy lectures, 2000, p.169).

This 'last' design resolves some of the uncertainties of Nos 1 and 2. The large bow window was correctly sited at the western end, and the tall windows to the south were regularised. Little could be done about the awkward diagonal approach from the existing corridor and library at the east end. In Soane's Designs for Public and Private Buildings, p.39. he wrote of this design that it was 'similar to the Entrance Hall at Claremont, which had been finished from Drawings made by me during the time I was in the employ of Mr. Henry Holland'.

Two Royal Academy lecture drawings (13/4/1-2) show the designs represented by Nos 3 and 1 as interior perspectives.

P. du Prey, John Soane's architectural education 1753-80, 1977, pp.141-144; P. du Prey, John Soane: the making of an architect, 1982, pp.114-118

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