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London: Parliament House (designs for). Design for four round-headed niches each containing a statue of a regal figure in seventeenth-century costume, all having the chain of the Order of the Garter.
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Reference number
Adam vol.7/31
Purpose
London: Parliament House (designs for). Design for four round-headed niches each containing a statue of a regal figure in seventeenth-century costume, all having the chain of the Order of the Garter.
Aspect
Elevations
Inscribed
Inscribed in pencil in a contemporary Italian hand primo, ottavo, quarto
Signed and dated
- Undated, probably 1762-63
Medium and dimensions
Pencil, pen, brown wash with white heightening, partly oxidised, on grey washed paper
130 x 383
Hand
Antonio Zucchi (attributed to)
Notes
These figures and those in Adam vol.7/33 were intended for a room similar to that shown in Adam vol.7/23. James Adam described them in his unfinished essay on architectural theory of 1762: 'Below in niches are introduced statues also which, being nearer to the eye, must not be very colossal ... when the size of the building requires niches of very great dimensions it is necessary to place your statues on a socle or pedestal of no great height' (J. Fleming, Robert Adam and His Circle in Edinburgh & Rome, London, 1962, p.318). This drawing and that in Adam vol.7/33 are sketches for a more formal version.
The set of pen and wash drawings with heightening, Adam vol.7/21-44, are all designs for the relief decoration of James Adam's Parliament House scheme of 1762/63. The predominant theme is British history and the figures are dressed in either early seventeenth-century or classical costume. The principal draughtsman was Antonio Zucchi (1726-95), although some of the figure compositions are probably the work of Agostino Scara, of whom James Adam wrote that he '... draws figures full as well as Brunias...' (Fleming, op.cit., p.279). Adam gave great emphasis in his Parliament scheme to the role of decorative sculpture and this probably explains the survival of so much material of this sort. In his essay of 1762, Adam explained: 'What is meant by outside decoration is sculpture, statues and bas-reliefs, together with foliage, trophies, frets, interlacings and a thousand such ornaments which, if properly applied, give such amazing magnificence and render an ediface so wonderfully interesting...' (Fleming, op.cit., p.317).
The set of pen and wash drawings with heightening, Adam vol.7/21-44, are all designs for the relief decoration of James Adam's Parliament House scheme of 1762/63. The predominant theme is British history and the figures are dressed in either early seventeenth-century or classical costume. The principal draughtsman was Antonio Zucchi (1726-95), although some of the figure compositions are probably the work of Agostino Scara, of whom James Adam wrote that he '... draws figures full as well as Brunias...' (Fleming, op.cit., p.279). Adam gave great emphasis in his Parliament scheme to the role of decorative sculpture and this probably explains the survival of so much material of this sort. In his essay of 1762, Adam explained: 'What is meant by outside decoration is sculpture, statues and bas-reliefs, together with foliage, trophies, frets, interlacings and a thousand such ornaments which, if properly applied, give such amazing magnificence and render an ediface so wonderfully interesting...' (Fleming, op.cit., p.317).
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