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London: Parliament House (designs for). Design for a long rectangular panel showing a battle scene with soldiers landing from boats and advancing into battle. In the background is a walled town to one side and a naval battle. In the foreground are dead and wounded soldiers.
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Reference number
Adam vol.7/63
Purpose
London: Parliament House (designs for). Design for a long rectangular panel showing a battle scene with soldiers landing from boats and advancing into battle. In the background is a walled town to one side and a naval battle. In the foreground are dead and wounded soldiers.
Aspect
Elevation
Inscribed
Inscribed primo in pencil and in a later hand for the Circular Hall; and in ink in a contemporary hand Town in War and Circular Hall
Signed and dated
- Undated, probably 1762-63
Medium and dimensions
Pencil, pen, brown wash with white heightening, partly oxidised, on brown washed paper
163 x 778 with two vertical fold lines
Hand
Antonio Zucchi (attributed to)
Notes
This composition is part of a series of designs for James Adam's Parliament House scheme of 1762/63 that depict scenes and aspects of general life (Adam vol.7/60-67). Several are noted as being for either the Great or Circular Hall (as here) of the scheme; the plan in Adam vol.7/3 depicts three large and several smaller circular halls. Presumably the final plan for the scheme of 1763, never fully finished and now lost, indicated such chambers (see A. A. Tait, Robert Adam: drawings and imagination, Cambridge, 1993, p.64). The battle and historical drawings are all similar in draughtsmanship and were probably made by Antonio Zucchi (1726 - 95) in the winter of 1762/63.
This composition for the proposed Circular Hall of the Adam Parliament House contrasts with the 'Town in peace' depicted in Adam vol.7/60 and 61. Unlike the war scene in Adam vol.7/62, the soldiers are shown in contemporary dress with appropriate weapons of muskets and cannons.
This composition for the proposed Circular Hall of the Adam Parliament House contrasts with the 'Town in peace' depicted in Adam vol.7/60 and 61. Unlike the war scene in Adam vol.7/62, the soldiers are shown in contemporary dress with appropriate weapons of muskets and cannons.
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