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[4] Rough designs, 1778
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- Sir John Soane office drawings: the drawings of Sir John Soane and the office of Sir John Soane
Reference number
SM volume 42/162 recto and verso
Purpose
[4] Rough designs, 1778
Aspect
Rough plan basically consisting of a stretched ellipse with a three-quarter circular chamber at one end, a cross axis marked by slightly projecting wings, and with several rooms arranged along each side; and very rough (pencil) studies of plan forms including a Greek cross enclosing a circular compartment with four apses; and a circular compartment with several domes or lanterns; (verso) further very rough studies of plan forms: an elliptical courtyard building with a double entrance marked In twice; rectangular courtyard building with Triumphal Arch marked; and a T-plan with several compartments including a circular one with 8 lanterns related to plans on the recto
Inscribed
(recto) Hall (verso) as above and near Capua on the road / bad from - - - - c (illegible) Capua / to Caserta
Signed and dated
- datable to c. 29 December 1778
Medium and dimensions
Pen and pencil, (verso) pencil, on laid secretary paper with three fold marks (319 x 418)
Hand
Soane
Watermark
(partly illegible) D'Annonay and crown with trefoils (French made)
Notes
The rough plans reveal Soane rapidly sketching out successive ideas that bring him closer to the eventual solution. Soane's Italian notebook, 1778-9 (volume 164, f.14) shows that he was, for example, in Capua and Caserta, 20 miles north of Naples on 29 December 1778.
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