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Finished drawing for a ceiling for the drawing room, possibly executed, 1761 (1)
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Purpose
Finished drawing for a ceiling for the drawing room, possibly executed, 1761 (1)
Notes
During the 1760s the drawing room was located in the front room on the first floor of 16 Lower Grosvenor Street. It is not known if this ceiling design was executed as the room has been much altered.
This drawing is one of the earliest coloured drawings produced by the Adam office. Though the ornamentation and style of draughtsmanship are characteristic of the early office, the colours used are not. Following his return from Italy Robert Adam experimented with the colours he had seen in antique buildings, and this drawing is an excellent example of an experiment with colour. King notes that Adam's later ceilings - during his mature period - make use of lighter colours, allowing him to mimic the tones of the ceiling in the walls without creating an overall effect of darkness. Stylistically, Stillman relates this ceiling design to those for Gordon House and Thistleworth.
This drawing is one of the earliest coloured drawings produced by the Adam office. Though the ornamentation and style of draughtsmanship are characteristic of the early office, the colours used are not. Following his return from Italy Robert Adam experimented with the colours he had seen in antique buildings, and this drawing is an excellent example of an experiment with colour. King notes that Adam's later ceilings - during his mature period - make use of lighter colours, allowing him to mimic the tones of the ceiling in the walls without creating an overall effect of darkness. Stylistically, Stillman relates this ceiling design to those for Gordon House and Thistleworth.
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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