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Capriccio showing a symmetrical building in a landscape setting. It has a central drum, dome and cupola, flanked by four towers with spires joined by a colonnade, with a five-bay portico on steps with flanking arcaded wings.
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Reference number
Adam vol.55/3
Purpose
Capriccio showing a symmetrical building in a landscape setting. It has a central drum, dome and cupola, flanked by four towers with spires joined by a colonnade, with a five-bay portico on steps with flanking arcaded wings.
Aspect
Perspective
Inscribed
Inscribed in ink on drawing 3
Signed and dated
- Undated, probably 1757
Medium and dimensions
Pencil, pen, brown wash152 x 182
Hand
Robert Adam
Notes
As with Adam vol.55/2, this drawing may be compared with the landscape capricci found in Adam vol.54/Series 5/1-19. A similar design is found in Adam vol.55/8, which also has spires flanking a central dome. According to John Fleming, this drawing belongs to a group of '. . . surprising capricci in the Gothic taste in which he appears to have indulged from time to time despite Clérisseau's disapproval' (J. Fleming, Robert Adam and His Circle in Edinburgh & Rome, London, 1962, p.229). Fleming dates this drawing to 1757, largely on the strength of its stylistic similarity to the Gothic scheme of December 1757 found in Adam vol.54/Series 4/2.
Literature
Rep. J. Fleming, Robert Adam and His Circle in Edinburgh & Rome, London, 1962, pl.64
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