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Purpose

Record drawing for the great drawing room recess mirror, July 1774, as executed (1)

Notes

The design for the great drawing room recess mirrors is included in the second volume of The works in architecture of Robert and James Adam (part 1, plate 5), and is illustrated in accordance with this drawing. Adam's preface to this plate reads:

Inside View of the Third and Great Withdrawing-room. The ornaments of the cieling and entablature are chiefly stucco gilt, with a mixture of paintings. The grounds are coloured with various tints. The frames for glasses, the pedestals and vases in the niches, and the girandoles on the piers, are of wood gilt...

Here it is suggested that the mirror frames for the recesses - in both Adam's drawing and the Works - are shown as executed. They were carved by Sefferin Nelson, but are not known to have survived.

According to Harris, it was from the engraving in the Works that this design became a favourite with Adam revivalists.

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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

Contents of Record drawing for the great drawing room recess mirror, July 1774, as executed (1)