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Stuart office finished drawing for a chimneypiece, possibly for the dressing room, 1766(?), unexecuted (1)
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Stuart office finished drawing for a chimneypiece, possibly for the dressing room, 1766(?), unexecuted (1)
Notes
In February 1767 Elizabeth Montagu wrote to Lord Kames at Blair Drummond that 'He [Adam] has made me a ceiling and chimney piece, and doors, which are pretty enough to make me a thousand enemies.' From this evidence, it appears that Adam had been responsible for the chimneypiece in the dressing room, but his drawing does not survive, and neither does his chimneypiece.
In 2013 Stephen Astley attributed this design for a chimneypiece for Mrs Montagu to James Stuart, and the draughtsmanship to the Stuart office. It is likely, therefore, that the inscribed date in an Adam office hand is incorrect, and that it had been produced either before Adam's work at the house, or afterwards. That this Stuart design survives within the Adam drawings collection suggests that it was intended for the dressing room (described in the pencil inscription as the little drawing room), but this is not certain. Moreover, the extant chimneypiece within the dressing room - which has been attributed to Stuart by Baird - does not follow this design.
In 2013 Stephen Astley attributed this design for a chimneypiece for Mrs Montagu to James Stuart, and the draughtsmanship to the Stuart office. It is likely, therefore, that the inscribed date in an Adam office hand is incorrect, and that it had been produced either before Adam's work at the house, or afterwards. That this Stuart design survives within the Adam drawings collection suggests that it was intended for the dressing room (described in the pencil inscription as the little drawing room), but this is not certain. Moreover, the extant chimneypiece within the dressing room - which has been attributed to Stuart by Baird - does not follow this design.
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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