I have an inordinately huge interest in England's stately
homes. I have studied them (both those open to the public and those which have
been demolished) for many years. In my studies I frequently ran across Vitruvius Bratannicus, (the British Architect) published first in
1715 by Scottish architect Colen Campbell (1676-1729). It was something I
longed to see in a great library, like the British Library.
Unbeknownst to me until recently, this volume has now been
published in an oversized paperback by Dover Publications, which has reproduced
it exactly as it appeared originally. The list price is $24.95, but my new copy
was cheaper.
The Newest Addition to Cheryl Bolen's Collection of Books on British Homes
The book features 100 fine plates depicting some of
Britain's finest stately homes as well as some public buildings. The plates not
only show the elevation of these buildings, but also many floor plans. Some
contain renderings of the layout of the formal gardens, too.
Campbell was a disciple of Italian architect Andrea Palladio,
founder of Palladian architecture movement, which began to sweep the British
Isles in the 17th century. Campbell's book is also full of praise for British
Architect Inigo Jones (1573-1652), citing Jones' Banqueting House (depicted in
this volume) constructed in 1515 at Whitehall as "without dispute, the
first room in the world." Not surprising, Jones was also a Palladian
disciple.
Many ducal seats are represented in Campbell's book,
including ones for the Dukes of Argyle, Buckingham, Devonshire, Marlborough,
Powis, and Queensbury.
An interesting facet of the work is the list of subscribers,
which was a common practice in Georgian publishing. The subscription list here
is a veritable Who's Who of early Georgian times. Nearly every aristocratic
family of the era is represented among the 300-plus names listed here.
If I have a complaint about this invaluable resource it is
that the manner in which Campbell presented the material is not user friendly.
He gives all the property descriptions and dates completed at the very front of
the book along with all the other descriptions--not connected to the relevant
plates. Therefore, the reader must flip back and forth to read about the
property. Another irritation is that there is no pagination or index, making
searches difficult.
I am still delighted to add it to my collection of books on
British homes.--Cheryl Bolen (More
Articles at www.CherylBolen.com.)
Posts
