Thursday 9 March 2017

FINE ARTS. ARCHITECTURAL DRAWINGS IN THE ROYAL ACADEMY (2)

Carlos concludes his 1838 review with comments on designs for secular buildings. On the whole he finds a little more to like here,although he has some cutting remarks about the "Cast Iron Necropolis". The Westminster Bridge, Deptford and Greenwich Railway, for which John Davis Paine created elaborate drawings, was never constructed, and other contemporary reports confirm it was never likely to have been.
 There are but few designs in Grecian architecture; among which the most important are the following :—

William Wilkins' East India College, Haileybury. The building was 30 years old when Carlos saw  the architect's drawing at the Royal Academy.
Downing College as intended by Wilkins. Construction had actually begun in 1807 and proceeded fitfully.

View of the Principal Front of Downing College, Cambridge, now in Progress. W.Wilkins, R.A. View of the East India College, built at Haileybury. W. Wilkins, R.A.-—These drawings appear to be placed in juxta position, to show how far an exceedingly common-placed design can be varied to suit two buildings, a very favourite process with modern architects. The second is the parent design; a long line of front broken by three porticoes, one in the centre of the design, the others in the wings— equidistant from the centre. The same arrangement appears in the Cambridge College, except that two lateral porticoes appertain to separate piles of buildings, and so far are in better taste. Neither of the porticoes, however, occupies its right place at the extremity of the building, but all are placed against the side—the common fault of a modern Grecian example.
In street architecture the following design is marked with originality.
1198. D'Oyley's Warehouse, 346. Strand, corner of New Wellington Street, now re-building.  S. Beazley.—The style of the decorations is that of the age of Louis XIV. upon the whole a bad school to follow, but in the present instance it is very well adapted to an extensive shop and warehouse.
Lewis Vuillamy's new  facade for the Royal Institution, as drawn by TH Shepherd.
 1119. View in Albemarle Street of the new Front of the Royal Institution of Great Britain. L. Vuiliamy.—A clever adaptation of the principal elevation of the Dogana at Rome to an older building: the principal variation from the original is in the division of the pilasters in the attic.
1098. An Attempt at a Polychromic Restoration of the Choragic Monument of Lysicrates. C. Vickers.—The principal restorations consist of the golden tripod raised on the beautiful finial which crowns the tholus, the volutes of which are strengthened by golden dolphins resting on the marble scrolls which still exist on the monument. Colour is applied to the frieze, and has a very pleasing effect.
1753. Sketch of a Design for a Cast Iron Necropolis, adapted for Churchyards or other Cemeteries. J. Gaudy, A.—We mistook it for a retort house, in some extensive gas works; packing the undistinguished dead in cast-iron pipes and laying them one upon another in rows, and those of more importance in vats and boilers, would create ludicrous sensations, and give rise to any but proper feelings.
1105. Westminster and Greenwich Railway, View of the Terminus adjacent to the foot of Westminster Bridge, Surrey side. J. D. Paine.
1218. Westminster and Greenwich Railway. View of the Bridge crossing the Kent Road near New Cross. J. D. Paine. .—We are pretty well acquainted with both these localities, and are now writing in the latter, yet have never seen either of these objects. Why is language employed to give to structures, whose erection is extremely problematical, the appearance of a present existence?
In the old English domestic style of architecture, the following designs are the most attractive:—


William Donthorn's Great Hall at Highcliffe. Photo via  Chrischurch History Society..

1068. Entrance Hall at High Cliffe, now erected for the Right Hon. Lord Stuart de Rothsay. W. J. Donthorn.
1103. Interior of the Great Hall forming part of a Gentleman's residence in Surrey, erecting under the Superintendence of B. Ferrey. — The above are specimens of the timber roofed halls of our old mansions: the roof of the first named consists of arched beams of oak, but more light and slender than ancient timber work; the hall is embellished with a large window of stained glass and paintings on the walls. The second example is a portion of the same design which appeared in last year's exhibition; it possesses more decidedly the character of an old hall, the principals are larger, and the smaller beams between them marked by the ornamental detail, usually met with in such situations; the windows are of the Tudor description, and the hall is furnished with an oriel. The architect does not state in what part of Surrey it is to be erected.
Kingsworthy rectory by John Chessell Buckler

JC Buckler's Costessey (also spelt Cossey) Hall, Norfolk.

1070. The Rectory House, Kingsworthy, Hampshire. J. Buckler.
1074. Cossey Hall, Norfolk. J. Buckler. —The rectory house is a pleasing structure of red brick in the Tudor style of architecture; the chimnies and gables are introduced where they are required; they form, it is true, ornamental accessories, but are not merely ornaments without utility. Cossey Hall appears in one of the many points of view, in which this very picturesque mansion shows itself to so much advantage, the view comprises the magnificent oriel windows, the great tower, and the chapel. Both these structures are highly creditable to Mr. J. C. Buckler, from whose designs, with the exception of the chapel at Cossey, both structures were erected.

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