Robert Adam's London

Frances Sands

• Publisher: Archaeopress
• Year: 2016
• Print ISBN: 9781784914622
• eBook ISBN: 9781784914639
• Topic: Architecture
• Subtopic: Architecture General

The iconic eighteenth-century architect Robert Adam was based in London for more than half of his life and made more designs for this one city than anywhere else in the world. This book reviews a wide variety of his designs for London, highlighting lesser-known buildings as well as familiar ones. Each of Adam's projects explored in this book is plotted on Horwood's map of London (1792-99), enabling the reader to recognise Adam's work as they move around the city, as well as to envisage London as if more of his ingenious designs had been executed or survived demolition.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• Contents
• List of Figures
• Foreword
• Map of London
• Richard Horwood, Plan of the Cities of London and Westminster the Borough of Southwark, and parts adjoining shewing every house, 1792–99, detail. Reproduced from the London Topographical Society facsimile, 1966, by courtesy of the Cushing Memorial Library
• Richard Horwood, Plan of the Cities of London and Westminster the Borough of Southwark, and parts adjoining shewing every house, 1792–99, detail. Reproduced from the London Topographical Society facsimile, 1966, by courtesy of the Cushing Memorial Library
• Key to Map
• Fig 1. Attributed to George Willison, Robert Adam, c.1770–75.
• Introduction
• Introduction
• Fig 2. Robert Adam, an arrangement for marbles at 75 Lower Grosvenor Street, 1759.
• Fig 3. Sir Thomas Lawrence, Portrait of Sir John Soane, aged 76, 1828–29. SM P11.
• Fig 4. Adam office, design for the Admiralty screen, 1759. SM Adam volume 35/1.
• Fig 5. Adam office, view of Whitehall including the Admiralty screen, 1759. SM Adam volume 35/4.
• Fig 6. The Admiralty Screen, Whitehall, 2014. Photograph: Daniela Stallinger
• Fig 7. Adam office, design for a funerary monument to Major-General James Wolfe for Westminster Abbey, 1759.
• Fig 8. Adam office, design for a funerary monument to Lieutenant-Colonel Roger Townshend for Westminster Abbey, 1760.
• Fig 9. Adam office, design for the chimney wall for the glass drawing room at Northumberland House, 1770–73.
• Fig 10. Adam office, design for the ceiling for the glass drawing room at Northumberland House, 1770.
• Fig 11. Adam office, design for the Royal Terrace and arches at the Adelphi, c.1768–69.
• Fig 12. Adam office, promotional drawing showing the ceiling for David Garrick’s front drawing room at 5 Royal Terrace, Adelphi, 1769.
• Fig 13. Adam office, design for the proscenium arch at the Drury Lane Theatre, 1775.
• Fig 14. Robert and James Adam, Works in architecture of Robert and James Adam, Volume II, 1779, part V, plate 7: view of the interior of the Drury Lane Theatre. Photograph: Geremy Butler
• Fig 15. Adam office, plan for alterations to Drummond’s Bank, 1777.
• Fig 16. Adam office, design for the façade of Drummond’s Bank, 1777.
• Fig 17. Adam office, plan for the first proposal to extend and enclose King’s Bench Prison, 1773.
• Fig 18. Adam office, design for a curtain wall to enclose King’s Bench Prison, 1773.
• Fig 19. Adam office, design for the ceiling of Lloyd’s Coffee House ceiling, 1772. Adam volume 12/120. Photograph: Ardon Bar-Hama
• Fig 20. Adam office, design for the interior of Lloyd’s Coffee House, 1772.
• Fig 21. Attributed to James Adam, frieze for the back parlour of 152 Aldersgate Street, n.d.
• Fig 22. Adam office, plan for rebuilding at Lincoln’s Inn, 1772–74.
• Fig 23. Adam office, view of the proposed façade at Lincoln’s Inn facing Chancery Lane, 1772–74. SM Adam volume 28/14. Photograph: Ardon Bar-Hama
• Fig 24. Adam office, view of the proposed façade at Lincoln’s Inn facing Lincoln’s Inn Fields, 1772–76.
• Fig 25. Adam office, design for the ceiling of the Duchess of Bolton’s dressing room at Bolton House, 1770.
• Fig 26. Adam office, design for a mirror frame for the southern wall of the drawing room at Bolton House, 1772. SM Adam volume 20/84. Photograph: Ardon Bar-Hama
• Fig 27. Adam office, design for the façade of 20 Soho Square, 1771.
• Fig 28. Adam office, design for the ceiling for the square drawing room at 20 Soho Square, 1771.
• Fig 29. Adam office, design for a display table for 9 Charlotte Street, 1777.
• Fig 30. Soane office, Royal Academy lecture drawing showing 11, 13 & 15 Mansfield Street, c.1806–15.
• Fig 31. Adam office, design for the ceiling for the back drawing room at 7 Mansfield Street, 1772.
• Fig 32. Mansfield Street, 2016.
• Fig 33. Adam office, design for the façade of Portland House, c.1770–76.
• Fig 34. Adam office, plan for Portland House along with its stables and garden, c.1770–76.
• Fig 35. Adam office, design for a house for the Earl of Kerry on Portland Place, c.1769–73.
• Fig 36. Adam office, design for a chimneypiece for the front room at 34 Portland Place, 1776.
• Fig 37. Portland Place, 2016.
• Fig 38. Adam office, design for Clerk House, c.1768.
• Fig 39. Adam office, plan for the first storey of Clerk house, c.1768.
• Fig 40. Adam office, design for a ceiling for the first drawing room of Chandos House, 1771.
• Fig 41. Chandos House, 2016.
• Fig 42. Adam office, design for the stairwell at Home House, c.1775.
• Fig 43. Adam office, design for the Etruscan dressing room at Home House, c.1777.
• Fig 44. Adam office, design for a frame for Gainsborough’s portraits of the Duke and Duchess of Cumberland for Home House, 1777.
• Fig 45. Adam office, design for a ceiling for the drawing room at 41 Portman Square, 1766.
• Fig 46. Adam office, design for a ceiling for the ground-floor dressing room at 18 Grosvenor Square, 1764.
• Fig 47. Adam office, design for a mirror frame for 18 Grosvenor Square, 1764.
• Fig 48. Adam office, design for a ceiling for the great drawing room ceiling at 23 Grosvenor Square, 1773.
• Fig 49. Adam office, design for a chimneypiece and overmantel mirror frame for the Etruscan dressing room at 23 Grosvenor Square, 1774.
• Fig 50. Adam office, design for a ceiling for Elizabeth Montagu’s dressing room at 23 Hill Street, 1766.
• Fig 51. Adam office, design for an embroidered chair seat for 23 Hill Street, c.1766.
• Fig 52. Adam office, design for a sofa for 31 Hill Street, 1779.
• Fig 53. Adam office, design for the façade of 31 Hill Street, 1779.
• Fig 54. Adam office, design for a ceiling for the front drawing room at 15 Berkeley Square, 1769.
• Fig 55. Adam office, design for a ceiling for the front drawing room at 15 Berkeley Square, 1776.
• Fig 56. Adam office, plan showing one of four schemes for Bute House, Berkeley Square, c.1761–63.
• Fig 57. Adam office, plan for the ground storey of Lansdowne House, 1765.
• Fig 58. Adam office, design for the façade of Lansdowne House, 1765.
• Fig 59. Adam office, design for a ceiling for the drawing room at Lansdowne House, 1767.
• Fig 60. Adam office, design for the drawing room at 30 Curzon Street, 1771.
• Fig 61. Adam office, design for a ceiling for the front drawing room at 10 Hertford Street, 1769.
• Fig 62. Adam office, design for a chimneypiece for the front drawing room at 10 Hertford Street, 1769.
• Fig 63. Adam office, design for the façade of the Lock Hospital, c.1760–70.
• Fig 64. Robert Adam, design for alterations to Buckingham House, c.1761–63.
• Fig 65. Adam office, design for a door between the stairwell and the saloon at Buckingham House, c.1762–63.
• Fig 66. Adam office, design for an illumination for the garden at Buckingham House, 1763.
• Fig 67. Adam office, design for a ceiling for Lady Coventry’s octagonal dressing room at Coventry House, 1765.
• Fig 68. Adam office, design for a ceiling for the great room at Coventry House, 1765.
• Fig 69. Coventry House, 2016.
• Fig 70. Adam office, design for a screen wall and gateway at 147 Piccadilly, 1764.
• Fig 71. Adam office, plan for the ground storey of a house at Hyde Park Corner for Lord Shelburne, 1761.
• Fig 72. Adam office, design for the façade of a house at Hyde Park Corner for Lord Shelburne, 1761.
• Fig 73. Adam office, design for the façade of a house at Hyde Park Corner for Lord Barrymore, c.1790.
• Fig 74. Adam office, plan of the basement and ground storeys of a house at Hyde Park Corner for Lord Barrymore, c.1790.
• Fig 75. Adam office, plan of the first and second storeys of a house at Hyde Park Corner for Lord Barrymore, c.1790.
• Fig 76. Adam office, plan of the ground storey of Apsley House, 1771.
• Fig 77. Adam office, plan of the first storey of Apsley House, 1771.
• Fig 78. Adam office, design for a domed ceiling for the octagonal dressing room at Apsley House, 1775.
• Fig 79. Adam office, design for a chimneypiece for the dining room at Apsley House, 1774.
• Fig 79. Adam office, design for a chimneypiece for the dining room at Apsley House, 1774. SM Adam volume 23/59. Photograph: Ardon Bar-Hama
• Fig 80. Adam office, plan and section of the Deputy Ranger’s Lodge, Green Park, 1766.
• Fig 80. Adam office, plan and section of the Deputy Ranger’s Lodge, Green Park, 1766.
• Fig 81. Adam office, design showing the front and rear elevations of the Deputy Ranger’s Lodge, Green Park, 1766.
• Fig 81. Adam office, design showing the front and rear elevations of the Deputy Ranger’s Lodge, Green Park, 1766. SM Adam volume 42/26. Photograph: Ardon Bar-Hama
• Fig 82. Adam office, survey drawing showing plans of 19 Arlington Street, 1763.
• Fig 82. Adam office, survey drawing showing plans of 19 Arlington Street, 1763. SM Adam volume 32/52. Photograph: Ardon Bar-Hama
• Fig 83. Adam office, design for a rear extension at 19 Arlington Street, c.1763–65.
• Fig 83. Adam office, design for a rear extension at 19 Arlington Street, c.1763–65. SM Adam volume 32/50. Photograph: Ardon Bar-Hama
• Fig 84. Adam office, design for a sofa for the saloon at 19 Arlington Street, 1764.
• Fig 84. Adam office, design for a sofa for the saloon at 19 Arlington Street, 1764. SM Adam volume 17/74. Photograph: Ardon Bar-Hama
• Fig 85. Adam office, design for a ceiling for the saloon at 23 Arlington Street, 1771. SM Adam volume 12/87. Photograph: Ardon Bar-Hama
• Fig 86. Adam office, design for a ceiling for the gallery at 23 Arlington Street, 1771. SM Adam volume 12/82. Photograph: Ardon Bar-Hama
• Fig 87. Adam office, design for a screen and entrance gates for 19 Dover Street, c.1773.
• Fig 87. Adam office, design for a screen and entrance gates for 19 Dover Street, c.1773. SM Adam volume 51/45. Photograph: Ardon Bar-Hama
• Fig 88. Adam office, design for the library at 19 Dover Street, 1773.
• Fig 88. Adam office, design for the library at 19 Dover Street, 1773. SM Adam volume 50/8. Photograph: Ardon Bar-Hama
• Fig 89. Adam office, design for a screen and gateway for Carlton House, 1776.
• Fig 89. Adam office, design for a screen and gateway for Carlton House, 1776. SM Adam volume 29/1. Photograph: Ardon Bar-Hama
• Fig 90. Adam office, design for the façade of 34 Pall Mall, 1765.
• Fig 90. Adam office, design for the façade of 34 Pall Mall, 1765.
• Fig 91. Adam office, design for a ceiling for the front drawing room at 34 Pall Mall, 1766.
• Fig 91. Adam office, design for a ceiling for the front drawing room at 34 Pall Mall, 1766. SM Adam volume 11/173. Photograph: Ardon Bar-Hama
• Fig 92. Adam office, design for the chimney wall of the great dining room at Cumberland House, 1780.
• Fig 92. Adam office, design for the chimney wall of the great dining room at Cumberland House, 1780. SM Adam volume 14/138. Photograph: Ardon Bar-Hama
• Fig 93. Adam office, design for the window wall of the third drawing room at Cumberland House, c.1780–85.
• Fig 93. Adam office, design for the window wall of the third drawing room at Cumberland House, c.1780–85.
• Fig 94. Adam office, plan showing a proposed extension to Cumberland House, 1785.
• Fig 94. Adam office, plan showing a proposed extension to Cumberland House, 1785. SM Adam volume 49/15. Photograph: Ardon Bar-Hama
• Fig 95. Adam office, design for the Haymarket Opera House, c.1789.
• Fig 95. Adam office, design for the Haymarket Opera House, c.1789. SM Adam volume 47/7. Photograph: Geremy Butler
• Fig 96. Adam office, design for the façade of 11 St James’s Square, 1774.
• Fig 96. Adam office, design for the façade of 11 St James’s Square, 1774. SM Adam volume 41/49. Photograph: Ardon Bar-Hama
• Fig 97. 11 St James’s Square 2016.
• Fig 97. 11 St James’s Square 2016. Photograph: Lewis Bush
• Fig 98. Adam office, design for a sedan chair for 20 St James’s Square, c.1773–5.
• Fig 98. Adam office, design for a sedan chair for 20 St James’s Square, c.1773–5. SM Adam volume 49/39. Photograph: Ardon Bar-Hama
• Fig 99. Adam office, design for the façade of 20 St James’s Square, 1771–72.
• Fig 99. Adam office, design for the façade of 20 St James’s Square, 1771–72. SM Adam volume 40/65. Photograph: Ardon Bar-Hama
• Fig 100. Adam office, plan showing the ground and first floors of 20 St James’s Square, 1771–72. SM Adam volumes 40/66-67. Photograph: Ardon Bar-Hama
• Fig 100. Adam office, plan showing the ground and first storeys of 20 St James’s Square, 1771–72.
• Fig 101. Adam office, design for a chimneypiece for the first drawing room at 20 St James’s Square, 1772.
• Fig 101. Adam office, design for a chimneypiece for the front drawing room at 20 St James’s Square, 1772. SM Adam volume 23/10. Photograph: Ardon Bar-Hama
• Fig 102. Adam office, design for Lady Williams Wynn’s dressing room at 20 St James’s Square, c.1772.
• Fig 102. Adam office, design for Lady Williams Wynn’s dressing room at 20 St James’s Square, c.1772. SM Adam volume 40/70. Photograph: Ardon Bar-Hama
• Fig 103. Adam office, design for the façade of 33 St James’s Square, 1770.
• Fig 103. Adam office, design for the façade of 33 St James’s Square, 1770. SM Adam volume 44/14. Photograph: Ardon Bar-Hama
• Fig 104. Adam office, design for a ceiling for the first drawing room at 33 St James’s Square, 1770.
• Fig 104. Adam office, design for a ceiling for the front drawing room at 33 St James’s Square, 1770. SM Adam volume 12/39. Photograph: Ardon Bar-Hama