282 x 212 mm, paperback, 48 pages, full colour
PRICE: £12.95
ISBN: 978 0 9549041 6 6
“In England more than in any other country, every man would fain to be his own architect”, remarked the Swiss J.A. Rouquet in 1755. He was referring to a unique European situation, where a growing number of English gentlemen, having found inspiration in architectural books and Continental travel, were turning their hands to design.
This exhibition and catalogue celebrates the most gifted, inventive and eccentric amateurs of the 18th and early 19th centuries with a selection of drawings, engravings and portraits gathered from Soane's collection and other museums, archives and private houses around the country. Selected for this exhibition include a number of great personalities: Ada Augusta Byron, Lady Lovelace, only daughter of the poet and architect of Ashley Combe, a romantic rambling antique Roman retreat on a Somerset cliff top; or the fabulous Sarah Losh, whose church, cemetery, and mausoleum at Wreay in Cumbria raise her to the heights of genius and invention.
“I am not a modernist but ... I agree with the modernists in every way except that I think their brand of modernism is not very good.” Raymond Erith looked to achieve what he called the true “economy of means”, using traditional means to create original buildings with progressive ideas behind them. More
This book presents an overview of the restoration Venice has undergone in the last two hundred years. It is a mistake to think that Venice has been preserved in aspic. A great deal changed after the Fall of the Republic in 1797, and continues to change. Having read this book, you will never look upon Venice’s streets, houses and canals in the same way again. More
Lucca's location has meant the city has always been able to adapt itself to the various historical cycles. Though undoubtedly affected by the spirit of each age, Lucca's culture and institutions remain deeply rooted in the traditions and character of its people. More
The architectural writings, recordings and films of the poet Sir John Betjeman (1906-1984) are here celebrated in this catalogue accompanying a major exhibition at Sir John Soane's Museum. Marking the centenary of Betjeman's birth, the catalogue and exhibitions will bring together rare archive material, both photographic and textual, in celebration of his life-long passion for architecture. More