Robert Adam
architect; b. July 3, 1728, at Kirkcaldy, Scotland; d. March 3, 1792.
Robert Adam was the second son of William Adam, and the most eminent of the four brothers Adam: John, Robert, James, and William. He was educated at Edinburgh University and visited Italy in 1754. He visited also Dalmatia, and published the Ruins of the Palace of the Emperor Diocletian at Spalatro in Dalmatia (London, 1764, 1 vol. folio with engravings by Bartolozzi). In association with his brothers he began in 1768 to build the Adelphi (London), a vast terrace constructed on arches which contain warehouses and support streets and houses. The brothers, especially Robert and James, seem to have originated the practice of grouping unimportant London houses into masses having the appearance of single imposing edifices. They were especially successful in designing the interior arrangement, decoration, and furniture of residences. They commenced the publication of their works in 1773. The second volume was completed in 1778. A posthumous third volume was added, and the whole published in 1822 with the title, Works in Architecture of the late Robert and James Adam, Etqs., complete in three vols, with 125 plates engraved by Bartolozzi, Piranesi, etc. Robert Adam was buried in Westminster Abbey.
1755
Jean Legeay
In 1732 Legeay won the Grand Prix in architecture. He was called to Berlin in 1754, and became architect to the king, Friedrich II (Frederick the Great). He designed the palace of Sans Souci, and other buildings in and near Potsdam, near Berlin.
Pierre Patte
architect and engraver; b. January 3, 1723; d. 1812.
Patte appeared first as a critic, especially attacking the design of Soufflot for the Panthéon (Paris), on account of the weakness of the piers supporting the dome. He erected numerous unimportant buildings, but is best known by his published works. He continued the Cours d' Architecture of Jacques Francois Blondel, and published independently Discours stir l' Architecture (Paris, 1754, 8vo); Études sur l' Architecture en France et en Italie (Paris, 1755, 20 pis.); Essai sur l' Architecture Théâtrale (Paris, 1782), etc.
Thomas Sandby
architect; b. 1721; d. June 25, 1798.
He was appointed architect to King George II of England in 1754, and in 1755 was one of the committee which considered the formation of a public academy. At the formation of the Royal Academy, in 1768, he was made a member, and the first professor of architecture.
| |
| |
|