Colen Campbell18th C. Architectural Engraving from "Vitruvius Britannicus" by Colen Campbell, 1715

Description

"The Elevation of a New Design of my Own Invention in the Style of Inigo Jones, Is most humbly Inscribed … more "The Elevation of a New Design of my Own Invention in the Style of Inigo Jones, Is most humbly Inscribed to his Grace the Duke of Argyle & Knight of the most Noble Order of the Garter", plate 20 from Colen Campbell's first edition of "Vitruvius Britannicus; or The British Architect, Containing the Plans, Elevations, and Sections of the most Regular Buildings both Publick & Private in Great Britain, with a Variety of New Designs", published in London in 1715.
Campbell's description of his plans created for the home of the Duke of Argyle: "I Have inscrib’d this Design to this illustrious Name, whose great Actions have filled the World with Surprize and Admiration; Ramellies and Tanniers are immortal. And as it’s my greatest Honour to receive my Blood from his August House, I thought I could no where so properly consecrate the first Essay of my Invention, as an eternal Monument of the deepest Respect and Gratitude. I have given two Plates: In the first are two Plans in a Square of 112 Foot; the Apartments of State are below, raised from the Court by 6 Steps which leads into the great Hall, making a Cube of 50 Foot, and has a Poggio within dividing the two Stories; from the Hall you enter the Salon, attended with two noble Apartments of State fronting the Gardens; all the Rooms are either upon the Square, the Diagonal, or other Proportions universally received: In the second Story is a large Library, an Antichamber of each side, with double Apartments; over which are Mezonins, for accommodating the Family, illuminated by low Laterns from the Leads, whereby the Majesty of the Front is preserved from the ill Effect of crowded Apertures. The second is the Front, raised from the Plinth which supports the Rusticks, adorned with a Composite Order of ¼ Columns, with a regular Entablature and Ballustrade; the Windows are dress’d in the Palladian manner: And I have endeavoured to reconcile the Beauty of an Arcade in the ancient Buildings with the Conveniency of the Moderns, but must leave it to others to judge the Success. Anno 1714."

The print is presented in a gold frame, beige colored silk mat and embellished with a gold fillet. The print is in very good condition other then some linear marks in the lower margin, which most likely occurred at the time of printing in 1715. less