. Robert Adam & his brothers; their lives, work & influence on English architecture, decoration and furniture . e brothers contrived tomake themselves familiar with the architecture and other artistic workof Roman and Renaissance periods, to a degree that few earlierarchitects had been able to do. The sources of influence that aretraceable in their work were largely, if not mainly, to be found inRoman remains and in the decorative work of the Cinquecento period,as in Fig. 17 ; yet they were proud to acknowledge the assistance thatthey derived in various ways from the knowledge of French work,
. Robert Adam & his brothers; their lives, work & influence on English architecture, decoration and furniture . e brothers contrived tomake themselves familiar with the architecture and other artistic workof Roman and Renaissance periods, to a degree that few earlierarchitects had been able to do. The sources of influence that aretraceable in their work were largely, if not mainly, to be found inRoman remains and in the decorative work of the Cinquecento period,as in Fig. 17 ; yet they were proud to acknowledge the assistance thatthey derived in various ways from the knowledge of French work, whichthey had doubtless acquired, knowing that it was requisite that theyshould be intimately informed of the requirements and fashions ofpolite, social life in France. In this respect, it is interesting to note howclosely the period of Louis XVI. synchronised with that during whichthe brothers practised in their severe style. It should not be imaginedthat they were, however, entirely neglectful of the traditions in whichhey had been trained. From their younger days, when their father, INTRODUCTORY NOTE -5. Fig. 17.—Adam Arabesque Ornament: Ceiling, Back Drawing-Room,Lansdowne House. (See Fig. 134.)4 26 THE LIVES AND WORK OF ROBERT AND JAMES ADAM William Adam, a strict Palladian, collected the plates for his VitruviusScoticus, they are sure to have been familiar with Campbells Vitruvius Britannicus, the work that suggested the preparation ofa similar compilation restricted to Scottish architecture. From their Works and other sources it is evident that the buildings of Englisharchitects were well known to them, and particularly those of InigoJones, Wren, and Vanbrugh ; but it was to the works of Vanbrughthat they made special reference, and in their own way expressed theiradmiration of the qualities to which Sir Joshua Reynolds also alludedin his subsequent discourse. Unlike Stuart, the brothers could notrender their whole allegiance to the Greek architecture of Athens, for,th
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