Colen Campbell: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 09:23, 19 June 2019

1676-1729. Scottish Architect known for his Neo-Palladian Architecture and Vitruvius Britannicus.

Eldest of four children. In 1700, Colen Campbell was a lawyer in Edinburgh. After the Act of Union in 1707, Campbell switched professions and became an architect. The first building that is attributed to him is Shawfield Mansion in Glasgow, which was finished in 1712.

Relocating to England, Campbell became famous for the classic-inspired architecture of Wanstead House, Essex in 1714, which belonged to Sir Richard Child (later Viscount Castlemaine). The classic-inspired Neo-Palladian style (referring to the Italian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio) was coined by different features such as decorations in a reduced and antique-like appearance. Campbell was finally established as an architect in 1719 when Richard Boyle, third earl of Burlington, hired him to transform his residence in Piccadilly into a Neo-Palladian house.

Campbell is named author of Vitruvius Britannicus, first published in 1715, a collection of influential and important buildings in Britain. The idea stems from a few booksellers and printers, who hired Campbell as an editor for their project. Campbell is also the writer of the introduction, and the explanatory comments to each of the buildings that are shown. In the second volume, published in 1717, and in the third Volume, published in 1725, Campbell added pictures and drawings of his own architectural visions, some of finished houses, some of designs which were not yet realized, as a means of self-promotion. These were sometimes devoted to influential British politicians to foster the rise of Neo-Palladianism. Among them were for example King George I, to whom the first volume was dedicated, and Sir Robert Walpole. 692 people were subscribed to Vitruvius, mostly nobles and even five royals, in 1725.

Campbell also fulfilled other posts and professions. These include Chief Clerk and Deputy Surveyor-General in 1718, architect to George Augustus, Prince of Wales in 1719, and Surveyor of Greenwich Hospital in 1726. Campbell also worked on another literary project and published a part of Quattro Libri, a book by Andrea Palladio, in Britain in 1728. A year later a translated and edited version appeared under the name The Five Orders of Architecture, now including illustrations and plans from Campbell himself.

Campbell died in September 1729. His burial place is located in the south cloister of Westminster Abbey. Due to the absence of a gravestone or a monument the exact location of his grave is unknown. A single verified portrait of Campbell is shown in Compton Place, Sussex.

In 1966 a great amount of his illustrations reemerged, enlightening scholars about his designs and his influences.

Buildings (abbreviated overview):

Shawfield Mansion, Glasgow, 1712

Wanstead House, Essex, 1714

Burlington House, London, 1717

Stourhead, Wiltshire, 1721 to 1724

Pembroke House, Whitehall, London, 1723

Houghton Hall, Norfolk, 1722

Mereworth Castle, Kent, 1722

Waverley Abbey House, Surrey, approx. 1723

Plumptre House, Nottingham, 1724

Compton Place, Eastbourne, Sussex, 1726

Sources:

"Colen Campbell." Westminster Abbey, https://www.westminster-abbey.org/de/abbey-commemorations/commemorations/colen-campbell . Accessed 17 Jun. 2019.

Connor, T. P. “Campbell, Colen, of Boghole and Urchany (1676-1729)”, in: Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford: Oxford University Press 2010. https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-4485?rskey=C7jz8m&result=1 . Accessed 16 Jun. 2019.

Curl, James Stevens and Susan Wilson. “Campbell, Colen”, in: A Dictionary of Architecture and Landscape Architecture. 3rd edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press 2015, online. https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780199674985.001.0001/acref-9780199674985-e-801?rskey=AarmDj&result=3 . Accessed 16 Jun. 2019.

"Palladianism." Britannica Academic, Encyclopædia Britannica, 17 May. 2016. https://academic.eb.com/levels/collegiate/article/Palladianism/58116. Accessed 16 Jun. 2019.

Summerson, John. Architecture in Britain: 1530 to 1830. Harmondsworth, Middlesex and others: Penguin 1963.

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--1729. Scottish architect. Author of ''Vitruvius Britannicus'' (1715-1725).
+-1729. Scottish Architect known for his [[Palladianism|Neo-Palladian]] Architecture and ''Vitruvius Britannicus''.
-Colen Campbell (1676-1729) is one of the most distinguished figures in early eighteenth-century architecture. He was born on 15th June 1676 as the eldest of four children to Donald Campbell, laird of Boghole and Urchany, and his wife Elizabeth.
+Eldest of four children. In 1700, Colen Campbell was a lawyer in Edinburgh. After the [[Act of Union (1707)|Act of Union]] in 1707, Campbell switched professions and became an architect. The first building that is attributed to him is Shawfield Mansion in Glasgow, which was finished in 1712.
-He appeared in Edinburgh in 1700 as a lawyer. However, he reinvented himself as an architect after the Act of Union, finishing his first building, Shawfield Mansion in Glasgow in 1712. Details about his architectural studies are mostly unknown. He became famous in England when he designed Wanstead House in Essex for Sir Richard Child (later known as the Viscount Castlemaine) in a simpler, more classical style.
-In 1715, Colen Campbell published the first volume of the ''Vitruvius Britannicus'', in which he speaks in favor of the Antique style, which was simpler and not as flamboyant as the Baroque style, and lauds the ‘renowned Palladio’. Hence, he is known for his Neo-Palladian style: he was the designer of many of the most important buildings of the movement. The ''Vitruvius Britannicus'' is a record of the principal private and public British buildings, prepared by a group of booksellers, and Campbell used this project as a means of self-promotion. He is listed as the author on the title page, and next to writing the introduction, it is assumed that he also wrote the brief texts accompanying the plates for each building. He was able to include many of his own designs, often dedicated to British Politicians powerful and influential enough to contribute to the cause of a new architecture.
+Relocating to England, Campbell became famous for the classic-inspired architecture of Wanstead House, Essex in 1714, which belonged to Sir Richard Child (later Viscount Castlemaine). The classic-inspired Neo-Palladian style (referring to the Italian [[Renaissance]] architect [[Andrea Palladio]]) was coined by different features such as decorations in a reduced and antique-like appearance. Campbell was finally established as an architect in 1719 when [[Richard Boyle]], third earl of Burlington, hired him to transform his residence in Piccadilly into a Neo-Palladian house.
-In 1718 Campbell was appointed Chief Clerk and Deputy Surveyor-General. In 1719, Campbell became Architect to George Augustus, Prince of Wales (later the King George II) and was appointed by Richard Boyle, the third earl of Burlington to re-fashion his house in the Palladian style. This proved as a great chance for him to increase his popularity and establish himself as an architect. In 1717 and 1725, the second and third volumes of ''Vitruvius Britannicus'' appeared. ''Vitruvius Britannicus'' included illustrations of Campbells designs, attracting rich and influential patrons. Among those were for example the King George I, to whom the first volume of the Vitruvius was dedicated, and Sir Robert Walpole.  In 1725, the book had a list of 692 subscribers, including five members of the royal family and many other nobles.
+Campbell is named author of ''Vitruvius Britannicus'', first published in 1715, a collection of influential and important buildings in Britain. The idea stems from a few booksellers and printers, who hired Campbell as an editor for their project. Campbell is also the writer of the introduction, and the explanatory comments to each of the buildings that are shown. In the second volume, published in 1717, and in the third Volume, published in 1725, Campbell added pictures and drawings of his own architectural visions, some of finished houses, some of designs which were not yet realized, as a means of self-promotion. These were sometimes devoted to influential British politicians to foster the rise of Neo-Palladianism. Among them were for example King [[George I]], to whom the first volume was dedicated, and Sir [[Robert Walpole]].  692 people were subscribed to ''Vitruvius'', mostly nobles and even five royals, in 1725.
-In 1726, Campbell was appointed Surveyor of Greenwhich Hospital. In 1728, he brought out a version of the first book of Andrea Palladio’s ''Quattro Libri'', which was revised and published in 1729 as ''The Five Orders of Architecture'', now including some of Campbells own designs.
+Campbell also fulfilled other posts and professions. These include Chief Clerk and Deputy Surveyor-General in 1718, architect to [[George II|George Augustus]], Prince of Wales in 1719, and Surveyor of Greenwich Hospital in 1726. Campbell also worked on another literary project and published a part of ''Quattro Libri'', a book by Andrea Palladio, in Britain in 1728.  A year later a translated and edited version appeared under the name ''The Five Orders of Architecture'', now including illustrations and plans from Campbell himself.
-He died on September 13th in 1729 and was buried in the south cloister of Westminster Abbey. In the following years, he became more or less forgotten or simply connected to the Vitruvius Britannicus until in 1966 a large collection of his drawings was discovered, enlightening scholars about his designs. Only one portrait, in the plaster decoration of Compton Place in Sussex, is verified as a portait of Colen Campbell.
+Campbell died in September 1729. His burial place is located in the south cloister of [[Westminster Abbey]]. Due to the absence of a gravestone or a monument the exact location of his grave is unknown.  A single verified portrait of Campbell is shown in Compton Place, Sussex.
+In 1966 a great amount of his illustrations reemerged, enlightening scholars about his designs and his influences.
+'''Buildings (abbreviated overview):'''
+Shawfield Mansion, Glasgow, 1712
+Wanstead House, Essex, 1714
-'''Buildings (overview):'''
-Wanstead House, Essex, 1714
 Burlington House, London, 1717
 Stourhead, Wiltshire, 1721 to 1724
 Pembroke House, Whitehall, London, 1723
-Houghton Hall, Norfolk, 1722
-Mereworth Castle, Kent, 1722
+Houghton Hall, Norfolk, 1722
-Waverley Abbey House, Surrey, approx. 1723
-Compton Place, Eastbourne, Sussex, 1726
+Mereworth Castle, Kent, 1722
+Waverley Abbey House, Surrey, approx. 1723
+Plumptre House, Nottingham, 1724
+Compton Place, Eastbourne, Sussex, 1726
+'''Sources:'''
+"Colen Campbell." ''Westminster Abbey'', https://www.westminster-abbey.org/de/abbey-commemorations/commemorations/colen-campbell . Accessed 17 Jun. 2019.
-Sources:
+Connor, T. P. “Campbell, Colen, of Boghole and Urchany (1676-1729)”, in: ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography''. Oxford: Oxford University Press 2010. https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-4485?rskey=C7jz8m&result=1 . Accessed 16 Jun. 2019.
-Connor, T. P. “Campbell, Colen, of Boghole and Urchany (1676-1729)”, in: ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography''. Oxford: Oxford University Press 2010. https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-4485?rskey=C7jz8m&result=1 . Accessed 16 Jun. 2019.
 Curl, James Stevens and Susan Wilson. “Campbell, Colen”, in: ''A Dictionary of Architecture and Landscape Architecture''. 3rd edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press 2015, online. https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780199674985.001.0001/acref-9780199674985-e-801?rskey=AarmDj&result=3 . Accessed 16 Jun. 2019.
-"Palladianism." ''Britannica Academic'', Encyclopædia Britannica, 17 May. 2016. academic.eb.com/levels/collegiate/article/Palladianism/58116. Accessed 16 Jun. 2019.
+"Palladianism." ''Britannica Academic'', Encyclopædia Britannica, 17 May. 2016. https://academic.eb.com/levels/collegiate/article/Palladianism/58116. Accessed 16 Jun. 2019.
 Summerson, John. ''Architecture in Britain: 1530 to 1830''. Harmondsworth, Middlesex and others: Penguin 1963.