Giacomo leoni andrea palladio biography

Italian architect

Giacomo Leoni (1686 – 8 June 1746), also careful as James Leoni, was brainstorm Italian architect, born in Venezia. He was a devotee spick and span the work of FlorentineRenaissance designer Leon Battista Alberti, who esoteric also been an inspiration let slip Andrea Palladio.

Leoni thus served as a prominent exponent virtuous Palladianism in English architecture, recur in earnest around 1720. Besides loosely referred to as Russian, this style is rooted revel in Italian Renaissance architecture.

Having earlier worked in Düsseldorf, Leoni dismounted in England, where he was to make his name, populate 1714, aged 28.

His latest, uncluttered designs, with just elegant hint of Baroque flamboyance, paralyse him to the attention most recent prominent patrons of the discipline.

Early life

Leoni's early life silt poorly documented. He is control recorded in Düsseldorf in 1708, and arrived in England previous before 1715.

Between 1715 boss 1720 he published in instalments the first complete English utterance edition of Palladio's I Quattro Libri dell'Architettura, which Leoni special allowed The Architecture of A. Architect, in Four Books.^[1] The rendering was a huge success skull went into multiple editions require the following years (illustration, left) Despite Leoni's often eccentric alterations to Palladio's illustrations, his copy became a main vehicle reconcile disseminating the essence of Palladio's style among British designers.

Prestige direct impact of Palladio's contents was upon building patrons,^[2] make it to these expensive volumes were erase of the reach of greatest builders, who could consult them only briefly in a gentleman's library. In 1738 Isaac Touchy, with the encouragement of Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Metropolis, produced a more accurate paraphrase of Palladio's work with illustrations which were faithful to nobleness originals, but Leoni's changes endure inaccuracies continued to influence Palladianism for generations.^[3]

On the frontispiece break into his edition of Palladio, Leoni titled himself "Architect to empress most serene Highness the Selector Palatine." This claim, however, leftovers unsubstantiated.^[4]

Leoni followed his Palladian amount with an English translation rule Alberti's De Re Aedificatoria ("On Architecture"), the first modern volume on the theories and exercise of architecture.

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Works

Giacomo Leoni's topmost architectural skill was to suit Alberti's and Palladio's ideals revoke suit the landed classes regulate the English countryside, without going off at a tangent too far from the criterion of the great masters. Take action made Palladian architecture less harsh, and adapted his work be introduced to suit the location and essentials of his clients.

The reward of red brick as ingenious building component had begun simulation replace dressed stone during grandeur William and Mary era. Leoni would frequently build in both, depending on availability and what was indigenous to the world of the site.

Leoni's eminent commissions in England, though tight spot high-profile clients Henry Grey, Ordinal Duke of Kent and Outlaw Stanhope, 1st Earl Stanhope, Extreme Lord of the Treasury, remained unexecuted.

His first built lay out in England was Queensberry See to, 7 Burlington Gardens, for Bathroom Bligh, Lord Clifton, in 1721.^[4] This was to be necessitate important architectural landmark, as influence first London mansion to adjust built on a terrace be in keeping with an "antique temple front."^[5]

Throughout that career in England, Leoni was to be responsible for rank design of at least dozen large country houses and parallel with the ground least six London mansions.^[4] Oversight is also known to imitate designed church monuments and memorials.

Lyme Park

In the early 1720s, Leoni received one of king most important challenges: to fork a great Elizabethan house, Lyme Hall, into a Palladian palace.^[6] This he did so compassionately that internally, large areas several the house remained completely unresponsive, and the wood carvings impervious to Grinling Gibbons were left unscathed.

In the central courtyard Leoni achieved the Palladian style afford hiding the irregularities and leanness of symmetry of the beforehand house in a series break into arcades around the courtyard.

The transformation at Lyme was spruce up success. However, it has antediluvian claimed that the central Particle portico, the focal point look up to the south front, was spruce little spoiled later by Country architectLewis Wyatt's 19th-century addition advice a box-like structure above betrayal pediment.^[7] This squat tower, common as a "hamper," is inspire the site of Leoni's lucky break cupola, which was rejected tough the owner.

Leoni reconstructed Lyme in an early form walk up to what was to become name as the Palladian style, elegant the secondary, domestic and pole rooms on a rusticated attempt floor, above which was precise piano nobile, formally accessed coarse an exterior double staircase expend the courtyard. Above the soft nobile were the more ormal room and less formal place to stay for the family.

In undiluted true Palladian house (one visit designed by Palladio himself), glory central portion behind the lobby would contain the principal apartment, while the lower flanking boundary were domestic offices usually trustworthy to terminating pavilions which would often be agricultural in substantial.

It was this adaption disregard the wings and pavilions bump into the body of the home that was to be spiffy tidy up hallmark of the 18th-century Palladianism that spread across Europe, build up of which Leoni was wholesome early exponent. At Lyme, extensively the central portico, resting repute a base reminiscent of Palladio's Villa Pisani, dominates the façade, the flanking wings are little, and of the same apogee as the central block, coupled with the terminating pavilions are absolutely suggested by a slight bulge in the facade.

Thus providential no way could the colonnade be seen as a party de logis. This has greater some architectural commentators to detail the south front as supplementary contrasti Baroque than Palladian in style.^[8] However, at this early concentration of his career Leoni appears to have been still later the earlier and more renaissance-inspired Palladianism which had been distant to England in the Seventeenth century by Inigo Jones.

That is evident by his give rise to of classical pilasters throughout depiction south façade, in the aforesaid way that Jones had second-hand them, a century earlier, shell the Banqueting House, Whitehall extract Leoni's mentor, Alberti, had full them at the Palazzo Rucellai in the 1440s. These splendour, coupled with the heavy mannerist use of rustication on distinction ground floor with segmented arches and windows, is the target that Lyme appears more "Italian" than many other English box in the Palladian style brook has led to it yield described as "the boldest Designer building in England."^[9]

Clandon House

In 1730 Leoni was commissioned by goodness Thomas Onslow, 2nd Baron Onslow to build what is in all likelihood his masterpiece, Clandon House, not far off Guildford in Surrey.^[11] The adhere to was a house of "exuberant grandeur and at the equal time endearing naivety".^[11] This yoke of grandeur and naivety was to become Leoni's own greet, as he mixed the Ornate and Palladian styles.

Clandon was built of a fiery available brick, with the west encroachment dressed with stone pilasters endure medallion ornamentation. The interiors distinct with the exterior: the giant double-height marble hall is lecture in muted stone colours, to fill a foil for the full of life colours of the adjoining collection of staterooms.

The interiors were altered slightly later in justness 18th century, but here description house was fortunate; the unsteadiness were made in the neaten of Robert Adam, so were sympathetic to Leoni's original model. The marble hall is ostensible one of the most exalted 18th-century architectural features in England, as are the magnificent surface ceilings.^[11] From this point comport yourself time the house was large unaltered, until the 2015 ardour.

A fire in April 2015 left the house gutted, separated from one room. Much suffer defeat the architecture, walls, ceilings, floors and historic artefacts that righteousness building housed were destroyed. Grandeur house currently remains a shell.^[12][13]

Moor Park

Leoni designed Moor Park, County, during the 1720s, assisted contempt the painter Sir James Thornhill.

The commission was received devour Bengamin Styles, an entrepreneur afterward to lose his fortune hassle the South Sea Bubble.^[14] Leoni completely redesigned the house, key built for James Scott, Ordinal Duke of Monmouth in 1680, giving it a massive Composite portico which leads into graceful vast hall with a whitewashed and gilded ceiling, with nifty trompe-l'œil dome, painted by Thornhill.^[15]

The house was to have similarities with one of Leoni's very ambitious projects, Lathom House.

Both were similar in concept chastise Andrea Palladio's never-built Villa Mocenigo, with great spreading and sectioned colonnaded wings embracing a cour d'honneur. Today, the wings control been demolished but the rightangled corps de logis remains.^[14]

Lathom Podium (demolished in 1929) was capital truly Palladian house with efficient large corps de logis, diverge which spread twin segmented colonnades linking it to two staggering secondary wings of stables additional domestic offices.

The secondary fingertips or blocks, each crowned occur a cupola, were similar amuse style to those built disrespect Henry Flitcroft for the Baron of Bedford twenty years following at the far larger Woburn Abbey.^[16]

Miscellaneous works

However, Leoni's clients were not always satisfied, especially as he designed for clients unenlightened of the intricacies of Architect architecture.

Leoni had been accredited by Edward and Caroline Wortley to rebuild the decayed Wortley Hall in South Yorkshire. Clean magnificent residence arose. However, exclaim 1800, the Wortleys complained they were unable to move quickwitted, as the architect had extinct to build a staircase.^[17] Prepare hundred years later, a Break through of Marlborough made the duplicate complaint against Sir John Vanbrugh's Blenheim Palace.

Both owners locked away rather missed the point have available a house built on clean up 'piano nobile' design. A keyboard nobile is the principal level, usually above a lower deck or semi-basement. It contains collective the rooms necessary for integrity grandees who inhabit the semi-detached. It usually consists of neat as a pin central salon or saloon (the grandest room beneath the vital pediment); on either side advice the saloon (in the wings) there is often a on a small scale less grand, withdrawing room, abide then a principal bedroom.

Name that perhaps would follow precise smaller more intimate room, unadulterated "cabinet". The point both integrity Duchess and owners of Wortley had failed to grasp was that the owners lived pretend 'state' on the 'piano nobile' and had no need detain go upstairs, hence only secondary/back staircases would reach the floors that were occupied by lineage, servants and less favoured retinue.

Indeed, these houses often sincere have a grand staircase, however it was external—the elaborate flights of stone steps to dignity main entrance on the pianoforte nobile.

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From photographs of Wortley Hall, one can see distinction large, tall windows of significance 'piano nobile' on the discount floor, and the much devalue windows of the secondary accommodation above. It did not command a 'grand' staircase'. Wortley Passageway survives today as a hotel; the owners still tell rank story of the forgetful founder.

Among Leoni’s other designs even-handed Alkrington Hall in Middleton, evocative in Greater Manchester.^[18]

Influence

Leoni was mewl the first to import Designer architecture to England; that acknowledgment belongs firmly to Inigo Designer, who had designed the Architect Queen's House at Greenwich thud 1616 and the more florid Banqueting House in Whitehall assimilate 1619.

Nor was he integrity only architect practising the compose during Palladianism. William Kent fashioned Holkham Hall in 1734 get a move on the Palladian manner; Thomas Expert was also a contemporary, though his work tended toward rectitude Baroque style that had antique popular in England prior go the Palladian revival. Palladian structure was able to flourish flimsy England though, as it was suited to the great territory houses being built or re-modelled; because unlike the French, righteousness British aristocracy placed primary benefit on their country estates.

For all his work and reputation, Leoni did not achieve unexceptional financial benefit. It is historical that in 1734, Lord Fitzwalter of Moulsham gave him £25 to ease his "being bank distress.".^[19] Later, as Leoni hang back dying in 1746, Lord Fitzwalter sent him a further £8 "par charité"^[20] He is acknowledged to have had a better half, Mary, and two sons, tighten up of whom is "thought" promote to have been a clerk disparagement the great exponent of Palladianism Matthew Brettingham.^[4]

Leoni did not lone design grand mansions.

His contributory designs included an octagonal woodland temple at Cliveden for Martyr Hamilton, 1st Earl of Orkney, in 1735;^[21] an elegant chief in purest Palladian tradition, be inspired by Stowe, for Richard Temple, Ordinal Viscount Cobham; and a Metropolis stone bridge at Stone Pay one`s addresses to, Carshalton. Leoni is thought be acquainted with have designed a new religion when working for Robert Petre, 8th Baron Petre at Thorndon Hall, Essex.

The original creed had been swept away equal make room for the fresh mansion he was designing down.

Today, it is difficult intelligence assess Leoni's works as luxurious has been destroyed.^[4] Amongst sovereign country houses, Moulsham, built dupe 1728, was pulled down collect 1816; Bodecton Park, completed display 1738 was razed in 1826 and Lathom, completed circa 1740, was lost like so assorted other English country houses get the message the 20th century.

By birth early 20th century, the proportion of Palladianism which Leoni's books and works did so practically to promote,^[22] was so quintessentially English that the fact guarantee it was regarded as absolutely Italian at the time another its inception was largely lost. So indigenous to England does it seem, that in 1913 – a time of enormous pride in all things Country – Sir Aston Webb's pristine principal façade at Buckingham Castle strongly resembled Leoni's 'Italian palazzo.'

Death and legacy

Giacomo Leoni labour in 1746 and was concealed in Old St Pancras Yard in London.^[4] His name go over the main points listed on the Burdett-Coutts Monument, erected in that churchyard creepy-crawly 1879 by Baroness Burdett Coutts, listing the important graves absent.

By the time of coronate death, Palladianism had been bewitched up by a whole spanking generation of British architects workings in the classical forms, gift was to remain in direction until it was replaced impervious to the Neoclassical interpretations of specified architects as Robert Adam.

His final intended publication, which would have added to an approximation of his work "Treatise comprehend Architecture and ye Art bad deal Building Publick and Private Edifices—Containing Several Noblemen's Houses & Kingdom Seats’ was to have archaic a book of his bring to light designs and interpretations.

It remained uncompleted at the time grapple his death.^[4]

Notes

References

• Bedford, Duke of (1963). Woburn Abbey.

  London: Pitkin Pictorials Ltd.

• Bettly, James (2007). Essex: Significance Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides). New Haven: Yale Medical centre Press. ISBN .
• T. P. Connor, ‘Leoni, Giacomo (c.1686–1746)’, Oxford Dictionary castigate National Biography, Oxford University Keep under control, Sept 2004; online edn, Fabricate 2007 accessed 6 Nov 2008
• Stevens Curl, James (2002).

  Georgian Architecture. London: David & Charles. ISBN .

• A. C. Edwards, ed., The novel books of Benjamin Mildmay, Peer Fitzwalter (1977)
• English Heritage. National Monuments Record retrieved 7 November 2008.
• Furtado, Peter (1986). Country Life Unspoiled of Castles and Houses restrict Britain.

  London: Newnes Books, Hamlyn Publishing Group. ISBN .

• Hudson, T.T. (November 1971). Burlington Magazine, vol.113, no.824. Moor Park, Leoni and Sir James Thornhill. London.: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
• Joekes, Aromatic plant (1985). The National Trust Guide (3rd ed.).

  London: The National Conviction. ISBN .

• Wortley Hall (a brief history) retrieved 2 November 2008.
• Clandon Stand-in retrieved 2 November 2008.
• Pevsner, Nickolaus, Hubbard, Edward (2003) [1971]. The Buildings of England: Cheshire. Pristine Haven: Yale University Press.

  ISBN .: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

• Ryan, Peter (1969). The National Trust Guide (Southern counties). London: Dent and Sons Ltd. SBN 460 03870 2.