The North Front of the Royal Infirmary

Category

Library Item

Item no

28261

Title

The North Front of the Royal Infirmary facing the City of Edinburgh

Description

This architectural drawing of a large institutional building is taken from 'Vitruvius Scoticus: being a collection of plans, elevations, and sections of public buildings, noblemen's and gentlemen's houses in Scotland, principally from the designs of William Adam Esq. Architect'.

Artist / maker

Adam, William

Engraver

Cooper, R.

Date

1812

Size

51.2 x 34.0cm

Location

Art and Design Library

The original Edinburgh Royal Infirmary was designed by William Adam and opened in 1741. It was demolished in 1884 and replaced by swimming baths.

In the 1720s this foremost Scottish architect of the time, William Adam (1689-1748) starting planning his publication of Vitruvius Scoticus. He aimed to present a collection of architectural drawings illustrating examples of his own classical building style and that of his contemporaries.

Vitruvius Scoticus was started and named in response to the Scottish architect and architectural writer Colen Campbell's Vitruvius Britannicus published 1715-1725. Vitruvius Scoticus was finally published in 1812 by William Adam’s grandson William Adam of Blair Adam (1751-1839), and contains 160 plates, including 100 of Adam's own designs.

William Adam designed numerous country houses and public buildings during the early C18th, examples of which are included in Vitruvius Scoticus.

Among his best known works are Hopetoun House (plates 14-21) near Edinburgh, and Duff House (plates 146-148) in Banff. His individual, exuberant style built on the Palladian style, but with Baroque details inspired by Vanbrugh and Continental architecture.

Vitruvius Scoticus continues to remain a reference for many an architect and architectural historian documenting the early development of a classical style in Scotland.

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