The General Front Elevation of Hopetoun House

Category

Library Item

Item no

28262

Title

The general front elevation of Hopetoun House

Description

The drawing is titled, 'The General Front of Hopton House toward the Court, The Seat of the Right Honourable the Earl of Hopton in the County of Linlithgow'.
This plate of the general front elevation of Hopetoun House designed by William Adam is from the book of his works, Vitruvius Scoticus.

Artist / maker

Adam, William

Engraver

Copper, R.

Date

1812

Size

23.0 x 68.0 cm

Type

Engraving

Location

Art and Design Library

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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Related subjects

Architecture > Architectural features > Architectural drawings

Architecture > Architectural features > Cupolas

Architecture > Architectural features > Porticos

Homes > Residential buildings > Houses

Homes > Residential buildings > Mansions

Places > Edinburgh areas > South Queensferry

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