Inigo Jones: Complete Architectural Drawings by John Harris & Gordon Higgott
4to. pp. 336. illustrated, 36 in colour. bibliography. index. paperback wrs. (near fine - rear lower corner worn). New York: The Drawing Center, 1989.
Inigo Jones was one of the most influential figures in the visual arts of 17th-century Britain. As Surveyor of the King's Works under James I and Charles I he was responsible for a vast program of work that embraced architecture, interior decoration, stage design and urban planning. At the Queen's House, Greenwich, and at the Banqueting House, Whitehall, he transmitted the High Renaissance classicism of Italy to an England still embedded in late Gothic modes of design. As designer of spectacular Court masques and entertainments, Jones revolutionized both the scenery and mechanics of the English stage. This is the first single-volume catalog of all Jones's ninety-three surviving architectural drawings, a third of which are reproduced in color. They range from masterly sketch elevations for royal lodges to meticulous presentation drawings for imposing gateways. A selection Jones's finest stage designs and figurative drawings has also been included, illustrating the breadth and power of his graphic work. Following extensive research, the drawings have been arranged chronologically for the first time, clarifying the phases of Jones's architectural style. Some well-known examples have been redated or reattributed in the light of stylistic or documentary evidence. Each drawing has been given a full technical description and commentary, supported in many cases by illustrations of engraved sources or photographs of the buildings themselves. Short essays introduce the periods or buildings to which the drawings belong, and longer essays summarize the wider aspects of Jones's achievement