ROBERT ADAM

Founders, leaders of the main directions of neoclassical architecture in the British were the brothers Adam, sons of well-known architect William Adam. The most talented of these was Robert.

Architectural work of Robert Adam has been very broad. Together with brothers James, John and William, his employees, he built entire streets, squares, neighborhoods of London.

Robert Adam was born July 3, 1728 in Kirkcaldy. His father William was not only an architect, but also a builder. He led, in particular, all military construction in the North of Britain. Robert was educated at Edinburgh University, who graduated in 1743.

Since 1745 he has worked as assistant to his father. When William Adam died in 1748, his case was headed by the eldest son of John and Robert became his partner. They have done a few works on interior decoration, combining Scottish folk motifs with the Rococo style - the house of Count Gopetauna and the house of Lord Damfri in Eyshire.

In 1754, Robert sent in continental Europe, first in Brussels and then to Paris.

Photo — «Robert Adam»

Prior to 1755, he travels to the south of France, then moved to Italy. Since January this year, he lives in Florence, which is seriously increasing their professional level. His friend becomes the French architect Charles Louis Klerisso. Thanks Klerisso, Adam has been expanding its knowledge of the history and theory of architecture.

In February 1755 Adam goes to Rome. In the ancient city, he enthusiastically explores the ancient buildings. This work is continuing at a later date in Dalmatia, where Robert moved in May 1757. Here he spent exploring the ruins of Diocletian Palace in Split, the materials of which were published in 1764. Before returning home, Adam went with the expedition to Greece and Egypt. In English, he walked the earth in January 1758.

One of the first buildings in England, Adam had a wall fences and gates Admiralty in London (1760). And he began again, with the interiors. They all appeared brighter particular style of Robert Adam. In novopalladianskom style, he draws up Hetchlend in Surrey (1758-1761) and Shardelo in Buckinghamshire (1759-1761).

Photo — «Robert Adam»

In 1761 should be a large number of orders: Hervud (Yorkshire), Krum Kurt (Vorchestershir) Kedlston Hall (Derbyshire), Buvud (Viltshir) Osterley Park (Middlesex).

Among the most famous Adamovsky interiors include - avanzal in Sayon House in Middlesex (1761-1762) and a large library of Kenvude (1768) - London palace mansions.

The internal layout of buildings, built by Adam, is more rationality and convenience. Rooms are a suite of parallel communicating, or go into a corridor adjacent to the suite. Rooms vary not only the size but also shape. In addition to the rectangular frequently oval and round the room. Instead, heavy stucco palladianskih interior light applied stucco stukovye often gilded reliefs that effect is made on the walls, painted in different colors depending on the destination room, or graceful vignettes decorate the ceilings. Actually Adam ornament pays special attention. Widespread also receive small pictures medallions and reliefs on mythological subjects, organically included in the design.

Adam interiors create a rich and varied experience.

Photo — «Robert Adam»

However, Adam strives to achieve full completeness and harmony in the entire ensemble decorated. Stucco ceiling and walls, painting, graphic rugs and furniture, even the utensils - all subject to a single idea.

Another characteristic pattern creation of Adam - Castle Kedlston Hall (1765-1770), built and decorated them inside for the other architects palladianskomu plan - with a semi-wing adjacent to the main building. But located on the main axis of the largest state space belongs to the castle, of course, Adam. Conceiving a large hall, where the load-bearing ceiling stucco Corinthian columns of artificial marble stand in niches statues of ancient walls, and floors domed cabin, the walls of which dismembered niches and tabernaklyami, inspired perhaps, by ancient monuments, with whom Adam learned about during a trip to Dalmatia.

In yet more responsive to the refined tastes of the new methods of finishing the other, smaller facilities - stucco ceilings and wall decorations fireplace. Elegant facade Budl club in London (1765) gives an idea of how Adam decide the appearance of the building.

Photo — «Robert Adam»

Contemporaries found it master, able to translate their perceptions of comfort and utility, emerge from such a specific feature of English architecture. Rationalism, clothed in the forms of Greek antiquity, defined the essence of the creative method of Adam. The appearance of these buildings was to be characterized by a noble simplicity of the monuments created by the democratic Greece. To the side facades of the palaces, as well as for facial facades of bourgeois houses are characterized by large windows with wide fan-shaped timpanami platbands occurring continuously and over doors. Favorite scheme plan for the residences of the magnates in the shape of Adam′s letters "H" and "B". In the center was placed a round or oval room, which opens the doors to the two parallel enfilade of rooms, they sometimes adjoined for the convenience of a corridor in a room they have just in case output.

Robert Adam, but stressed that exactly followed the Greek samples, at the same time, find opportunities to make changes in the proportions of columns, etc.

Photo — «Robert Adam»

He considered himself, for example, the inventor of a special "British warrant" - the columns with capitals in the form of lion and unicorn. Depending on what has been the appointment of a building is changed and the nature of architectural design. When the deal went about building castles, for example, Latton House in Berkshire for the Prime Minister, Lord Beauty (1767) or the urban palaces of the nobility, that Adam did not refuse from the massiveness and grandeur. This is reflected, among other things, the use of Corinthian columns, domes, round hall with columns inside the crown, etc. In the construction of a palace Adam did not break so sharply with palladianstvom, as in the construction of urban bourgeois villas, town houses and small estates Gentry. In a very simple and strict Classical forms designed a new University of Edinburgh (1789-1791).

Again, it should be noted that most of the brothers made together. One of the specialties brothers Adamov is to join rows of houses on the sides of streets and squares uniform facades.

Photo — «Robert Adam»

These are built in London in Portland Place (1770), as well as street, built on the elevated bank of the Thames by them, the so-called Terrace Adelfi (which in Greek means "terrace brothers, the brothers have Adamov, 1768) at Fittsroy park.

Their works are characterized by simplicity and courage in the ratio of architectural parts and some pettiness in decorating the insides of buildings.

Adama was not only architects, but also ornamentistami, according to figures which worked locksmiths, chaser, furniture and above all - plasterers (mostly Italian immigrants). The vaults, plafonds walls were covered with relief ornament and grotesque plant - white on blue, pale olive, green, lilac, pink background. Style Adamov here with one with the style of works of Wedgwood factory. Sometimes, though, here, as in certain architectural motifs Adamov, there is a direct impact on them pompeyanskogo art. Fireplaces made of colored marbles. Woodcarvings, as usual, first to furnish the buildings, completely disappears. Especially known for the interior decoration of this new-style castle Kedlston said.

Photo — «Robert Adam»

Of the other works in the estates of Robert Adam′s essential nobility: Uithem in Somersetshire (project 1776), Compton in Warwickshire (project work in 1776) and one of the most recent works - Gossford house in the county of East Lotian in Scotland.

Along with those in castles land of magnates, the brothers Adam and their school contracts and took on a more or less rich decoration London bourgeois mansions, and even apartments and other premises, to surrender wealthy private individuals and various institutions.

In London, drawings by Robert Adam built Lansdaun House (begun in 1766); house Uotkin Wynne (1772) at St. James Square, home of Lord Derby to Grovnor Square (1773); house "White Club" (1776) at St. James Square ; Druri Leynsky Drama (1776). We say that even the old building the State Archives (1771) and the Church in Mistli in the county of Essex (1776).

Around 1770 Robert Adam built a bridge across the river Evon, and in 1777 and 1782 of the draw out a scheme for further expansion of the city.

Photo — «Robert Adam»

The project has already been done by other architects.

Following the publication in 1773 of samples of architectural works of Robert and his brothers, their influence is spreading rapidly in England and beyond. The traditions of art long retain its significance in British architecture. Already heavily ellinizirovanny style of the brothers Adam, has been continued in the so-called Greek revival, which refers to the beginning of the end of XVIII century - the direction is not enough creative and original is largely eclectic. Its full development is reached in the direction of British architecture, the first decades of the next, XIX century.

Robert Adam died on March 3, 1792 in London.