Plans, Elevations and Sections, Of Noblemen and Gentlemen's Houses, And Also Of Stabling, Bridges, Public and Private, Temples, and other Garden Buildings; Executed In The Counties Of Derby, Durham, Middlesex, Northumberland, Nottingham, and York. By James Paine, Architect, One of the Directors of the Society of Artists of Great-Britain. Part The First. Illustrated by Seventy-Four Large Folio Plates. The second edition. (Nottingham, Essex, Wilts, Derby, Hertford, Suffolk, Salop, Middlesex, and Surrey. By James Paine, Architect. Part The Second. Illustrated by One Hundred and One Large Folio Plates.)
London:: Printed for the Author, And Sold By Mr. White, Fleet-Street; Mr. Becket, Pall-Mall; Mr. Robson, New-Bond-Street; Mr. Davies, Russell-Street, Covent-Garden; Mr. Isaac Taylor, Holborn; Mr. Boydell, Cheapside; and at the Author's House, Salisbury-Street, Strand., M DCC LXXXIII.
Physical Description
2 vols.; 550 mm. (Folio).
General Note
Vol. I: viii, [iv], 22 p., 75 [i.e. 56] pl. Nineteen plates are double but have been numbered as two plates (viz. pl. 2/3, 4/5, 6/7, 8/9, 10/11, 13/14, 15/16, 18/19, 20/21, 23/24, 30/31, 33/34, 35/36, 37/38, 39/40, 44/45, 49/50, 51/52, 54/55). - Vol. II: vi, 32 p., 101 [i.e. 68] pl. Plate 101 is double, and several others are double but have been numbered as two plates (viz. pl. 1/2, 3/4, 5/6, 7/8, 9/10, 11/12, 13/14, 15/16, 17/18, 19/20, 22/23, 24/25, 226/27, 28/29, 30/31, 32/33, 36/37, 38/39, 40/41, 42/43, 44/45, 46/47, 48/49, 50/51, 55/56, 58/59, 60/61, 62/63, 76/77, 79/80, 82/83, 84/85, 93/94). Plate 15/16 has been misnumbered as 13/14.
Contents
Vol. I: [T.p., dedic.] - Preface - Subscribers - A List of the several Plates, Contained in the following Works - [Text] - [Plates]. - Vol. II: [T.p., dedic.] - A List Of the several Plates in the Second Volume of Paine's Works of Architecture - [Text] - [Plates].
Responsibility Note
All plates are signed with the name of J. Paine as architect, except Plate 101 of Volume II, which is signed as 'Executed by William Collins, and Engraved by Charles Grignion'. Plate 101 is the only plate in the second volume carrying an engraver's name. In the first volume ten carry no engraver's name, but most are signed by engravers - H. Mackworth, T. Morris, T. Miller, F. Patton, T. White, J.S. Müller, P. Mazell or J. June.
The imprint of the second volume omits the names of Mr White, Mr Davies and Mr Isaac Taylor, and adds those of Mess. Sayer and Bennett, Fleet-Street.
The first volume is dedicated by Paine to William, Duke of Devonshire; the second, to the King.
References
RIBA, Early printed books, 3 (1999), no. 2375; National Gallery (Washington), Mark J. Millard, II (1998), 50; E. Harris and N. Savage, British Architectural Books (1990), 667; J. Archer, Literature of British domestic architecture (1985), 243.2; Johns Hopkins University, The Fowler Architectural Collection (1961), no. 207, p.172.
P. Leach, James Paine (1988); J. Harris, The design of the English country house, 1620-1920 (1985).
ESTC, T135969 and N23469
Summary Note
Volume I had originally been published in 1767 - the second edition was brought out to accompany Volume II.
The plates of Volume II show: Worksop (1-16), Thorndon (17-29), Wardour House (30-41), Kedleston (42-52), Brocket (53-59), Hare Hall (60-63), Shrubland (64-67), Weston (68-71), Ld. Petre's House in Park Lane (72-75), Heberden's House in Pall-Mall (76-78), T. FitzMaurice's House in Pall-Mall (79-81), bridges (82-87), ceiling pieces (88-94), chimney pieces (95-100), pediment at Worksop (101).
Befriended by Isaac Ware and Lord Burlington, Paine afterwards established his own country-house practice, with such success that it was said that he and Sir Robert Taylor nearly divided the practice between them. He became a leading member, and sometime President, of the Society of Artists of Great Britain, from which in 1768 William Chambers and some others defected to form the Royal Academy of Arts; but the story that this resulted from rivalry between Paine and Chambers is unfounded. In the Preface to his Plans, Paine declares that under the patronage of Burlington and others British architecture has attained such a pitch of splendour as to rival that of the Roman Empire. Progress has come from the study of such sites as 'Palmyra, Spolatra and Balbec', but has also required development beyond the ancient models. Greek architecture was inferior to that of Rome; and anyone who would travel to study either would imbibe 'wrong principles in his art'. Roman and Palladian models should not be copied without adaptation to British customs and climate. Neither Palladio nor any other master has been able 'to fix a standard of architecture', and rather than analysing the five orders the architect should be 'guided by what is called taste' and judgment. Thus deprecating the newer adaptations from classical antiquity, Paine did not have a large influence on the next generation of architects.
These two volumes appeared in the only year in which Paine exhibited at the Royal Academy - to which he refers in his dedication as an example of royal munificence that has advanced the arts of painting, sculpture and architecture in Britain.
Reproductions
A microfilm was made by the British Library (Neg. PB.Mic.42927). In 1967 Gregg International published a reduced facsimile of both volumes.
Provenance
Presented by the author in December 1785.
Copy Note
Inscribed in ink on the top of both title pages, 'The Author sends his most respectful Compliments to the Royal Academy, and presents them with a Copy of his Compositions in Architecture. December 12th 1785.'
Binding Note
20th-century half red morocco, grey cloth-covered boards, spines lettered 'Part I (2) Paine R.A. 1783', black morocco spine-label lettered 'Noblemen And Gentlemen's Houses'.
Architecture, British - Country houses - Bridges - Garden structures - Great Britain - History - 18th century - Palladian - Rococo
Plans - Elevations - Sections - Great Britain - 18th century
Pictorial works - Great Britain - 18th century