Design for a domed villa or casine: elevation, 1777

John Yenn RA (1750 - 1821)

RA Collection: Art

This may be the drawing exhibited by Yenn at the Royal Academy in 1778 entitled 'A Casine' (362). The design is highly ornamental for Yenn, almost French in inspiration. The elevation shows a three storey building, five bays in width. The ground storey is rusticated and has a central entrance which is flanked by two large caryatids. The upper stories are joined together through the central three bays by a quartet of Corinthian columns; matching pilasters edge the outer bays. The glory of the design is the great central cupola: circular with a dome, its sides are pierced by eight windows and four aedicules.