Ceiling to the Gallery, Houghton Hall, Norfolk
1735
Medium
Pen and black ink, brush and gray wash
Dimensions
sheet: 12 7/8 x 9 13/16 in. (32.7 x 25 cm)
Classification
Drawings|Ornament & Architecture
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1925
Accession Number
25.62.53r
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite drawing by Isaac Ware captures the proposed design for the ceiling of the Gallery at Houghton Hall, a grand Palladian mansion in Norfolk England, built in the early 18th century for Sir Robertpole, Britain's first Prime Minister. Created in 1735, it exemplifies the opulent neoclassical interiors that defined Georgian-era country houses, where architecture blended symmetry, grandeur, and classical motifs inspired by ancient Rome and Renaissance Italy. Houghton Hall itself remains a testament to aristocratic patronage, showcasing Ware's role in the Palladian revival sweeping Brita...