The British Architect; or, the Builder's Treasury of Staircases
Medium
Book with etched Illustrations
Dimensions
16 3/4 x 10 1/16 in. (42.5 x 25.5 cm) page: 16 1/8 x 9 1/4 in. (41 x 23.5 cm)
Classification
Books|Ornament & Architecture
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1943
Accession Number
43.26.1
Tags
Art Historical Context
*The British Architect; or, Builder's Treasury of Stair* (1775) is a remarkable 18th-century pattern book compiled by Scottish architect Abraham Swan, with from publishers Robert Bell and engraver John Norman. Produced during the late Georgian era, this volume reflects the neoclassical revival sweeping Britain and American colonies, offering builders a practical "treasury" of elegant staircase designs inspired by ancient Roman and Renaissance motifs. Printed with finely etched illustrations on pages measuring 16⅛ x 9¼ inches, the book showcases intricate engravings of spiral, geometric, and b...
About the Artist
Abraham Swan|Robert Bell|John Norman (British|American|American, born England) · 1700 |1732 |1748 –1800 |1784 |1817
British, active 1745–68|Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|American (born England), ca. 1748–1817 Boston, Massachusetts