The British Order: Elevation of a Capital and Part of the Fluted Shaft
1762
Medium
Pen and ink, brush and wash and gouache (bodycolor)
Dimensions
sheet: 14 7/8 x 12 1/4 in. (37.8 x 31.1 cm)
Classification
Drawings|Ornament & Architecture
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1934
Accession Number
34.78.2(2)
Tags
Art Historical Context
In 1762, Scottish architect James Adam, a key member of the influential Adam brothers, crafted this exquisite architectural drawing titled *The British Order: Elevation of a Capital and Part of Fluted Shaft*. Part of the neoclassical revival sweeping 18th-century Britain, presents a precise elevation view of a column capital adorned with motifs like lions and horses—symbols evoking national strength and heraldry. The Adam brothers, renowned for their elegant country houses and interiors, innovated with such designs, blending ancient Roman orders with whimsical, patriotic ornamentation to creat...