Inigo Jones, Royal Palace, Whitehall design, engraved c1727.

$450.00

Section of the King's Apartments, with the Front of the circular Court of the Royal Palace in Whitehall. The main London royal residence from 1530 to 1698, the palace with over 1,500 rooms was the largest in Europe. Except for the Banqueting House, it was destroyed in the great fire of London in 1698.

Original rare copperplate engraving by 'H. Hulfsbergh' (Henrik Hulsbergh) from the drawing of 'Henricus Flitcroft' (Henry Flitcroft), of 'Ignatius Iones Architectus' (Inigo Jones architecture), for The Designs of Inigo Jones, Consisting of Plans and Elevations for Publick and Private Buildings. Publifh'd by William Kent, With some Additional Designs published in London in 1727. Illustrating neo-classical architectural designs of great British architects, the majority of engravings for this superb publication illustrate the work of Inigo Jones (1573-1652), who is considered to be the 'father of classical English architecture'. Greatly inspired by Palladian architecture in Italy, Inigo Jones was the first to introduce classical Italian Renaissance architecture to Gothic Britain. He believed strict mathematical proportion should control plan, elevation and all structure.

Dutch engraver Henrik Hulsbergh worked in London and flourished as an engraver between 1709 and 1729.
Henry Flitcroft (1697-1769) was born in Twickenham. As the son of a labourer in the employ of William III, in the gardens of Hampton Court Palace, Henry was apprenticed to a joiner and worked as a carpenter at Burlington House – until he fell from a scaffold, broke his leg, and came to the attention of Lord Burlington who became his patron and managed his training as an architect. 'Burlington Harry' became Master Carpenter between 1746 and 1748, and went on to become Deputy Surveyer and then succeeded Thomas Ripley as Comptroller of the Works and lived in the former Master Mason's House.

The picture does not do this superb image justice! This engraving is in excellent condition. (It is shadow along the fold of this double page. It is not soiled along the fold.). It has fine later hand-colour that accentuates the exquisite detail of this magnificent design. The page measures 505 x 665 mm (19.7/8 x 26.1/4 inches). Plate-mark measurement is 250 x 500mm (9.7/8 x 19.3/4 inches)