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拍品专文
This pair of oval mirrors is closely related to a design by John Yenn (b. 1750), former pupil of William Chambers (d. 1796), Comptroller of the King's Works (from 1769-82), who supplied a scaled and annotated design (with detail and section, in watercolour, pen and ink, undated) for a set of four pier glasses for the King’s State apartments at Windsor Castle; the highly finished design undoubtedly intended for presentation to his patron, George III (H. Roberts, 'A Neoclassical Episode at Windsor’, Furniture History, 1997, vol. XXXIII, fig. 8). The design, which is held in the Royal Library, Windsor Castle, is inscribed, 'No 4 of these Oval Glass Frames for his Majesty – two for the Dressing Room, the other Two for the Kings Closet Windsor Castle’ (ibid., p. 180). The Royal frames were carved in circa 1794-95 by Richard Lawrence of Wardour Street, a former apprentice to Sefferin Alken, whose work for Robert Adam and Chambers distinguishes him as 'one of the finest ornamental carvers in the Neoclassical style’ (ibid.). The mirror plates, the most costly part of the commission, were supplied by Robert Campbell.
Yenn added a footnote to his design, 'Mr Lawrence is desired to forward these frames with all expedition and for them to be executed in the very best Manner. Mr Campbell Upholsterer in Leicester Square must be Consulted as to the oval form and Size of the Glasses as he is to provide the Same’ (ibid.).
The wording of the above shows that Yenn, unlike to the authoritarian Chambers, was happy to consult his contemporary craftsmen. Yenn undertook an extensive amount of further work for George III at Windsor, in particular the creation of a new Music Room and Drawing Room for Queen Charlotte.
Obviously, Chambers, Yenn’s first master, was a source of inspiration; the former incorporated a very similar frieze to the carved frame of a pair of mirrors in the Saloon at Danson House, Kent in the 1760s, and also in his 'Design for ornaments of the frieze, cornice and pilaster, and cross section of the surface, pilasters and doors of Charlemont’s medal cabinet’ of 1767-68 (ed. J. Harris, M. Snodin, Sir William Chambers, Architect to George III, New Haven and London, 1997, p. 174, fig. 261).
JOHN YENN
John Yenn was apprenticed at age 14 to Chambers (M. Binney, 'A Forgotten Pupil of Chambers, John Yenn at the RIBA Drawings Collection’, Country Life, 13 September 1973, p. 713). In 1771, he was awarded a Royal Academy Gold Medal for a design for a nobleman’s villa, and became an ARA in 1774, an RA in 1791, culminating in a series of posts at the Office of Works where he was responsible for a number of royal buildings, bringing him into contact with George III. Considered today 'one of the finest architectural draughtsmen of the century’, a series of his 'highly finished and beautifully coloured’ architectural drawings was unexpectedly discovered in 1971 in the cellars of the Royal Academy, London (ibid.).
Yenn added a footnote to his design, 'Mr Lawrence is desired to forward these frames with all expedition and for them to be executed in the very best Manner. Mr Campbell Upholsterer in Leicester Square must be Consulted as to the oval form and Size of the Glasses as he is to provide the Same’ (ibid.).
The wording of the above shows that Yenn, unlike to the authoritarian Chambers, was happy to consult his contemporary craftsmen. Yenn undertook an extensive amount of further work for George III at Windsor, in particular the creation of a new Music Room and Drawing Room for Queen Charlotte.
Obviously, Chambers, Yenn’s first master, was a source of inspiration; the former incorporated a very similar frieze to the carved frame of a pair of mirrors in the Saloon at Danson House, Kent in the 1760s, and also in his 'Design for ornaments of the frieze, cornice and pilaster, and cross section of the surface, pilasters and doors of Charlemont’s medal cabinet’ of 1767-68 (ed. J. Harris, M. Snodin, Sir William Chambers, Architect to George III, New Haven and London, 1997, p. 174, fig. 261).
JOHN YENN
John Yenn was apprenticed at age 14 to Chambers (M. Binney, 'A Forgotten Pupil of Chambers, John Yenn at the RIBA Drawings Collection’, Country Life, 13 September 1973, p. 713). In 1771, he was awarded a Royal Academy Gold Medal for a design for a nobleman’s villa, and became an ARA in 1774, an RA in 1791, culminating in a series of posts at the Office of Works where he was responsible for a number of royal buildings, bringing him into contact with George III. Considered today 'one of the finest architectural draughtsmen of the century’, a series of his 'highly finished and beautifully coloured’ architectural drawings was unexpectedly discovered in 1971 in the cellars of the Royal Academy, London (ibid.).