The life and works of Sir Charles BarryBarry, Alfred
General
The life and works of Sir Charles Barry
Barry, Alfred
Architects -- Great Britain -- Biography; Barry, Charles, 1795-1860
Plan of the Chapter. (A.) ORIGINAL BUILDINGS--Varieties of his
Italian style--First manner--Reform Club--Manchester Athenæum--New
wing at Trentham--Second manner--Bridgewater House--Third
manner--Halifax Town-hall. (B.) CONVERSIONS AND
ALTERATIONS--College of Surgeons--Walton House--Highclere
House--Board of Trade--Architectural gardening--Trentham
Hall--Duncombe Park--Harewood House--Shrubland Park--Cliefden
House--Laying out of Trafalgar Square. (C.) DESIGNS CARRIED OUT BY
OTHERS--Keyham Factory--Ambassador’s Palace at
Constantinople--General remarks on his Italian architecture.
The steps by which Mr. Barry won his way to a high professional position
have been narrated in chronological order. For the period of his life,
from 1821 to 1829, is the one which is in itself most interesting and
suggestive to those entering on a professional career.
It shows clearly enough, even by the variety of his designs, the
fertility and versatile character of his mind and his unwearied energy
of work. It illustrates the difficulties and disappointments, which
present themselves at the outset of most professional careers. It is not
uninteresting to remark the comparatively fruitless character of its
earlier years, and the rapid increase of work towards its close, an
increase which continued with progressive rapidity till the great work
at Westminster absorbed all his time and powers. If the lesson which it
reads is not uncommon, yet it is at the same time one which never loses
its value and interest.
But after this time his life had few vicissitudes. It became more and
more absorbed in actual work, and its progress was marked, not by years
or by events, but by the buildings which rose everywhere under his hand.
It seems better therefore to neglect the order of time, so as to follow
only the connexion of subject, and endeavour to group together in some
intelligible arrangement the various works which he was called upon to
execute. The New Palace at Westminster will demand a separate treatment
of its own.
The present chapter will be devoted to a notice of his chief works in
the Italian style, both public and private buildings. The success of the
Travellers’ Club naturally turned his attention principally to this
style for some time. In it, perhaps even to the last, he worked with the
greatest pleasure; and probably, if the choice had been left to him,
without any influence of external authority or local association, it
would have been the style of his New Palace.
His Italian works accordingly are numerous,[43] and naturally divide
themselves into two classes: the first, of buildings erected by him; the
next, of buildings which he was called upon to alter, to an extent often
amounting to a complete transformation. Some brief notice may also be
necessary of buildings for the designs of which he was consulted,
although the execution of the designs was not under his direction.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account