Somerset House in London

Façades
Courtyard
Staircase and antechamber
The Royal Academy
Perspective

Somerset House was built by Chambers from 1774 on the site of “Old Somerset House”.

The Thames façade with the Palladian bridge.


Somerset House: Photo LGB
[click on the picture to enlarge it]


Somerset House: Photos MMM
[click on the picture to enlarge it]


Somerset House: [click on the picture to enlarge it]

The Strand façade


Somerset House: [click on the picture to enlarge it]

Top of Page

The inner courtyard of Somerset House, looking towards the Strand Block where significant use is made of rustication

Chambers followed the architectural practices concerning the use of the orders

: Photo LGB
[click on the picture to enlarge it]

A door in the courtyard, Strand block . This round-headed door is placed between two rectangular windows (just visible in the photographs) which gives the same alternation of rectangles and arches as in a Venetian window.


Door in the Courtyard: Photo MMM
[click on the picture to enlarge it]


Door in the courtyard: Pen and wash elevation by Chambers (By courtesy of the Trustees of Sir John Soane’s Museum,London)
[click on the picture to enlarge it]

Top of Page

Staircase and antechamber


Antechamber: Antechamber of the Royal Society and the Society of Antiquaries.
[click on the picture to enlarge it]


Exhibition Stare Case: Rowlandson’s cartoon of the ’“Exhibition Stare Case” (sic) 1811
(Ackermann & Johnson Ltd)
[click on the picture to enlarge it]


The Navy staircase: Photo FDB
[click on the picture to enlarge it]

Top of Page

The Royal Academy

Somerset House was the home of the Royal Academy.


The Antique Academy: E. F. Burney, The Antique Academy at Somerset House
(c.1785 (c) The Royal Academy of Arts, London)
[click on the picture to enlarge it]


The Royal Academy: P. Martini after J. H. Ramberg , The visit of the Prince of Wales at the Royal Academy Exhibition,
(1787 Victoria and Albert Museum)
[click on the picture to enlarge it]