Inigo Jones and Ben Jonson's court masque collaborations

Inigo Jones (1573-1652) was the first and perhaps the greatest of English Renaissance architects who left a profound influence on the course of British art and architecture. Before being elevated to the post of Surveyor General in 1615 by James I and designing a number of architectural projects, Jones' prodigious artistic talent was recognized by the wife of King James I, Queen Anne of Denmark, who hired him to design costumes and settings for court masques. Jones collaborated with another immensely talented artist, the poet and playwright Ben Jonson, to produce a number of highly acclaimed masques until an acrimonious falling out with his friend in 1631. This paper briefly discusses Inigo Jones life and his contribution to the court masque, his relationship with Ben Jonson, and their collaborations.

Brief Biography

Jones was born shortly before July 19, 1573, the recorded date of his baptism, in Smithfield, London. He was the son of a cloth worker -- also named Inigo. Not much is known about his early life or education, but it is almost certain that he traveled to Italy at the end of the 16th century and acquired considerable skill as a draftsman and architect. In 1605, he was hired by the wife of King James I, Queen Anne, to provide costumes and settings for a masque at court, something he continued to do even after he started receiving architectural commissions and his appointment as Surveyor General by King James I in 1615 ("Inigo Jones." Historic Figures -- BBC.co.UK).

Apart from his innovative work in designing of court masques, Inigo Jones undertook a number of notable architectural projects. These include the Queen's house in Greenwich, which was modeled on an Italian palace; remodeling of the Banqueting Hall in Whitehall; design of the Queen's Chapel at St. James Palace, and his restoration work on old St. Paul's Cathedral in London. Jones's employment as the court surveyor ceased with the outbreak of the Civil War in 1642. He died at his Somerset House lodgings on July 21, 1652 ("Inigo Jones" -- Britain Express; "Inigo Jones" -- Biography Greenwich 2000).

Relationship with Jonson

Inigo Jones enjoyed a surprisingly tempestuous relationship with Ben Jonson. The partnership of the two men that started so promisingly, resulting in the creation of a number of superb masque productions, ended in bitter acrimony. Their hostility is surprising because both men were of approximately the same age, of similar humble background, shared rare artistic genius in their respective fields, and were given much leeway by generous royal patrons to work harmoniously.

One of the reasons for the fall-out between the two was that Jonson took the intellectual content of his masques more seriously than anyone else. He was, by all accounts, convinced that the soul of the masque was of infinite value. He deeply resented the tendency at the time to accord greater respect to the decoration and the "mere mechanics" of a show (Lees-Milne 45). Jonson believed that Jones was getting more credit than he deserved for his contribution to the masque productions. His resentment towards his "friend" grew from "irritation to contempt to intense dislike" just as applause for Jones got louder (Ibid. 46-47).

Jones, on the other hand, refused to admit the superiority of poetry over dramatic production; he believed that the scenic effects created by him for the masques were of equal (if not more) artistic importance than their script. Jones was also on the defensive since 'visual arts' such as architecture were, at the time, not given the same artistic status as literature and poetry. There was also an air of "self-importance" about Jones's personality that particularly irritated Jonson. As a result, Jonson considered Jones to be a complete fraud, and attacked him viciously at every opportunity, leading to a complete break in the partnership by 1631, after which Jonson did not write another masque for the court. Jones continued his work in collaboration with minor poets who, unlike Jones, were content to subordinate their art to his (Ibid. 47).