Robert Adam: Neoclassical Design and Architecture in 18th-Century England

Introduction: Robert Adam and the Classical Revival

Robert Adam is considered Scotland's most famous architect. He was, however, better known as the most popular designer in London and throughout England, sought after for the sophisticated and pleasant atmospheres that the rooms he decorated conveyed. He was a leader of classical revival style in both architecture and interior decoration during the last half of the eighteenth century, and his designs dominated the tastes of the wealthiest and most noble clientele. He was known for his use of lavish color, light, detailed ornamentation, and above all, the coordination of every element of a room into a unified decorative whole. A skilled businessman and a genius at design innovation, his work had its origins in classical antiquity — the Italian, French, and Renaissance buildings he visited as a young man — but he combined those influences with Greek, Baroque, Byzantine, and other traditions to create original and custom combinations for each home he decorated.

Perhaps Adam's most unusual designs were based on Etruscan vase decorations. The Etruscan Dressing Room at Osterley Park, Middlesex, is the only surviving example of eight such decorative projects (Sharp, 1991, p. 11).

The materials used by designers during the eighteenth century reflected the industrial revolution in that they were able to utilize improved versions of older materials. Bricks were fired at higher temperatures and produced different colors. Stucco and ceramic tiles were also employed, with decorative or highly colored motifs that carried designs or imitated brick. Improved casting techniques allowed designers to use decorative ironwork to create delicate, Neoclassical patterns for balconies and window frames. Structural ironwork was also used in staircases and iron plates that helped fireproof structures.