Design for a Doric Bridge (Montague Bridge, Dalkeith House, Midlothian)
About this artwork
Adam’s design for a bridge connecting Dalkeith Palace with the main Edinburgh road shows how important the example of ancient Rome remained in eighteenth-century Scotland. Its monumental scale recalls the magnificence of Roman bridges and aqueducts, while its elaborate surface decoration derives from the great temples and bathhouses built by the emperors for the Roman people. Although built in simpler form than Adam originally intended, it remains an astonishing testimony to the architect’s ability to adapt ancient forms to the needs of eighteenth-century clients.
Updated before 2020
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artist:Robert Adam (1728 - 1792) Scottish
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title:Design for a Doric Bridge (Montague Bridge, Dalkeith House, Midlothian)
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date created:1791
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materials:Pen, black ink and wash with traces of pencil on paper, pricked for transfer
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measurements:38.60 x 57.00 cm
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object type:
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credit line:David Laing Bequest to the Royal Scottish Academy transferred 1910
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accession number:D 441
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gallery:
Robert Adam
Robert Adam
Adam was one of the most successful and fashionable architects in Britain, whose numerous designs combined classical inspiration with delicate decorative features. Educated in Edinburgh's enlightened intellectual circles, Adam joined his father's architectural practice. On William's death, Robert...