{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O780971"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O780971/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2010EC1870/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2010EC1870/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2010EC1870","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AT3176","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O780971/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O780971","accessionNumber":"E.5029-1910","objectType":"Architectural design","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Elevation of a candlestick in the form of a griffin probably by John Yenn (1750-1821) from the office of leading architect and designer Sir William Chambers (1723-1796). The candlestick is shown in profile, painted in a buff colour. The drawing has an ink border with false shading, as if there were a pink mount around the sheet. The griffin sits on a base decorated with a panel of scrolling foliage. An inscription has been trimmed off the bottom right-hand corner of the sheet. The probable first use of this design was in two pairs of ormolu griffins; one at Hinton Ampner and the other at Blenheim Palace. Such an early use is supported by the yellow wash of this drawing. It is clear that this drawing, which has come down to us as finished presentation drawings by the young John Yenn, is Chambers’s conception.\r\n\r\nChambers was born in Sweden and died in London. He travelled widely, visiting China, and studied architecture at the Ecole des Arts, Paris, from 1749 and in Italy from 1750 to 1755.  Many of his drawings from this period are contained in his important 'Franco-Italian' album, held in the V&A.  Chambers moved to London in 1755 and published his influential Treatise on Civil Architecture in 1759.  Chambers demonstrated the breadth of his style in buildings such as Gower (later Carrington) House and Melbourne House, London, in such country houses as Duddingston, Scotland, and in the garden architecture he designed for Wilton House, Wiltshire, and at Kew Gardens. He became head of government building in 1782, and in this capacity built Somerset House, London.","physicalDescription":"Elevation of a candlestick in the form of a griffin. The candlestick is shown in profile, painted in a buff colour. The drawing has an ink border with false shading, as if there were a pink mount around the sheet. The griffin sits on a base decorated with a panel of scrolling foliage. An inscription has been trimmed off the bottom right-hand corner of the sheet.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"sir william chambers","id":"A8236"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"x36960"},"note":""},{"name":{"text":"john yenn","id":"A9020"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"x36960"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"pen and ink","id":"x30618"},{"text":"pencil","id":"x30347"},{"text":"watercolour","id":"x33202"}],"techniques":[{"text":"drawing","id":"x32498"},{"text":"painting","id":"x30598"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Pen and ink, pencil and watercolour","categories":[{"text":"Drawings","id":"THES48966"},{"text":"Designs","id":"THES48968"},{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2010EC1870","2006AT3176"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLE","id":"THES49657"},"free":"","case":"A","shelf":"229","box":"E"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"drawing (image-making)","id":"AAT54196"}],[{"text":"designs","id":"AAT102051"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Britain","id":"x32019"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"18th century","earliest":"1700-01-01","latest":"1800-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"417","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"287","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Bought from J. Starkie Gardner, 1910.","historicalContext":"The probable first use of this design was in two pairs of ormolu griffins; one at Hinton Ampner and the other at Blenheim Palace. Such an early use is supported by the yellow wash of this drawing.","briefDescription":"Elevation of a candlestick in the form of a griffin, 18th century, John Yenn (1750-1821) office of Sir William Chambers (1723-1796).","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Snodin, M. <u> Sir William Chambers. </u> London: V&A Publications, 1996."}],"production":"Attribution note: It is clear that this drawing, which has come down to us as finished presentation drawings by the young John Yenn, is Chambers's conception.","productionType":{"text":"Design","id":"THES48872"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"griffin","id":"x36380"},{"text":"candlestick","id":"AAT37588"},{"text":"profiles (orthographic drawings)","id":"AAT34272"},{"text":"scrolling foliage","id":"AAT165387"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"<b>John Yenn (1750-1821)\r\nafter Sir William Chambers\r\n(1723-1796)</b>\r\nDesign for a candlestick\r\nBritish, about 1775-1785\r\nPen and ink and wash\r\n\r\nThis candlestick is in the shape of a griffin,\r\na fierce-looking mythological creature. It\r\nwas made in \"black basaltes\", an unglazed\r\nblack stoneware by Josia Wedgwood at his\r\nEtruria factory in Staffordshire. The design is\r\nvery like one published by Chambers in\r\n1791 in his <i>Treatise on... Civil Architecture</i>\r\nand similar to figures made in ormolu by\r\nMatthew Boulton.\r\n\r\nE.5029-1910","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null}}],"partNumbers":["E.5029-1910"],"accessionNumberNum":"5029","accessionNumberPrefix":"E","accessionYear":1910,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-25","recordCreationDate":"2009-06-30","availableToBook":false}}