Author(s): Margaret Richardson

Architecture

Without a doubt the most brilliant architectural innovator of his day, Sir John Soane (1753-1837) displayed a remarkable ability to adapt and modernize the language of classical architecture. The range of his built designs, from the ingenuity of his own house in London's Lincoln's Inn Fields (now Sir John Soane's Museum) to the opulence and originality of the Bank of England, places him on a par with other leading European neoclassicists, such as Ledoux and Schinkel. His architectural vocabulary remains infl uential to this day. Back in print, this landmark publication considers Soane's architectural achievements as well as his life and public role. It reproduces more than 100 of Soane's drawings and contains specially commissioned photographs of his original models and existing buildings. Contributors discuss all of the architect's major commissions, including the Dulwich Picture Gallery, the Law Courts at Westminster, and the Bank of England.