Joseph GandyJoseph Gandy
An Architectural Visionary in Georgian England
Title rated 0 out of 5 stars, based on 0 ratings(0 ratings)
Book, 2006
Current format, Book, 2006, , No Longer Available.Book, 2006
Current format, Book, 2006, , No Longer Available. Offered in 0 more formatsThe definitive biography and critical assessment of Romantic visionary Joseph Gandy by the acknowledged authority.
Joseph Gandy's life is the classic story of genius unrecognized. When he died he seemed to the world, and to himself, a failure. Having begun his career with high hopes, ideals, imagination, and talent, he ended it miserable, poor, and confined in a lunatic asylum.
That was in 1843. A century and a half later he is considered one of the most original figures of English Romanticism. In his own eyes he was an architect, fit to stand beside the great masters of Neoclassicism, but he was hopelessly impractical. Hardly any of his buildings were built, and he could realize his ambitions only graphically as the draftsman who presented Sir John Soane's monumental schemes to the public, as a gifted historical artist who could bring the great age of Gothic to life for John Britton's Architectural Antiquities, and as a visionary comparable to William Blake who could give compelling reality to ancient legend, medieval myth, and Renaissance romance. Works such as his unearthly Rosslyn Chapel or his luminous Tomb of Merlin have a hypnotic power that no other artist could surpass.
The life of Joseph Gandy is a tragic story, though a curiously inspiring one, and a significant episode in the history of Western art. 203 illustrations, 49 in color.
Joseph Gandy's life is in many respects the familiar saga of genius unrecognized. Upon his death he seemed to the world, and to himself, a failure. Having begun his career with high hopes, great imagination and exceptional talent, he ended it in a state of neglect and obscurity. That was in 1843. A century and a half later Gandy is recognized as one of the most original figures of English romanticism.
Works such as his unearthly Pandemonium or his luminous Tomb of Merlin have a hypnotic power that no other artist could surpass - a power that he brought to bear on Sir John Soane's bizarre 'Monk's Parlour' at his renowned house-musuem in Lincoln's Inn and on the lost masterpiece of Soane's Bank of England in the City of London, buildings that we have come to see through Gandy's eyes.
Brian Lukacher, the acknowledged authority on Gandy, has now written the definitive life of this architect-artist who exemplified the cultural temper of the romantic period. It is a fresh, deeply researched biography and a critical assessment of Gandy's work in its historical context. It is a tragic story but also an inspiring one, and a significant episode in the history of the architectural imagination and the visual arts during the nineteenth century.
Lavishly illustrated with regional photography and accessible maps, a visual guide to the Mediterranean city's sites and accommodations is divided into two sections that list top recommended places to visit while profiling neighborhoods of interest.
Joseph Gandy's life is the classic story of genius unrecognized. When he died he seemed to the world, and to himself, a failure. Having begun his career with high hopes, ideals, imagination, and talent, he ended it miserable, poor, and confined in a lunatic asylum.
That was in 1843. A century and a half later he is considered one of the most original figures of English Romanticism. In his own eyes he was an architect, fit to stand beside the great masters of Neoclassicism, but he was hopelessly impractical. Hardly any of his buildings were built, and he could realize his ambitions only graphically as the draftsman who presented Sir John Soane's monumental schemes to the public, as a gifted historical artist who could bring the great age of Gothic to life for John Britton's Architectural Antiquities, and as a visionary comparable to William Blake who could give compelling reality to ancient legend, medieval myth, and Renaissance romance. Works such as his unearthly Rosslyn Chapel or his luminous Tomb of Merlin have a hypnotic power that no other artist could surpass.
The life of Joseph Gandy is a tragic story, though a curiously inspiring one, and a significant episode in the history of Western art. 203 illustrations, 49 in color.
Joseph Gandy's life is in many respects the familiar saga of genius unrecognized. Upon his death he seemed to the world, and to himself, a failure. Having begun his career with high hopes, great imagination and exceptional talent, he ended it in a state of neglect and obscurity. That was in 1843. A century and a half later Gandy is recognized as one of the most original figures of English romanticism.
Works such as his unearthly Pandemonium or his luminous Tomb of Merlin have a hypnotic power that no other artist could surpass - a power that he brought to bear on Sir John Soane's bizarre 'Monk's Parlour' at his renowned house-musuem in Lincoln's Inn and on the lost masterpiece of Soane's Bank of England in the City of London, buildings that we have come to see through Gandy's eyes.
Brian Lukacher, the acknowledged authority on Gandy, has now written the definitive life of this architect-artist who exemplified the cultural temper of the romantic period. It is a fresh, deeply researched biography and a critical assessment of Gandy's work in its historical context. It is a tragic story but also an inspiring one, and a significant episode in the history of the architectural imagination and the visual arts during the nineteenth century.
Lavishly illustrated with regional photography and accessible maps, a visual guide to the Mediterranean city's sites and accommodations is divided into two sections that list top recommended places to visit while profiling neighborhoods of interest.
Title availability
Find this title on
College of San Mateo LibrariesAbout
Subject and genre
Details
Publication
- New York : Thames & Hudson, 2006.
Opinion
More from the community
Community lists featuring this title
There are no community lists featuring this title
Community contributions
There are no quotations from this title
There are no quotations from this title
From the community