Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington
Encyclopedia
Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington and 4th Earl of Cork PC (25 April 1694 – 15 December 1753), born in Yorkshire
, England
, was the son of Charles Boyle, 2nd Earl of Burlington and 3rd Earl of Cork
. Burlington was called 'the Apollo of the Arts' and never took more than a passing interest in politics despite his position as a Privy Councillor and a member of the House of Lords
.
. He succeeded to the title and extensive estates in Yorkshire
and Ireland
at the age of ten. He showed an early love of music. Georg Frideric Handel dedicated two operas to him, while staying at Burlington House: Teseo
and Amadigi di Gaula
. Three foreign Grand Tour
s 1714 – 1719 and a further trip to Paris
in 1726 gave him opportunities to develop his taste. His professional skill as an architect (always supported by a mason-contractor) was extraordinary in an English aristocrat. He carried his copy of Andrea Palladio
's book I quattro libri dell'architettura
with him in touring the Veneto
in 1719, and made copious notes in the margins. In 1719 he was one of main subscribers in the Royal Academy of Music (1719), a corporation that produced baroque opera on stage.
Burlington never closely inspected Roman ruins
or made detailed drawings on the sites; he relied on Palladio and Scamozzi
as his interpreters of the classic tradition. Another source of his inspiration were drawings he collected, some drawings of Palladio himself, which had belonged to Inigo Jones
and many more of Inigo Jones' pupil John Webb, which Kent published in 1727 as Some Designs of Mr Inigo Jones... with Some Additional Designs that were by Kent and Burlington. The important role of Jones' pupil Webb in transmitting the palladian—neo-palladian heritage was not understood until the 20th century. Burlington's Palladio drawings include many reconstructions after Vitruvius of Roman buildings, which Burlington planned to publish. In the meantime, in 1723 he adapted the palazzo facade in the illustration for the London house of General Wade in Old Burlington Street, which was engraved for Vitruvius Britannicus iii (1725). The process put a previously unknown Palladio design into circulation.
Burlington's first project, appropriately, was his own London residence, Burlington House
, where he dismissed his baroque
architect James Gibbs
when he returned from the continent in 1719 and employed the Scottish architect Colen Campbell
, with the history-painter-turned-designer William Kent
for the interiors. The courtyard front of Burlington House, prominently sited in Piccadilly
, was the first major executed statement of neo-Palladianism.
In the 1720s Burlington and Campbell parted, and Burlington was assisted in his projects by the young Henry Flitcroft
, "Burlington Harry"— who developed into a major architect of the second neopalladian generation— and Daniel Garrett— a straightforward palladian architect of the second rank— and some draughtsmen.
By the early 1730s Palladian style had triumphed as the generally-accepted manner for a British country house or public building. For the rest of his life Burlington was "the Apollo of the arts" as Horace Walpole phrased it— and Kent his 'proper priest."
In 1739, Burlington was involved in the founding of a new charitable organisation called the Foundling Hospital
. Burlington was a governor of the charity, but did not formally take part in planning the construction of this large Bloomsbury
children's home completed in 1742. Architect for the building was a Theodore Jacobsen, who took on the commission as an act of charity.
Many of Burlington's projects have suffered, from rebuilding or additions, from fire, from losses due to urban sprawl. In many cases his ideas were informal: at Holkham Hall
the architect Matthew Brettingham
recalled that "the general ideas were first struck out by the Earls of Burlington and Leicester
, assisted by Mr. William Kent
." Brettingham's engraved publication of Holkham credited Burlington specifically with ceilings for the portico and the north dressing-room.
Burlington's architectural drawings, inherited by his son-in-law the Duke of Devonshire
are preserved at Chatsworth
, and enable attributions that would not otherwise be possible.
and Mary Finch.
Mary was daughter of Daniel Finch, 2nd Earl of Nottingham
and Lady Essex Rich (d.1684). Essex was daughter of Robert Rich, 3rd Earl of Warwick
and Anne Cheeke. Anne was daughter of Sir Thomas Cheeke of Pirgo and a senior Essex Rich (d.1659).
The elder Essex was daughter of Robert Rich, 1st Earl of Warwick
and Penelope Devereux, Lady Rich. Essex was probably named after her maternal grandfather Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex
. Her maternal grandmother was Lettice Knollys
.
They had two children:
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, was the son of Charles Boyle, 2nd Earl of Burlington and 3rd Earl of Cork
Charles Boyle, 2nd Earl of Burlington
Charles Boyle, 3rd Earl of Cork and 2nd Earl of Burlington, 4th Baron Clifford, PC was a peer, courtier and politician....
. Burlington was called 'the Apollo of the Arts' and never took more than a passing interest in politics despite his position as a Privy Councillor and a member of the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
.
Life account
Lord Burlington, also known as "the architect Earl", was instrumental in the revival of Palladian architecturePalladian architecture
Palladian architecture is a European style of architecture derived from the designs of the Venetian architect Andrea Palladio . The term "Palladian" normally refers to buildings in a style inspired by Palladio's own work; that which is recognised as Palladian architecture today is an evolution of...
. He succeeded to the title and extensive estates in Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
and Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
at the age of ten. He showed an early love of music. Georg Frideric Handel dedicated two operas to him, while staying at Burlington House: Teseo
Teseo
Teseo is an opera seria with music by George Frideric Handel, the only Handel opera that is in five acts. The Italian-language libretto was by Nicola Francesco Haym, after Philippe Quinault's Thésée...
and Amadigi di Gaula
Amadigi di Gaula
Amadigi di Gaula is a magical opera in three acts, with music by George Frideric Handel. It was the fifth Italian opera that Handel wrote for London and was composed during his stay at Burlington House in 1715...
. Three foreign Grand Tour
Grand Tour
The Grand Tour was the traditional trip of Europe undertaken by mainly upper-class European young men of means. The custom flourished from about 1660 until the advent of large-scale rail transit in the 1840s, and was associated with a standard itinerary. It served as an educational rite of passage...
s 1714 – 1719 and a further trip to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1726 gave him opportunities to develop his taste. His professional skill as an architect (always supported by a mason-contractor) was extraordinary in an English aristocrat. He carried his copy of Andrea Palladio
Andrea Palladio
Andrea Palladio was an architect active in the Republic of Venice. Palladio, influenced by Roman and Greek architecture, primarily by Vitruvius, is widely considered the most influential individual in the history of Western architecture...
's book I quattro libri dell'architettura
I Quattro Libri dell'Architettura
I quattro libri dell'architettura is an Italian treatise on architecture by the architect Andrea Palladio . It was first published in four volumes in 1570 in Venice, illustrated with woodcuts after the author's own drawings. It has been reprinted and translated many times...
with him in touring the Veneto
Veneto
Veneto is one of the 20 regions of Italy. Its population is about 5 million, ranking 5th in Italy.Veneto had been for more than a millennium an independent state, the Republic of Venice, until it was eventually annexed by Italy in 1866 after brief Austrian and French rule...
in 1719, and made copious notes in the margins. In 1719 he was one of main subscribers in the Royal Academy of Music (1719), a corporation that produced baroque opera on stage.
Roman architecture
Ancient Roman architecture adopted certain aspects of Ancient Greek architecture, creating a new architectural style. The Romans were indebted to their Etruscan neighbors and forefathers who supplied them with a wealth of knowledge essential for future architectural solutions, such as hydraulics...
or made detailed drawings on the sites; he relied on Palladio and Scamozzi
Vincenzo Scamozzi
thumb|250px|Portrait of Vincenzo Scamozzi by [[Paolo Veronese]]Vincenzo Scamozzi was a Venetian architect and a writer on architecture, active mainly in Vicenza and Republic of Venice area in the second half of the 16th century...
as his interpreters of the classic tradition. Another source of his inspiration were drawings he collected, some drawings of Palladio himself, which had belonged to Inigo Jones
Inigo Jones
Inigo Jones is the first significant British architect of the modern period, and the first to bring Italianate Renaissance architecture to England...
and many more of Inigo Jones' pupil John Webb, which Kent published in 1727 as Some Designs of Mr Inigo Jones... with Some Additional Designs that were by Kent and Burlington. The important role of Jones' pupil Webb in transmitting the palladian—neo-palladian heritage was not understood until the 20th century. Burlington's Palladio drawings include many reconstructions after Vitruvius of Roman buildings, which Burlington planned to publish. In the meantime, in 1723 he adapted the palazzo facade in the illustration for the London house of General Wade in Old Burlington Street, which was engraved for Vitruvius Britannicus iii (1725). The process put a previously unknown Palladio design into circulation.
Burlington's first project, appropriately, was his own London residence, Burlington House
Burlington House
Burlington House is a building on Piccadilly in London. It was originally a private Palladian mansion, and was expanded in the mid 19th century after being purchased by the British government...
, where he dismissed his baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
architect James Gibbs
James Gibbs
James Gibbs was one of Britain's most influential architects. Born in Scotland, he trained as an architect in Rome, and practised mainly in England...
when he returned from the continent in 1719 and employed the Scottish architect Colen Campbell
Colen Campbell
Colen Campbell was a pioneering Scottish architect who spent most of his career in England, and is credited as a founder of the Georgian style...
, with the history-painter-turned-designer William Kent
William Kent
William Kent , born in Bridlington, Yorkshire, was an eminent English architect, landscape architect and furniture designer of the early 18th century.He was baptised as William Cant.-Education:...
for the interiors. The courtyard front of Burlington House, prominently sited in Piccadilly
Piccadilly
Piccadilly is a major street in central London, running from Hyde Park Corner in the west to Piccadilly Circus in the east. It is completely within the city of Westminster. The street is part of the A4 road, London's second most important western artery. St...
, was the first major executed statement of neo-Palladianism.
Henry Flitcroft
Henry Flitcroft was a major English architect in the second generation of Palladianism. He came from a simple background: his father was a labourer in the gardens at Hampton Court and he began as a joiner by trade. Working as a carpenter at Burlington House, he fell from a scaffold and broke his leg...
, "Burlington Harry"— who developed into a major architect of the second neopalladian generation— and Daniel Garrett— a straightforward palladian architect of the second rank— and some draughtsmen.
By the early 1730s Palladian style had triumphed as the generally-accepted manner for a British country house or public building. For the rest of his life Burlington was "the Apollo of the arts" as Horace Walpole phrased it— and Kent his 'proper priest."
In 1739, Burlington was involved in the founding of a new charitable organisation called the Foundling Hospital
Foundling Hospital
The Foundling Hospital in London, England was founded in 1741 by the philanthropic sea captain Thomas Coram. It was a children's home established for the "education and maintenance of exposed and deserted young children." The word "hospital" was used in a more general sense than it is today, simply...
. Burlington was a governor of the charity, but did not formally take part in planning the construction of this large Bloomsbury
Bloomsbury
-Places:* Bloomsbury is an area in central London.* Bloomsbury , related local government unit* Bloomsbury, New Jersey, New Jersey, USA* Bloomsbury , listed on the NRHP in Maryland...
children's home completed in 1742. Architect for the building was a Theodore Jacobsen, who took on the commission as an act of charity.
Many of Burlington's projects have suffered, from rebuilding or additions, from fire, from losses due to urban sprawl. In many cases his ideas were informal: at Holkham Hall
Holkham Hall
Holkham Hall is an eighteenth-century country house located adjacent to the village of Holkham, on the north coast of the English county of Norfolk...
the architect Matthew Brettingham
Matthew Brettingham
Matthew Brettingham , sometimes called Matthew Brettingham the Elder, was an 18th-century Englishman who rose from humble origins to supervise the construction of Holkham Hall, and eventually became one of the country's better-known architects of his generation...
recalled that "the general ideas were first struck out by the Earls of Burlington and Leicester
Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester
Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester may refer to:*Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester *Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester...
, assisted by Mr. William Kent
William Kent
William Kent , born in Bridlington, Yorkshire, was an eminent English architect, landscape architect and furniture designer of the early 18th century.He was baptised as William Cant.-Education:...
." Brettingham's engraved publication of Holkham credited Burlington specifically with ceilings for the portico and the north dressing-room.
Burlington's architectural drawings, inherited by his son-in-law the Duke of Devonshire
Duke of Devonshire
Duke of Devonshire is a title in the peerage of England held by members of the Cavendish family. This branch of the Cavendish family has been one of the richest and most influential aristocratic families in England since the 16th century, and have been rivalled in political influence perhaps only...
are preserved at Chatsworth
Chatsworth House
Chatsworth House is a stately home in North Derbyshire, England, northeast of Bakewell and west of Chesterfield . It is the seat of the Duke of Devonshire, and has been home to his family, the Cavendish family, since Bess of Hardwick settled at Chatsworth in 1549.Standing on the east bank of the...
, and enable attributions that would not otherwise be possible.
Major projects
- (Burlington HouseBurlington HouseBurlington House is a building on Piccadilly in London. It was originally a private Palladian mansion, and was expanded in the mid 19th century after being purchased by the British government...
, Piccadilly, London): Burlington's own contribution is likely to have been restricted to the former colonnade (demolished 1868) In London, Burlington offered designs for features at several aristocratic free-standing dwellings, none of which have survived: Queensbury House in Burlington Gardens (a gateway); Warwick House, Warwick Street (interiors); Richmond House, Whitehall (the main building);
- Tottenham Park, Wiltshire, for Charles, Lord Bruce: from 1721, executed by Burlington's protégé Henry FlitcroftHenry FlitcroftHenry Flitcroft was a major English architect in the second generation of Palladianism. He came from a simple background: his father was a labourer in the gardens at Hampton Court and he began as a joiner by trade. Working as a carpenter at Burlington House, he fell from a scaffold and broke his leg...
(enlarged and remodelled since). In the original house, the high corner pavilion blocks of Inigo JonesInigo JonesInigo Jones is the first significant British architect of the modern period, and the first to bring Italianate Renaissance architecture to England...
' WiltonWilton HouseWilton House is an English country house situated at Wilton near Salisbury in Wiltshire. It has been the country seat of the Earls of Pembroke for over 400 years....
were provided with the "Palladian window" motif to be seen at Burlington House. Burlington, with a good eye for garden effects, also designed ornamental buildings in the park (demolished)
- Westminster SchoolWestminster SchoolThe Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
, the Dormitory: 1722 – 1730 (altered, bombed and restored), the first public work by Burlington, for which Sir Christopher WrenChristopher WrenSir Christopher Wren FRS is one of the most highly acclaimed English architects in history.He used to be accorded responsibility for rebuilding 51 churches in the City of London after the Great Fire in 1666, including his masterpiece, St. Paul's Cathedral, on Ludgate Hill, completed in 1710...
had provided a design, which was rejected in favor of Burlington's, a triumph for the Palladians and a sign of changing English taste.
- Old Burlington Street, London: houses, including one for General Wade: 1723 (demolished). General Wade's house adapted the genuine Palladio facade in Burlington's collection of drawings.
- Waldershare Park, Kent, the Belvedere Tower: 1725 – 27. A design for a garden eye-catcher that might have been attributed to Colen Campbell, were it not for a ground plan among Burlington's drawings at Chatsworth.
- Chiswick House VillaChiswick HouseChiswick House is a Palladian villa in Burlington Lane, Chiswick, in the London Borough of Hounslow in England. Set in , the house was completed in 1729 during the reign of George II and designed by Lord Burlington. William Kent , who took a leading role in designing the gardens, created one of the...
, Middlesex: The "Casina" in the gardens, 1717, was Burlington's first essay. The house he designed for himself was demolished. The villaVillaA villa was originally an ancient Roman upper-class country house. Since its origins in the Roman villa, the idea and function of a villa have evolved considerably. After the fall of the Roman Republic, villas became small farming compounds, which were increasingly fortified in Late Antiquity,...
is one of the gems of European 18th-century architecture.
- Sevenoaks SchoolSevenoaks SchoolSevenoaks School is an English coeducational independent school located in the town of Sevenoaks, Kent. It is the oldest lay school in the United Kingdom, dating back to 1432. Almost 1,000 day pupils and boarders attend, ranging in age from 11 to 18 years. There are approximately equal numbers of...
, School House, 1730. Classic Palladian work, commissioned by his friend Elijah Fenton.
- The York Assembly RoomsYork Assembly RoomsThe York Assembly Rooms is an 18th century assembly rooms building in York, England, originally used as a place for high class social gatherings in the city....
: 1731 – 32 (facade remodelled). In the basilicaBasilicaThe Latin word basilica , was originally used to describe a Roman public building, usually located in the forum of a Roman town. Public basilicas began to appear in Hellenistic cities in the 2nd century BC.The term was also applied to buildings used for religious purposes...
-like space, Burlington attempted an archaeological reconstruction "with doctrinaire exactitude" (Colvin 1995) of the "Egyptian Hall" described by VitruviusVitruviusMarcus Vitruvius Pollio was a Roman writer, architect and engineer, active in the 1st century BC. He is best known as the author of the multi-volume work De Architectura ....
, as it had been interpreted in Palladio's Quattro Libri. The result is one of the grandest Palladian public spaces.
- Castle Hill, Devonshire
- Northwick ParkNorthwick Park, GloucestershireNorthwick Park is a residential estate and business centre near Blockley in Gloucestershire, built in the grounds of the former family seat of the Rushout family, the Barons Northwick. The Northwick Park mansion, now divided into residential accommodation, is a Grade 1 listed building...
, (now Gloucestershire)
- Kirby Hall, Yorkshire. An elevation
Marriage and children
Richard married Dorothy Savile on 21 March 1720. Dorothy was natural daughter of William Savile, 2nd Marquess of HalifaxWilliam Savile, 2nd Marquess of Halifax
William Savile, 2nd Marquess of Halifax was the son of George Savile, 1st Viscount Halifax and Dorothy Savile, Viscountess Halifax . He was educated in Geneva in 1677 and matriculated at Christ Church, Oxford in 1681, but did not take a degree. He travelled on the continent in 1684–1687,...
and Mary Finch.
Mary was daughter of Daniel Finch, 2nd Earl of Nottingham
Daniel Finch, 2nd Earl of Nottingham
Daniel Finch, 2nd Earl of Nottingham, 7th Earl of Winchilsea PC , was an English Tory statesman during the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries.-Early life:...
and Lady Essex Rich (d.1684). Essex was daughter of Robert Rich, 3rd Earl of Warwick
Robert Rich, 3rd Earl of Warwick
Robert Rich, 3rd Earl of Warwick , was the son of Robert Rich, 2nd Earl of Warwick and Frances Hatton. His only son, also Robert, predeceased him by 15 months dying of consumption...
and Anne Cheeke. Anne was daughter of Sir Thomas Cheeke of Pirgo and a senior Essex Rich (d.1659).
The elder Essex was daughter of Robert Rich, 1st Earl of Warwick
Robert Rich, 1st Earl of Warwick
Robert Rich, 3rd Baron Rich, created 1st Earl of Warwick was the son of Robert Rich, 2nd Baron Rich, and Elizabeth Baldry.-Marriages and children:First married Penelope Devereux on 10 January, 1581...
and Penelope Devereux, Lady Rich. Essex was probably named after her maternal grandfather Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex
Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex
Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex, KG , an English nobleman and general. From 1573 until his death he fought in Ireland in connection with the Plantation of Ulster, where he ordered the massacre of Rathlin Island...
. Her maternal grandmother was Lettice Knollys
Lettice Knollys
Lettice Knollys , Countess of Essex and Countess of Leicester , was an English noblewoman and mother to the courtiers Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex and Lady Penelope Rich; through her marriage to Elizabeth I's favourite, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, she incurred the Queen's undying...
.
They had two children:
- Lady Dorothy Boyle (14 May 1724 – 2 May 1742). She was married to George Fitzroy, Earl of EustonCharles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of GraftonCharles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Grafton KG PC was an Irish and English politician.He was born the only child of Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Grafton and Isabella Bennet, 2nd Countess of Arlington...
, second son of Charles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of GraftonCharles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of GraftonCharles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Grafton KG PC was an Irish and English politician.He was born the only child of Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Grafton and Isabella Bennet, 2nd Countess of Arlington...
and Lady Henrietta Somerset. No known descendants. - Lady Charlotte Elizabeth Boyle (27 October 1731 – 8 December 1754). She married William Cavendish, 4th Duke of DevonshireWilliam Cavendish, 4th Duke of DevonshireWilliam Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire, KG, PC , styled Lord Cavendish before 1729 and Marquess of Hartington between 1729 and 1755, was a British Whig statesman who was briefly nominal Prime Minister of Great Britain...
. They were parents to William Cavendish, 5th Duke of DevonshireWilliam Cavendish, 5th Duke of DevonshireWilliam Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire, KG was a British aristocrat and politician. He was the eldest son of the William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire by his wife the heiress Lady Charlotte Boyle, suo jure Baroness Clifford of Lanesborough, who brought in considerable money and estates to...
, George Cavendish, 1st Earl of BurlingtonGeorge Cavendish, 1st Earl of BurlingtonGeorge Augustus Henry Cavendish, 1st Earl of Burlington , styled Lord George Cavendish before 1831, was a British politician.-Background:...
and two other children.
External links
Further reading
- Arnold, Dana (Ed.), Belov'd by Ev'ry Muse. Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington & 4th Earl of Cork (1694-1753). Essays to celebrate the tercentenary of the birth of Lord Burlington. London, Georgian Group. 1994. ISBN 0951746138
- Harris, John, The Palladians. London, Trefoil. 1981. RIBA Drawings Series. Includes a number of Burlington's designs. ISBN 0862940001
- Lees-Milne, James, The Earls of Creation. London, Century Hutchinson. 1986. Chapter III: Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington (1694-1753). ISBN 0712694641
- Wilton-Ely, John (Intro.), Apollo of the Arts: Lord Burlington and His Circle. Nottingham University Art Gallery. 1973. Exhibition catalogue.
- Wittkower, Rudolf, Palladio and English Palladianism. London, Thames and Hudson. Rep. 1985. ISBN 0500272964
- Chapter 8: Lord Burlington and William Kent.
- Chapter 9: Lord Burlington's Work at York.
- Chapter 10: Lord Burlington at Northwick Park.