Robert Adam (3 July 17283 March 1792) was a British

neoclassical architect Neoclassical architecture, sometimes referred to as Classical Revival architecture, is an architectural style produced by the Neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century in Italy, France and Germany. It became one of the most promin ...

, interior designer and

furniture designer This is a list of notable people whose primary occupation is furniture design. A * Alvar Aalto (1898–1976) * Eero Aarnio (born 1932) * Robert Adam (1728–1792) * Thomas Affleck (1745–1795) * Franco Albini (1905–1977) * Davis Allen ( ...

. He was the son of William Adam (1689–1748), Scotland's foremost architect of the time, and trained under him. With his older brother

John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second E ...

, Robert took on the family business, which included lucrative work for the

Board of Ordnance The Board of Ordnance was a British government body. Established in the Tudor period, it had its headquarters in the Tower of London. Its primary responsibilities were 'to act as custodian of the lands, depots and forts required for the defence ...

, after William's death. In 1754, he left for Rome, spending nearly five years on the continent studying architecture under

Charles-Louis Clérisseau Charles-Louis Clérisseau (28 August 1721 – 9 January 1820) was a French architect, draughtsman, antiquary, and artist who became a leading authority on ancient Roman architecture and Roman ruins in Italy and France. With his influence extending ...

and

Giovanni Battista Piranesi Giovanni Battista (or Giambattista) Piranesi (; also known as simply Piranesi; 4 October 1720 – 9 November 1778) was an Italian classical archaeologist, architect, and artist, famous for his etchings of Rome and of fictitious and atmospheric " ...

. On his return to Britain he established a practice in London, where he was joined by his younger brother James. Here he developed the "

Adam Style The Adam style (also called Adamesque or the Style of the Brothers Adam) is an 18th-century neoclassical style of interior design and architecture, as practised by Scottish architect William Adam and his sons, of whom Robert (1728–1792) and ...

", and his theory of "movement" in architecture, based on his studies of antiquity and became one of the most successful and fashionable architects in the country. Adam held the post of Architect of the King's Works from 1761 to 1769. Robert Adam was a leader of the first phase of the classical revival in England and Scotland from around 1760 until his death. He influenced the development of Western architecture, both in Europe and in

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

. Adam designed interiors and fittings as well as houses. Much of his work consisted of remodelling existing houses, as well as contributions to Edinburgh's townscape and designing romantic pseudo-mediaeval country houses in Scotland. He served as the member of Parliament for

Kinross-shire The County of Kinross or Kinross-shire is a historic county and registration county in eastern Scotland, administered as part of Perth and Kinross since 1975. Surrounding its largest settlement and county town of Kinross, the county borders Per ...

from 1768 to 1774.

Biography

Early life

Adam was born on 3 July 1728 at Gladney House in

Kirkcaldy Kirkcaldy ( ; ; ) is a town and former royal burgh in Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It is about north of Edinburgh and south-southwest of Dundee. The town had a recorded population of 49,460 in 2011, making it Fife's second-largest s ...

, Fife, the second son of Mary Robertson (1699–1761), the daughter of William Robertson of Gladney, and architect William Adam. As a child he was noted as having a "feeble constitution". From 1734 at the age of six Adam attended the Royal High School, Edinburgh where he learned

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

(from the second year lessons were conducted in Latin)Graham, p. 4 until he was 15, he was taught to read works by

Virgil Publius Vergilius Maro (; 15 October 70 BC21 September 19 BC), usually called Virgil or Vergil ( ) in English, was an ancient Rome, ancient Roman poet of the Augustan literature (ancient Rome), Augustan period. He composed three of the most fa ...

Horace Quintus Horatius Flaccus (; 8 December 65 BC – 27 November 8 BC), Suetonius, Life of Horace commonly known in the English-speaking world as Horace (), was the leading Roman lyric poet during the time of Augustus (also known as Octavian). Th ...

Sallust Gaius Sallustius Crispus, usually anglicised as Sallust (, ; –35 BC), was a historian and politician of the Roman Republic from a plebeian family. Probably born at Amiternum in the country of the Sabines, Sallust became a partisan of Julius ...

and parts of

Cicero Marcus Tullius Cicero ( ; ; 3 January 106 BC – 7 December 43 BC) was a Roman statesman, lawyer, scholar, philosopher, orator, writer and Academic skeptic, who tried to uphold optimate principles during the political crises tha ...

and in his final year

Livy Titus Livius (; 59 BC – AD 17), known in English as Livy ( ), was a Roman historian. He wrote a monumental history of Rome and the Roman people, titled , covering the period from the earliest legends of Rome before the traditional founding i ...

. In autumn 1743, he matriculated at the

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh (, ; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a Public university, public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded by the City of Edinburgh Council, town council under th ...

,Graham, p. 26 and compulsory classes for all students were: the

Greek language Greek (, ; , ) is an Indo-European languages, Indo-European language, constituting an independent Hellenic languages, Hellenic branch within the Indo-European language family. It is native to Greece, Cyprus, Italy (in Calabria and Salento), south ...

logic Logic is the study of correct reasoning. It includes both formal and informal logic. Formal logic is the study of deductively valid inferences or logical truths. It examines how conclusions follow from premises based on the structure o ...

metaphysics Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy that examines the basic structure of reality. It is traditionally seen as the study of mind-independent features of the world, but some theorists view it as an inquiry into the conceptual framework of ...

and

natural philosophy Natural philosophy or philosophy of nature (from Latin ''philosophia naturalis'') is the philosophical study of physics, that is, nature and the physical universe, while ignoring any supernatural influence. It was dominant before the develop ...

. Students could choose three elective subjects, Adam attended classes in mathematics, taught by

Colin Maclaurin Colin Maclaurin (; ; February 1698 – 14 June 1746) was a Scottish mathematician who made important contributions to geometry and algebra. He is also known for being a child prodigy and holding the record for being the youngest professor. ...

, and anatomy, taught by Alexander Monro ''primus''. His studies were interrupted by the arrival of

Bonnie Prince Charlie Charles Edward Louis John Sylvester Maria Casimir Stuart (31 December 1720 – 30 January 1788) was the elder son of James Francis Edward Stuart, making him the grandson of James VII and II, and the Stuart claimant to the thrones of England, ...

and his Highlanders, who occupied Edinburgh during the

Jacobite rising of 1745 The Jacobite rising of 1745 was an attempt by Charles Edward Stuart to regain the Monarchy of Great Britain, British throne for his father, James Francis Edward Stuart. It took place during the War of the Austrian Succession, when the bulk of t ...

. At the end of the year, Robert fell seriously ill for some months, and it seems unlikely that he returned to university, having completed only two years of study. On his recovery from illness in 1746, he joined his elder brother John as apprentice to his father. He assisted William Adam on projects such as the building of

Inveraray Castle Inveraray Castle (pronounced or ; Scottish Gaelic ''Caisteal Inbhir Aora'' ) is a country house near Inveraray in the county of Argyll, in western Scotland, on the shore of Loch Fyne, Scotland's longest sea loch. It is one of the earliest ex ...

and the continuing extensions of

Hopetoun House Hopetoun House is a country house near South Queensferry owned by the Hopetoun House Preservation Trust, a charity established in 1974 to preserve the house and grounds as a national monument, to protect and improve their amenities, and to pre ...

. William's position as Master Mason to the

also began to generate much work, as the Highlands were fortified following the failed Jacobite revolt. Robert's early ambition was to be an artist rather than architect, and the style of his early sketches in the manner of

Salvator Rosa Salvator Rosa (1615 – March 15, 1673) is best known today as an Italian Baroque painter, whose romanticized landscapes and history paintings, often set in dark and untamed nature, exerted considerable influence from the 17th century into the ...

are reflected in his earliest surviving architectural drawings, which show picturesque gothic follies.Fleming, p. 81 William Adam died in June 1748, and left Dowhill, a part of the Blair Adam estate which included Dowhill Castle, to Robert. From his father, Robert inherited an extensive library and extended it.

Architectural practice in Edinburgh

On William Adam's death, John Adam inherited both the family business and the position of Master Mason to the Board of Ordnance. He immediately took Robert into partnership, later to be joined by James Adam. The Adam Brothers' first major commission was the decoration of the grand

state apartments A state room or stateroom in a large European mansion is usually one of a suite of very grand rooms which were designed for use when entertaining royalty. The term was most widely used in the 17th and 18th centuries. They were the most lavishly ...

on the first floor at Hopetoun House, followed by their first "new build" at Dumfries House. For the Board of Ordnance, the brothers were the main contractor at Fort George, a large modern fort near

Inverness Inverness (; ; from the , meaning "Mouth of the River Ness") is a city in the Scottish Highlands, having been granted city status in 2000. It is the administrative centre for The Highland Council and is regarded as the capital of the Highland ...

military engineer Military engineering is loosely defined as the art, science, and practice of designing and building military works and maintaining lines of military transport and military communications. Military engineers are also responsible for logistics ...

Colonel William Skinner. Visits to this project, begun in 1750, would occupy the brothers every summer for the next 10 years, and, along with works at many other barracks and forts, provided Robert with a solid foundation in practical building. In the winter of 1749–1750, Adam travelled to London with his friend, the poet

John Home Rev John Home (2 September 1722 – 4 September 1808) was a Scottish minister, soldier and author. His play '' Douglas'' was a standard Scottish school text until the Second World War, but his work is now largely neglected. In 1783, he was ...

. He took the opportunity for architectural study, visiting Wilton, designed by

Inigo Jones Inigo Jones (15 July 1573 – 21 June 1652) was an English architect who was the first significant Architecture of England, architect in England in the early modern era and the first to employ Vitruvius, Vitruvian rules of proportion and symmet ...

, and the Queens Hermitage in

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, a city in the United States * Richmond, London, a town in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town ...

by Roger Morris. His sketchbook of the trip also shows a continuing interest in

Gothic architecture Gothic architecture is an architectural style that was prevalent in Europe from the late 12th to the 16th century, during the High Middle Ages, High and Late Middle Ages, surviving into the 17th and 18th centuries in some areas. It evolved f ...

. Among his friends at Edinburgh were the philosophers

Adam Ferguson Adam Ferguson, (Scottish Gaelic: ''Adhamh MacFhearghais''), also known as Ferguson of Raith (1 July N.S. /20 June O.S. 1723 – 22 February 1816), was a Scottish philosopher and historian of the Scottish Enlightenment. Ferguson was sympath ...

and

David Hume David Hume (; born David Home; – 25 August 1776) was a Scottish philosopher, historian, economist, and essayist who was best known for his highly influential system of empiricism, philosophical scepticism and metaphysical naturalism. Beg ...

and the artist

Paul Sandby Paul Sandby (1731 – 7 November 1809) was an English map-maker turned Landscape art, landscape painter in watercolours, who, along with his older brother Thomas Sandby, Thomas, became one of the founding members of the Royal Academy in 17 ...

whom he met in the Highlands. Other Edinburgh acquaintances included Gilbert Elliot, William Wilkie, John Home and Alexander Wedderburn.

Grand Tour

On 3 October 1754, Robert Adam in the company of his brother James (who went as far as Brussels) set off from Edinburgh for his Grand Tour, stopping for a few days in London, where they visited the

Mansion House, London The Mansion House is the official residence of the Lord Mayor of London. It is a Grade I listed building. Designed by George Dance in the Palladian style, it was built primarily in the 1740s. The Mansion House is used for some of the City o ...

St Stephen Walbrook St Stephen Walbrook is a church in the City of London, part of the Church of England's Diocese of London. The present domed building was erected to the designs of Sir Christopher Wren following the destruction of its medieval predecessor in the ...

St Paul's Cathedral St Paul's Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of St Paul the Apostle, is an Anglican cathedral in London, England, the seat of the Bishop of London. The cathedral serves as the mother church of the Diocese of London in the Church of Engl ...

, Windsor, Berkshire, in the company of

Thomas Sandby Thomas Sandby (1721 – 25 June 1798) was an English draughtsman, watercolour artist, architect and teacher. In 1743 he was appointed private secretary to the Duke of Cumberland, who later appointed him Deputy Ranger of Windsor Great Park, wh ...

who showed them his landscaping at

Windsor Great Park Windsor Great Park is a Royal Park of to the south of the town of Windsor, Berkshire, Windsor on the border of Berkshire and Surrey in England. It is adjacent to the private Home Park, Windsor, Home Park, which is nearer the castle. The park ...

and

Virginia Water Lake Virginia Water lies on the southern edge of Windsor Great Park, in the borough of Runnymede in Surrey and the civil parishes of Old Windsor and Sunningdale in Berkshire, in England. It is a man-made lake taking its name from a natural body of ...

. They sailed from

Dover Dover ( ) is a town and major ferry port in Kent, southeast England. It faces France across the Strait of Dover, the narrowest part of the English Channel at from Cap Gris Nez in France. It lies southeast of Canterbury and east of Maidstone. ...

arriving in

Calais Calais ( , , traditionally , ) is a French port city in the Pas-de-Calais department, of which it is a subprefecture. Calais is the largest city in Pas-de-Calais. The population of the city proper is 67,544; that of the urban area is 144,6 ...

on 28 October 1754. He joined Charles Hope-Weir, brother of the Earl of Hopetoun in Brussels and together they travelled to Rome. Hope agreed to take Adam on the tour at the suggestion of his uncle, the Marquess of Annandale, who had undertaken the Grand Tour himself. While in Brussels the pair attended a Play and Masquerade, as well as visiting churches and palaces in the city. Travelling on to

Tournai Tournai ( , ; ; ; , sometimes Anglicisation (linguistics), anglicised in older sources as "Tournay") is a city and Municipalities in Belgium, municipality of Wallonia located in the Hainaut Province, Province of Hainaut, Belgium. It lies by ...

, then

Lille Lille (, ; ; ; ; ) is a city in the northern part of France, within French Flanders. Positioned along the Deûle river, near France's border with Belgium, it is the capital of the Hauts-de-France Regions of France, region, the Prefectures in F ...

, where they visited the

citadel A citadel is the most fortified area of a town or city. It may be a castle, fortress, or fortified center. The term is a diminutive of ''city'', meaning "little city", because it is a smaller part of the city of which it is the defensive core. ...

Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban Sébastien is a common French given name. It is a French form of the Latin name ''Sebastianus'' meaning "from Sebaste". Sebaste was a common placename in classical Antiquity, derived from the Greek word ''σεβαστος'', or ''sebastos'', mea ...

. By 12 November 1754 Adam and Hope were in Paris where they took lodgings in Hotel de Notre Dame. Adam and Hope travelled on to Italy together, before falling out in Rome over travelling expenses and accommodation. Robert Adam stayed on in Rome until 1757, studying classical architecture and honing his drawing skills. His tutors included the French architect and artist

, and the Italian artist

. Here, he became acquainted with the work of the pioneering classical archaeologist and art historian, theorist

Johann Joachim Winckelmann Johann Joachim Winckelmann ( ; ; 9 December 17178 June 1768) was a German art historian and archaeologist. He was a pioneering Hellenism (neoclassicism), Hellenist who first articulated the differences between Ancient Greek art, Greek, Helleni ...

. On his return journey, Adam and Clerisseau spent time intensively studying the ruins of

Diocletian's Palace Diocletian's Palace (, ; ) is an ancient Roman palace and fortress complex built at the end of the third century AD by the Roman Emperor Diocletian as his retirement residence. About half of the complex was for Diocletian's personal use, with th ...

at Spalatro in

Dalmatia Dalmatia (; ; ) is a historical region located in modern-day Croatia and Montenegro, on the eastern shore of the Adriatic Sea. Through time it formed part of several historical states, most notably the Roman Empire, the Kingdom of Croatia (925 ...

(now known as

Split Split(s) or The Split may refer to: Places * Split, Croatia, the largest coastal city in Croatia * Split Island, Canada, an island in the Hudson Bay * Split Island, Falkland Islands * Split Island, Fiji, better known as Hạfliua Arts, enter ...

, in modern

Croatia Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herze ...

). These studies were later published as ''Ruins of the Palace of the Emperor Diocletian at Spalatro in Dalmatia'' in 1764.

Architectural practice in London

He returned to Britain in 1758 and set up in business in London with his brother James Adam. They focused on designing complete schemes for the decoration and furnishing of houses.

Palladian Palladian architecture is a European architectural style derived from the work of the Venetian architect Andrea Palladio (1508–1580). What is today recognised as Palladian architecture evolved from his concepts of symmetry, perspective and ...

design was popular, and Robert designed a number of country houses in this style, but he evolved a new, more flexible style incorporating elements of classical

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of Roman civilization *Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...

design alongside influences from

Greek Greek may refer to: Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...

Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived the events that caused the fall of the Western Roman E ...

and

Baroque The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...

styles. The Adam brothers' success can also be attributed to a desire to design everything down to the smallest detail, ensuring a sense of unity in their design. In Adam interiors, all the furnishings were custom designed to accord with the decoration of the room in a unified harmony. Often the carpets were woven to match the intricate patterns of the ceiling above, while every fitting including sconces, mirrors, and doorknobs also received a custom design emulating the motifs of the room. The Adam practice was not without mishap, however. In 1768 the brothers purchased a 99-year lease for a marshy plot of land beside the Thames in

Westminster Westminster is the main settlement of the City of Westminster in Central London, Central London, England. It extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street and has many famous landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, Buckingham Palace, ...

, where they built a 24-house terrace development known as the Adelphi. The project was very ambitious and is the first instance where terraced houses were designed individually to give unified harmony to the whole development (previously terraced houses were built to one replicated design, side-by-side around a square). However, the project became a

white elephant A white elephant is a possession that its owner cannot dispose of without extreme difficulty, and whose cost, particularly that of maintenance, is out of proportion to its usefulness. In modern usage, it is a metaphor used to describe an object, ...

for Robert and his brothers, with uncertain financing and costs spiralling out of control. The houses were built on a huge artificial terrace resting on vaulted substructures on the level of the Thames, which Robert Adam was certain could be leased to the British government as warehouses. However, this intention failed to materialize; the Adam brothers were left with huge debts and, in 1772, had to lay off 3,000 workmen and cease building. Robert Adam himself moved into one of the houses in the Adelphi, along with supportive friends like

David Garrick David Garrick (19 February 1716 – 20 January 1779) was an English actor, playwright, Actor-manager, theatre manager and producer who influenced nearly all aspects of European theatrical practice throughout the 18th century, and was a pupil a ...

and

Josiah Wedgwood Josiah Wedgwood (12 July 1730 – 3 January 1795) was an English potter, entrepreneur and abolitionist. Founding the Wedgwood company in 1759, he developed improved pottery bodies by systematic experimentation, and was the leader in the indu ...

, who opened a showroom for his ceramics in one of the houses. In 1774, a public lottery authorised under the ( 13 Geo. 3. c. 75) was held to raise funds for the brothers, which allowed them to avert bankruptcy.

Public life

Adam was elected a fellow of the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce in 1758 and of the Society of Antiquaries in 1761, the same year he was appointed Architect of the King's Works (jointly with

Sir William Chambers __NOTOC__ Sir William Chambers (23 February 1723 – 10 March 1796) was a Swedish-British architect. Among his best-known works are Somerset House, the Gold State Coach and the pagoda at Kew. Chambers was a founder member of the Royal Academy. ...

). His younger brother James succeeded him in this post when he relinquished the role in 1768 to devote more time to his elected office as member of

Parliament In modern politics and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...

for

Architectural style

Adam rejected the

style, as introduced to England by

, and advocated by Lord Burlington, as "ponderous" and "disgustful".Glendinning and McKechnie, p. 106 However, he continued their tradition of drawing inspiration directly from

classical antiquity Classical antiquity, also known as the classical era, classical period, classical age, or simply antiquity, is the period of cultural History of Europe, European history between the 8th century BC and the 5th century AD comprising the inter ...

, during his four-year stay in Europe. Adam developed a new style of architectural decoration, one which was more archaeologically accurate than past neoclassical styles, but nonetheless innovative and not bound only by ancient precedents. In ''Works in Architecture'', co-authored by Robert and James, the brothers stated that Graeco-Roman examples should "serve as models which we should imitate, and as standards by which we ought to judge." The discoveries being made in

Herculaneum Herculaneum is an ancient Rome, ancient Roman town located in the modern-day ''comune'' of Ercolano, Campania, Italy. Herculaneum was buried under a massive pyroclastic flow in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. Like the nearby city of ...

and

Pompeii Pompeii ( ; ) was a city in what is now the municipality of Pompei, near Naples, in the Campania region of Italy. Along with Herculaneum, Stabiae, and Villa Boscoreale, many surrounding villas, the city was buried under of volcanic ash and p ...

at the time provided ample material for Robert Adam to draw on for inspiration. The Adam brothers' principle of "movement" was largely Robert's conception, although the theory was first written down by James. "Movement" relied on dramatic contrasts and diversity of form, and drew on the

picturesque Picturesque is an aesthetic ideal introduced into English cultural debate in 1782 by William Gilpin in ''Observations on the River Wye, and Several Parts of South Wales, etc. Relative Chiefly to Picturesque Beauty; made in the Summer of the Year ...

aesthetic. The first volume of the Adam brothers' ''Works'' (1773) cited

Kedleston Hall Kedleston Hall is a neo-classical manor house owned by the National Trust, and seat of the :Curzon family, Curzon family, located near Kedleston in Derbyshire, England, approximately 4 miles (6 km) north-west of Derby. The medieval village ...

, designed by Robert in 1761, as an outstanding example of movement in architecture. By contrasting room sizes and decorative schemes, Adam applied the concept of movement to his interiors also. His style of decoration, described by Pevsner as "Classical

Rococo Rococo, less commonly Roccoco ( , ; or ), also known as Late Baroque, is an exceptionally ornamental and dramatic style of architecture, art and decoration which combines asymmetry, scrolling curves, gilding, white and pastel colours, sculpte ...

", drew on Roman "

grotesque Since at least the 18th century (in French and German, as well as English), grotesque has come to be used as a general adjective for the strange, mysterious, magnificent, fantastic, hideous, ugly, incongruous, unpleasant, or disgusting, and thus ...

stucco Stucco or render is a construction material made of aggregates, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as a decorative coating for walls and ceilings, exterior walls, and as a sculptural and ...

decoration.

Influence

Adam's work had influenced the direction of architecture and design across the western world. In England his collaboration with

Thomas Chippendale Thomas Chippendale (June 1718 – 1779) was an English woodworker in London, designing furniture in the mid-Georgian, English Rococo, and Neoclassical styles. In 1754 he published a book of his designs in a trade catalogue titled ''The Gen ...

resulted in some of the finest neoclassicist designs of the time, most notably in the

Harewood House Harewood House ( , ) is a English country house, country house in Harewood, West Yorkshire, Harewood, West Yorkshire, England. Designed by architects John Carr (architect), John Carr and Robert Adam, it was built between 1759 and 1771, for Ed ...

collection of Chippendale's work. In North America, the

Federal style Federal-style architecture is the name for the classical architecture built in the United States following the American Revolution between 1780 and 1830, and particularly from 1785 to 1815, which was influenced heavily by the works of And ...

owes much to neoclassicism as practised by Adam. In Europe, Adam notably influenced Charles Cameron, the Scotsman who designed apartments in the

Catherine Palace The Catherine Palace (, ) is a Rococo palace in Tsarskoye Selo ( Pushkin), located south of St. Petersburg, Russia. It was the summer residence of the Russian tsars. The palace is part of the World Heritage Site Saint Petersburg and Re ...

Tsarskoye Selo Tsarskoye Selo (, , ) was the town containing a former residence of the Russian House of Romanov, imperial family and visiting nobility, located south from the center of Saint Petersburg. The residence now forms part of the Pushkin, Saint Peter ...

and other Russian palaces for

Catherine the Great Catherine II. (born Princess Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst; 2 May 172917 November 1796), most commonly known as Catherine the Great, was the reigning empress of Russia from 1762 to 1796. She came to power after overthrowing her husband, Peter I ...

. However, by the time of his death, Adam's neoclassicism was being superseded in Britain by a more severe, Greek phase of the classical revival, as practised by James "Athenian" Stuart. The Adam brothers employed several draughtsmen who would go on to establish themselves as architects, including George Richardson, and the Italian Joseph Bonomi, who Robert originally hired in Rome.

Written works

During their lifetime Robert and James Adam published two volumes of their designs, ''Works in Architecture of Robert and James Adam'' (in 1773–1778 and 1779; a third volume was published posthumously, in 1822).

Death and burial

Adam had long suffered from stomach and bowel problems,Graham, Roderick (2009) ''Arbiter of Elegance: A Biography of Robert Adam'', Birlinn, , pp. 328–329 probably caused by a

peptic ulcer Peptic ulcer disease is when the inner part of the stomach's gastric mucosa (lining of the stomach), the first part of the small intestine, or sometimes the lower esophagus, gets damaged. An ulcer in the stomach is called a gastric ulcer, while ...

and

irritable bowel syndrome Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional gastrointestinal disorder characterized by a group of symptoms that commonly include abdominal pain, abdominal bloating, and changes in the consistency of bowel movements. These symptoms may ...

. While at home – 11

Albemarle Street Albemarle Street is a street in Mayfair in central London, off Piccadilly. It has historic associations with George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron, Lord Byron, whose publisher John Murray (publishing house), John Murray was based here, and Oscar ...

, London – on 1 March 1792, one of the ulcers burst, and on 3 March Adam died. The funeral was held on 10 March; he was buried in the south aisle of

Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an Anglican church in the City of Westminster, London, England. Since 1066, it has been the location of the coronations of 40 English and British m ...

. The pall-bearers were several of his clients:

Henry Scott, 3rd Duke of Buccleuch Henry Scott, 3rd Duke of Buccleuch and 5th Duke of Queensberry (2 September 174611 January 1812) was a Scottish nobleman and long-time friend of Sir Walter Scott. He is the paternal 3rd great-grandfather of Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucest ...

; George Coventry, 6th Earl of Coventry; James Maitland, 8th Earl of Lauderdale;

David Murray, 2nd Earl of Mansfield David Murray, 2nd Earl of Mansfield, 7th Viscount of Stormont, (9 October 1727 – 1 September 1796) known as The Viscount of Stormont from 1748 to 1793, was a British diplomat and politician. He succeeded to both the Earl of Mansfield, Mansfiel ...

; Lord Frederick Campbell and Sir William Pulteney, 5th Baronet. Knowing he was dying, he drafted his will on 2 March 1792. Having never married, Adam left his estate to his sisters Elizabeth Adam and Margaret Adam. His

obituary An obituary (wikt:obit#Etymology 2, obit for short) is an Article (publishing), article about a recently death, deceased person. Newspapers often publish obituaries as Article (publishing), news articles. Although obituaries tend to focus on p ...

appeared in the March 1792 edition of ''

The Gentleman's Magazine ''The Gentleman's Magazine'' was a monthly magazine founded in London, England, by Edward Cave in January 1731. It ran uninterrupted for almost 200 years, until 1907, ceasing publication altogether in 1922. It was the first to use the term ''m ...

'':

It is somewhat remarkable that the Arts should be deprived at the same time of two of their greatest ornaments, Sir
Joshua Reynolds Sir Joshua Reynolds (16 July 1723 – 23 February 1792) was an English painter who specialised in portraits. The art critic John Russell (art critic), John Russell called him one of the major European painters of the 18th century, while Lucy P ...
and Mr Adam: and it is difficult to say which of them excelled most in his particular profession. ... Mr Adam produced a total change in the architecture of this country: and his fertile genius in elegant ornament was not confined to the decoration of buildings, but has been diffused to every branch of manufacture. His talents extend beyond the lie of his own profession: he displayed in his numerous drawings in landscape a luxuriance of composition, and an effect of light and shadow, which have scarcely been equalled ... to the last period of his life, Mr Adam displayed an increasing vigour of genius and refinement of taste: for in the space of one year preceding his death, he designed eight great public works, besides twenty five private buildings, so various in their style, and so beautiful in their composition, that they have been allowed by the best judges, sufficient of themselves, to establish his fame unrivalled as an artist.

He left nearly 9,000 drawings, 8,856 of which (by both Robert and James Adam) were subsequently purchased in 1833 for £200 by the architect

John Soane Sir John Soane (; né Soan; 10 September 1753 – 20 January 1837) was an English architect who specialised in the Neoclassical architecture, Neo-Classical style. The son of a bricklayer, he rose to the top of his profession, becoming professor ...

and are now at the Soane Museum in London.

List of architectural works

Works include:

Public buildings

Fort George, Scotland Fort George is a large 18th-century fortress near Ardersier, to the north-east of Inverness in the Highland (council area), Highland council area of Scotland. It was built to control the Scottish Highlands in the aftermath of the Jacobite rising ...

, the buildings within the fort were designed by William Adam, after his death his sons oversaw completion (1748–1769) * The Argyll Arms,

Inveraray Inveraray ( or ; meaning "mouth of the Aray") is a town in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. Located on the western shore of Loch Fyne, near its head, Inveraray is a former royal burgh and known affectionately as "The Capital of Argyll." It is the ...

(1750–1756) * The Town House, Inveraray (1750–1757) * Royal Exchange, Edinburgh, with his brother John Adam (1753–1754) * Screen in front of the Old Admiralty, Whitehall, London (1760) * Kedleston Hotel,

Quarndon Quarndon is a linear village in the south of the Amber Valley District of Derbyshire, England. It is spread along four minor upland roads, approximately 1 mile north of the Derby suburb of Allestree, two of which lead towards the city. Many t ...

(1760) * Little Market Hall,

High Wycombe High Wycombe, often referred to as Wycombe ( ), is a market town in Buckinghamshire, England. Lying in the valley of the River Wye, Buckinghamshire, River Wye surrounded by the Chiltern Hills, it is west-northwest of Charing Cross in London, ...

, Buckinghamshire (1761) later altered * Riding School, Edinburgh (1763) demolished * Courts of Justice and Corn Market,

Hertford Hertford ( ) is the county town of Hertfordshire, England, and is also a civil parish in the East Hertfordshire district of the county. The parish had a population of 26,783 at the 2011 census. The town grew around a Ford (crossing), ford on ...

, Hertfordshire, now Shire Hall (1768). Altered, but partially restored to original design. A joint project with James Adam. *

Pulteney Bridge Pulteney Bridge is a bridge over the River Avon (Bristol), River Avon in Bath, Somerset, Bath, England. It was completed by 1774, and connected the city with the land of the Pulteney family which the family wished to develop. Designed by Rober ...

, Bath (1770) * County House,

Kinross Kinross (, ) is a burgh in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, around south of Perth, Scotland, Perth and around northwest of Edinburgh. It is the traditional county town of the Counties of Scotland, historic county of Kinross-shire. History Kinro ...

(1771) * Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures & Commerce (1772) * Register House, Edinburgh (1774–1789) * Market Cross, Bury St Edmunds, refaced and upper floor added (a theatre now art gallery) (1776) *

Theatre Royal, Drury Lane The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, commonly known as Drury Lane, is a West End theatre and listed building, Grade I listed building in Covent Garden, London, England. The building faces Catherine Street (earlier named Bridges or Brydges Street) an ...

, London, remodelled, (1775) demolished * Red Lion Inn,

Pontefract Pontefract is a historic market town in the City of Wakefield, a metropolitan district in West Yorkshire, England. It lies to the east of Wakefield and south of Castleford. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, it is one of the ...

(1776) *

Drummonds Bank Messrs. Drummond, Bankers is a formerly independent private bank in the United Kingdom that is now part of NatWest Group. The Royal Bank of Scotland incorporating Messrs Drummond, Bankers is based at 49 Charing Cross in central London. Drummo ...

, Charing Cross, London (1777–1778) demolished *

Home House Home House is a Georgian town house at 20 Portman Square, London. James Wyatt was appointed to design it by Elizabeth, Countess of Home in 1776, but by 1777 he had been dismissed and replaced by Robert Adam. Elizabeth left the completed h ...

, London (1777) *

Old College, University of Edinburgh Old College is a late 18th-century to early 19th-century building of the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. It is located on South Bridge, and presently houses parts of the University's administration, the University of Edinburgh School of Law ...

, (1788–onwards) completed to an amended design by

William Henry Playfair William Henry Playfair Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, FRSE (15 July 1790 – 19 March 1857) was a prominent Scottish architect in the 19th century who designed the Eastern, or Third, New Town, Edinburgh, New Town and many of Edinb ...

1831 * The Bridewell, Edinburgh, (1791) demolished * The Assembly Rooms, Glasgow (1791–1794) demolished *

Trades Hall A trades hall is a building where trade unions meet together, or work from cooperatively, as a local representative organisation, known as a labour council or trades hall council. The term is commonly used in England, New Zealand, Scotland and Aus ...

, Glasgow, Scotland (1791–1792) (completed 1792–1802 by his brothers) * Glasgow Royal Infirmary (1791–1794) rebuilt 1914 *

Coutts Coutts & Co. () is a British private bank and wealth manager headquartered in London, England. Founded in 1692, it is the eighth oldest bank in the world. Today, Coutts forms part of NatWest Group's wealth management division. In the Channe ...

Bank enclosed bridge, John Adam Street (1799) later demolished File:Edinburgh City Chambers.jpg, City Chambers, Edinburgh File:AdamBrothersRecordsOfficeEdinburgh1775.jpg, Register House, Edinburgh File:Register House cross section.jpg, Register House, cross section, Edinburgh File:Register House, Edinburgh.jpg, Register House, Edinburgh File:Old College.JPG, Old College Edinburgh, Dome added later File:Bury St Edmunds - Market Cross.jpg, Market Cross, Bury St Edmunds File:Drury lane facade 1775.png, Theatre Royal Drury Lane, London, rebuilt File:Edinburgh from Calton Hill 2.jpg, Edinburgh Bridewell in foreground, demolished File:Pulteney Bridge Bath.jpg, Pulteney Bridge, Bath File:Little Market House - geograph.org.uk - 1127978.jpg, Little Market Hall, High Wycombe File:McLennan Arch - geograph.org.uk - 277897.jpg, McLennan Arch, Glasgow, built from the remains of Glasgow Assembly Rooms File:The Kedleston Hotel and Restaurant - geograph.org.uk - 284906.jpg, Kedleston Hotel, Quarndon File:Coutts 20130414 170.jpg,

Bank, John Adam Street, demolished and replaced with this building File:Register House rotunda (2892537345).jpg, Register House Edinburgh, interior of the dome

Churches

* Yester Chapel, Lothian, new west front in Gothic style (1753) * Cumnock church, Ayrshire (1753–1754) demolished * St. Mary Magdalene, Croome Park, interior (1761–1763) the church was designed by Lancelot "Capability" Brown * St. Andrew's Church, Gunton Hall, Gunton, Norfolk (1769) * St Mary's, Mistley (1776) only the towers survive * St. George's Chapel, Edinburgh, (1792) demolished File:Mistley Church by Robert and James Adam. Published 1776.jpg, Mistley Church as built File:Mistley towers 700.jpg, Mistley Church as it survives File:St Andrew, Gunton, Norfolk - geograph.org.uk - 318535.jpg, St. Andrew's Church Gunton File:Yester Chapel.jpg, Yester Chapel, west front

Mausoleums

* William Adam Mausoleum,

Greyfriars Kirkyard Greyfriars Kirkyard is the graveyard surrounding Greyfriars Kirk in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is located at the southern edge of the Old Town, Edinburgh, Old Town, adjacent to George Heriot's School. Burials have been taking place since the late 1 ...

(1753–1755) *

Bowood House Bowood is a Grade I listed Georgian era, Georgian English country houses, country house in Wiltshire, England, that has been owned for more than 250 years by the Fitzmaurice family. The house, with interiors by Robert Adam, stands in extensive g ...

Mausoleum (1761–1764) *

Mausoleum, Old Calton Cemetery (1777–1778) * Templetown Mausoleum, Castle Upton, County Antrim Ireland (1789) for 2nd Lord Templetown. * Johnstone Family Mausoleum, Ochil Road graveyard,

Alva, Clackmannanshire Alva (Scottish Gaelic: ''Ailbheach'', meaning rocky) is a small town in Clackmannanshire, set in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. It is one of a number of towns situated immediately to the south of the Ochil Hills, collectively referred to as t ...

(1789–1790) * Johnstone Family Mausoleum, Westerkirk graveyard, near Bentpath,

Dumfries and Galloway Dumfries and Galloway (; ) is one of the 32 unitary council areas of Scotland, located in the western part of the Southern Uplands. It is bordered by East Ayrshire, South Ayrshire, and South Lanarkshire to the north; Scottish Borders to the no ...

(1790) File:Old Calton David Hume.jpg, David Hume Mausoleum File:The Templetown Mausoleum - geograph.org.uk - 78372.jpg, Templetown Mausoleum File:The Johnstone Mausoleum, Bentpath - geograph.org.uk - 208025.jpg, Johnstone Family Mausoleum, Bentpath

Urban domestic work

* Little Wallingford House,

Whitehall Whitehall is a road and area in the City of Westminster, Central London, England. The road forms the first part of the A roads in Zone 3 of the Great Britain numbering scheme, A3212 road from Trafalgar Square to Chelsea, London, Chelsea. It ...

, London, alterations (1761) demolished * Lansdowne House, Berkeley Square, London (1762–1767), partially demolished, the Dining Room is in the

Metropolitan Museum of Art The Metropolitan Museum of Art, colloquially referred to as the Met, is an Encyclopedic museum, encyclopedic art museum in New York City. By floor area, it is the List of largest museums, third-largest museum in the world and the List of larg ...

and the Drawing Room is in

Philadelphia Museum of Art The Philadelphia Museum of Art (PMA) is an List of art museums#North America, art museum originally chartered in 1876 for the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. The main museum building was completed in 1928 on Fairmount, a hill located at ...

* 34

Pall Mall, London Pall Mall is a street in the St James's area of the City of Westminster, Central London. It connects St James's Street to Trafalgar Square and is a section of the regional A4 road (England), A4 road. The street's name is derived f ...

(1765–1766) demolished * Langford House, Mary Street, Dublin, Ireland. (1765) First recorded work in Ireland remodelling of house for Rt. Hon.

Hercules Langford Rowley Hercules Langford Rowley Privy Council of Ireland, PC ( – 25 March 1794) was an Irish politician and landowner. Early life Rowley was born . He was the only son of Frances (née Upton) Rowley and Hercules Rowley, a Member of Parliament for Cou ...

. Demolished 1931. * 16

Hanover Square, London Hanover Square is a green square in Mayfair, Westminster, south west of Oxford Circus where Oxford Street meets Regent Street. Six streets converge on the square which include Harewood Place with links to Oxford Street, Princes Street, Hanover S ...

, alterations (1766–1767) demolished * Deputy Ranger's lodge,

Green Park The Green Park, one of the Royal Parks of London, is in the City of Westminster, Central London. Green Park is to the north of the gardens and semi-circular forecourt of Buckingham Palace, across Constitution Hill road. The park is in the m ...

, London (1768–1771) demolished in the 19th century * The Adelphi development, London (1768–1775) mostly demolished 1930s, a ceiling & fireplace are in the

Victoria and Albert Museum The Victoria and Albert Museum (abbreviated V&A) in London is the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.8 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and named after Queen ...

* Chandos House, London (1770–1771) * 8 Queen Street, Edinburgh (1770–1771) originally designed for Lord Chief Baron Ord, now housing the

Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (RCPE) is a medical royal college in Scotland. It is one of three organisations that set the specialty training standards for physicians in the United Kingdom. It was established by royal charter i ...

* Mansfield Street, London (1770–1772) *

Northumberland House Northumberland House (also known as Suffolk House when owned by the Earls of Suffolk) was a large Jacobean architecture, Jacobean Townhouse (Great Britain), townhouse in London, so-called because it was, for most of its history, the London re ...

, London, alterations (1770) demolished, parts of the Glass Drawing Room survive in the

* 20 St. James's Square (1771–1774) * 33 St. James's Square (1771–1773) * Ashburnham House, Dover Street, London, alterations (1773) * Derby House, 26

Grosvenor Square Grosvenor Square ( ) is a large garden square in the Mayfair district of Westminster, Greater London. It is the centrepiece of the Mayfair property of the Duke of Westminster, and takes its name from the duke's surname "Grosvenor". It was deve ...

(1773–1774) demolished * Portland Place, London (1773–1794) (only a few houses survive) * 11 St. James's Square (1774–1776) * Frederick's Place, London (1775–1778) * Roxburghe House,

(1776–1778) demolished *

, London (1777 – before 1784) * 31 (now 17) Hill Street, London alterations (1777–1779) *

Apsley House Apsley House is the London townhouse of the Dukes of Wellington. It stands alone at Hyde Park Corner, on the south-east corner of Hyde Park, facing towards the large traffic roundabout in the centre of which stands the Wellington Arch. It ...

, London (1778) altered * Cumberland House, Pall Mall, London, alterations and interiors (1780–1788) demolished *

Marlborough House Marlborough House, a Grade I listed mansion on The Mall in St James's, City of Westminster, London, is the headquarters of the Commonwealth of Nations and the seat of the Commonwealth Secretariat. It is adjacent to St James's Palace. The ...

, Brighton (1786) *

Fitzroy Square Fitzroy Square is a Georgian architecture, Georgian garden square, square in London, England. It is the only one in the central London area known as Fitzrovia. The square is one of the area's main features, this once led to the surrounding di ...

, London (1790–1794) only the south and east sides were built *

Charlotte Square file:Charlotte Square - geograph.org.uk - 105918.jpg, 300px, Robert Adam's palace-fronted north side Charlotte Square is a garden square in Edinburgh, Scotland, part of the New Town, Edinburgh, New Town, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site ...

(north side), Edinburgh (1791–1794) * 169–185 High Street, Glasgow (1793) demolished * 1–3 Robert Street File:Charlotte Square - geograph.org.uk - 105918.jpg, North side, Charlotte Square, Edinburgh File:Bute House, Edinburgh, Scotland.jpg, Centre of North side, Charlotte Square, Edinburgh File:Chandos House.jpg, Chandos House London File:Home House 05.jpg, Music Room, Home House, London File:Home House 09.jpg, Drawing Room, Home House, London File:HomeHouseEtruscanRoom.jpg, Design for the Etruscan Room, Home House, London File:Home House 10.jpg, Detail of the Etruscan Room, Home House, London File:Home House 03.jpg, Staircase, Home House, London File:Home House 04.jpg, Staircase Dome, Home House, London File:Fitzroy Square S.jpg, South side, Fitzroy Square, London File:Fitzroy Square E.jpg, East side, Fitzroy Square, London File:Polish Embassy 47 Portland Place London.jpg, Surviving Adam Houses, Portland Place, London File:Adelphi 20130414 161.jpg, The Adelphi, London, largely demolished File:WLA vanda Robert Adam Ceiling roundel with octagon and Apollo and Horae.jpg, Robert Adam ceiling from the Adelphi, now in the V&A File:WLA vanda Model of Northumberland House.jpg, Model of the Glass Drawing Room Northumberland House, in the V&A File:WLA vanda glass drawing room Northumberland House.jpg, Panels from the Glass Drawing Room Northumberland House, in the V&A File:Derby Great withdrawing room Countess's Dressing room.jpg, Design for fireplaces in the withdrawing room and the Countess of Derby's dressing room, Derby House File:Derby House 2nd withdrawing room.jpg, Drawing Room, Derby House File:Dercy House drawing-room1777.jpg, Drawing Room, Derby House File:Derby House1777.jpg, Plan, Derby House File:AdamBrothersCountessofDerbysDressingroomEtruscanTaste1777.jpg, Ceiling, Countess of Derby's Dressing Room, Derby House File:Robert and James Adam. Details for Derby House in Grosvenor Square. Published 1777.jpg, Details for Derby House in Grosvenor Square, an example of the Adam Brothers' decorative designs File:RobertJamesAdamengravedJohnRobertsfacadeWatkinWilliamsWynnStJames1777.jpg, 20 St. James's Square, London, front facade File:20 St James's Square - elevation of the offices towards the back court 1777.jpg, 20 St. James's Square, London, rear facade File:Wynn House Dining Room ceiling 1777.jpg, Dining Room ceiling, 20 St. James's Square, London File:RobertJamesAdamengravedTMorrisMusicRoomCeilingWatkinWilliamsWynnStJames1775.jpg, Music Room ceiling, 20 St. James's Square, London File:20 St James's Square 2nd drawing room edited.jpg, Drawing Room ceiling, 20 St. James's Square, London File:Robert Adam fireplace, Round room, Strawberry Hill.jpg, Fireplace, Round room,

Strawberry Hill House Strawberry Hill House—often called simply Strawberry Hill—is a Gothic Revival architecture, Gothic Revival villa that was built in Twickenham, London, by Horace Walpole (1717–1797) from 1749 onward. It is a typical example of the "#Strawb ...

, Middlesex File:Robert Adam 20130414 154.jpg, 1-3 Robert Street File:Lansdowne House Philadelphia 01.JPG, Lansdowne House Drawing Room, now in Philadelphia Art Museum File:Dining room from Lansdowne House MET DT211259.jpg, Lansdown House dining room, now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

Country houses with major work

* Dumfries House, Ayrshire (1754–1759) *

Hatchlands Park Hatchlands Park is a red-brick country house with surrounding gardens in East Clandon, Surrey, England, covering 170 hectares (430 acres). It is located near Guildford along the A246 between East Clandon and West Horsley. Hatchlands Park has b ...

, Surrey, interiors (1756) *

Douglas Castle Douglas Castle was a stronghold of the Douglas (later Douglas-Home) family from medieval times to the 20th century. The first castle, erected in the 13th century, was destroyed and replaced several times until the 18th century when a large man ...

, Lanarkshire (1757–1761) * Paxton House, near

Berwick-upon-Tweed Berwick-upon-Tweed (), sometimes known as Berwick-on-Tweed or simply Berwick, is a town and civil parish in Northumberland, England, south of the Anglo-Scottish border, and the northernmost town in England. The 2011 United Kingdom census recor ...

(1758) * Shardeloes, Amersham, Buckinghamshire (altered and completed the original design by

Stiff Leadbetter Stiff Leadbetter (c. 1705 – 18 August 1766) was a British architect and builder, one of the most successful architect–builders of the 1750s and 1760s, working for many leading aristocratic families. Career Leadbetter's career began when he ...

) (1759–63) *

, West Yorkshire (1759–1771) *

, near

Derby Derby ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area on the River Derwent, Derbyshire, River Derwent in Derbyshire, England. Derbyshire is named after Derby, which was its original co ...

(1759–1765) *

Mellerstain House Mellerstain House is a Scottish Estate houses in Scotland, country house around north of Kelso, Scottish Borders, Kelso in the Scottish Borders, Borders, Scotland. It is currently the home of George Baillie-Hamilton, 14th Earl of Haddington, a ...

, Kelso, Scottish Borders (1760–1768) * Ugbrooke, Devon *

Osterley Park Osterley Park is a Georgian era, Georgian country estate in west London, which straddles the London boroughs of London Borough of Ealing, Ealing and London Borough of Hounslow, Hounslow. Originally dating from the 1570s, the estate contains a ...

, west London (1761–1780) * Mersham le Hatch, Mersham, Ashford, Kent (1762–1766) * Syon House interior,

Brentford Brentford is a suburban town in West (London sub region), West London, England and part of the London Borough of Hounslow. It lies at the confluence of the River Brent and the River Thames, Thames, west of Charing Cross. Its economy has dive ...

(1762–1769) *

Luton Hoo Luton Hoo is an English country house and estate near Luton in Bedfordshire and Harpenden in Hertfordshire. Most of the estate lies within the civil parish of Hyde, Bedfordshire. The Saxon word Hoo means the spur of a hill, and is more comm ...

, Bedfordshire (1766–1770) later extensively reconstructed 1816 by Robert Smirke and other architects later *

Nostell Priory Nostell Priory is a Palladian house in Nostell, West Yorkshire, in England, near Crofton and on the road to Doncaster from Wakefield. It dates from 1733 and was built for the Winn family on the site of a medieval priory. The Priory and its co ...

(1766–80) * Newby Hall, Newby Boroughbridge, North Yorkshire (1767–76) *

Kenwood House Kenwood House (also known as the Iveagh Bequest) is a stately home in Hampstead, London, on the northern boundary of Hampstead Heath. The present house, built in the late 17th century, was remodelled in the 18th century for William Murray, 1st E ...

, Hampstead, London (1768) *

Saltram House Saltram House is a listed building, grade I listed George II of Great Britain, George II era house in Plympton, Devon, England. It was deemed by the architectural critic Nikolaus Pevsner to be "the most impressive country house in Devon". ...

, Plymouth, Devon (1768–69) *

, near

Calne Calne () is a town and Civil parishes in England, civil parish in Wiltshire, southwestern England,OS Explorer Map 156, Chippenham and Bradford-on-Avon Scale: 1:25 000.Publisher: Ordnance Survey A2 edition (2007). at the northwestern extremity ...

, Wiltshire, Diocletian wing, and other interiors (1770) *

Wedderburn Castle Wedderburn Castle, near Duns, Berwickshire, in the Scottish Borders, is an 18th-century country house that is now used as a wedding and events venue. The house is a Category A listed building and the grounds are included in the Inventory of ...

, Duns, Scottish Borders, Berwickshire (1770–1778) * Culzean Castle, South Ayrshire (1772–1790) * Moreton Hall, Suffolk (1773–1776), building and interiors * Stowe, Buckinghamshire (1774) * Moreton Hall, Bury St Edmund (1783) * Brasted Place, Kent () * Pitfour Castle, Tayside, attributed () * Seton Castle, East Lothian (1789) *

Newliston Newliston is an country house near Edinburgh, Scotland. It is located south-west of Kirkliston, and west of the city centre. The house, designed by Robert Adam in the late 18th century, is a listed building#Scotland, category A listed buildin ...

, Lothian (1789) * Dalquharran Castle, South Ayrshire (1789–1792); now a ruin * Airthrey Castle, Stirlingshire (1790–1791) * Balbardie House, Lothian (1792); demolished *

Gosford House Gosford House is a neoclassical country house around northeast of Longniddry in East Lothian, Scotland, on the A198 Aberlady Road, in of parkland and coast. It is the family seat of the Charteris family, the Earls of Wemyss and March. It wa ...

, near

Longniddry Longniddry (, )
is a coastal village in East Lothian ...

, East Lothian (1790–1800) File:Paxton House.jpg, Paxton House, Berwickshire File:Kedleston Hall 04.jpg, South front, Kedleston Hall File:Kedleston cross section.jpg, Cross section, Kedleston Hall File:Inside Kedleston.jpg, Kedleston Hall, Marble Hall File:Stowe House 04.jpg, South front, Stowe House, slightly modified in execution File:AdamBrothersHallatSyon1778.jpg, Cross section of Hall, Syon House, London File:Syon Plan.jpg, Plan, Syon House, London File:Syon House, Great Hall.jpg, Apse, Entrance Hall, Syon House File:Syon House 2.jpg, The Dining Room, Syon House File:Syon House 1.jpg, The Ante-Room, Syon House File:Syon House, Ante room, Gilded panels (2).jpg, The ceiling, Ante-Room, Syon House File:Syon House, Long Gallery.jpg, Long Gallery, Syon House File:Syon House, Long Gallery, Circular Closet.jpg, Closet off Long Gallery, Syon House File:Kenwood House.jpg, Kenwood House, London File:Kenwood House 088.jpg, Entrance portico, Kenwood House, London File:Kenwood-House-JBU 04.jpg, Kenwood House, Library File:RobertAdamLibraryKenwood1774 edited.jpg, Cross section of the library, Kenwood House, London File:Kenwood Library ceiling edited.jpg, The library ceiling, Kenwood House, London File:Nostell Priory 1.jpg, Nostell Priory, Yorkshire, Adam wing on right File:Culzean Castle - geograph.org.uk - 1437106.jpg, Culzean Castle, Ayrshire File:Culzean Castle - the seaward side - geograph.org.uk - 976649.jpg, Culzean Castle, Ayrshire File:Pitfour Castle.jpg, Pitfour Castle, Tayside File:The Saloon (7279934644).jpg, The Saloon, Saltram House File:Bowood House 3.jpg, Bowood House, Adam's Diocletian wing on left, the main block demolished in 1950s File:Orangery, Bowood House - geograph.org.uk - 1572435.jpg, Bowood House, Diocletian wing File:Wedderburn Castle.jpg, Wedderburn Castle,

Berwickshire Berwickshire (; ) is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area in south-eastern Scotland, on the English border. The county takes its name from Berwick-upon-Tweed, its original county town, which was part of Scotland at the ...

File:Entrance Hall ceiling - Harewood House - West Yorkshire, England - DSC01582.jpg, The Entrance Hall Ceiling, Harewood House File:Harewood Castle 01.jpg, Harewood House, Yorkshire, altered by Sir

Charles Barry Sir Charles Barry (23 May 1795 – 12 May 1860) was an English architect best known for his role in the rebuilding of the Palace of Westminster (also known as the Houses of Parliament) in London during the mid-19th century, but also responsi ...

File:Harewood House The State Bedroom.jpg, Harewood House, State Bedroom File:State Bedroom ceiling - Harewood House - West Yorkshire, England - DSC01810.jpg, The Ceiling, State Bedroom, Harewood House File:Harewood House The Old Library.jpg, Harewood House, Old Library File:Music Room ceiling, with paintings by Angelica Kaufman - Harewood House - West Yorkshire, England - DSC02050.jpg, Harewood House, Music Room Ceiling File:Harewood House The Music Room.jpg, The Music Room, Harewood House File:Gallery ceiling by Robert Adam - Harewood House - West Yorkshire, England - DSC01960.jpg, Gallery ceiling, Harewood House File:Gallery - Harewood House - West Yorkshire, England - DSC01996.jpg, The Gallery, Harewood House File:Gallery fireplace, design by Robert Adam - Harewood House - West Yorkshire, England - DSC01966.jpg, Gallery fireplace, Harewood House File:Newliston House - geograph.org.uk - 1306052.jpg, Newliston House File:Dalquarran Castle - geograph.org.uk - 790426.jpg, Dalquarran Castle, Ayrshire File:Luton Hoo.jpg, Luton Hoo House, Bedfordshire, altered by Sir Robert Smirke and again in the late 19th century File:Mellerstain House - geograph.org.uk - 52335.jpg, Mellerstain House, Berwickshire File:Osterley Park 800.jpg, Osterley Park, London File:Osterley Park Interior.jpg, Main Staircase, Osterley Park, London File:Osterley Park House-11891497834.jpg, Entrance Hall, Osterley Park, London File:Drawing Room Ceiling, Osterley House.jpg, Osterley Park, Drawing Room Ceiling File:WP 004275.jpg, Portico Ceiling, Osterley Park

Garden buildings and follies

* Stables,

, joint work with his brother John (1758–1760) * North Lodge,

(1759) * Circular and Octagon pavilion, La Trappe, Hammersmith (1760) for George Bubb Dodington (demolished) * Conservatory Croome Park (1760) * Rotunda Croome Park, attributed (1760) * Old Rectory, Kedleston Hall () * Entrance screen, Moor Park, Hertfordshire (1763) * The Conservatory,

(1763) * Bridge,

Audley End House Audley End House is a largely early 17th-century country house outside Saffron Walden, Essex, England. It is a prodigy house, known as one of the finest Jacobean houses in England. Audley End is now one-third of its original size, but is st ...

, Essex () * Tea Pavilion, Moor Park, Hertfordshire () * Gatehouse Kimbolton Castle () * Bridge,

(1764) * Estate Village Lowther, Cumbria (1766) * Dunstall 'Castle' and Garden Alcove, Croome Park (1766) * Entrance arch, Croome Court (1767) * Entrance Screen, Cullen House,

Cullen, Moray Cullen () is a village and former royal burgh in Moray but historically in Banffshire, Scotland, on the North Sea coast. The village had a population of 1,327 in 2001.United Kingdom Census 2001

(1767) * Bridge, Osterley Park () * Entrance screen, Syon House (1769) * Fishing, Boat & Bath House, Kedleston Hall (1770–71) * Circular Temple, Audley End House, Essex (1771) * Lion Bridge,

Alnwick Alnwick ( ) is a market town in Northumberland, England, of which it is the traditional county town. The population at the 2011 Census was 8,116. The town is south of Berwick-upon-Tweed and the Scottish border, inland from the North Sea ...

(1773) * Stag Lodge, Saltram House, Devon () * The Stables, Featherstone entrance & Huntwick arch

(1776) * Wyke Green Lodges, Osterley, Middlesex (1777); remodelled * The Home Farm, Culzean Castle, Ayrshire (1777–1779) * Brizlee Tower, Alnwick, Gothic tower (1777–1781) * Oswald's Temple,

Auchincruive Auchincruive is a former country house and estate in South Ayrshire, Scotland. It is located east of Ayr, on the north bank of the River Ayr. Auchincruive House was built in the 18th century on the site of an earlier mansion. In 1927, the estat ...

, Ayrshire (1778) * 'Ruined' arch and viaduct, Culzean Castle (1780) * The semi-circular conservatory, Osterley Park (1780) * Tea House Bridge, Audley End House, Essex (1782) * The Stables, Culzean Castle () * Stables, Castle Upton, Templepatrick, County Antrim, Ireland. (1788–1789). Important range of office buildings in castle style * Montagu Bridge,

Dalkeith Palace Dalkeith Palace is a country house in Dalkeith, Midlothian, Scotland. It was the seat of the Duke of Buccleuch, Dukes of Buccleuch from 1642 until 1914, and is owned by the Buccleuch Living Heritage Trust. The present palace was built 1701–1711 ...

, Lothian (1792) * Loftus Hall, Fethard-on-sea, County Wexford, Ireland. Date unknown. Proposed gates * Lion Gate and Lodge, Syon Park, London. Date unknown File:Syon Gateway and porters' lodges 1769 edited.jpg, Screen, Syon House, London File:No-longer used entrance to Syon Park, Brentford - geograph.org.uk - 1123299.jpg, The Lion Gate, Syon Park, London File:Kimbolton Castle 03.jpg, Gatehouse, Kimbolton Castle File:Entrance gates Croome Court.jpg, Entrance Arch, Croome Park, Worcestershire File:Croome Landscape Park - geograph.org.uk - 42459.jpg, Garden Alcove, Croome Court, Worcestershire File:Rotunda Croome Park.jpg, Rotunda, Croome Park, Worcestershire File:Dunstall "Castle" - geograph.org.uk - 15460.jpg, Dunstall "Castle", Croome Court, Worcestershire File:Brizlee Tower - Alnwick - Northumberland - UK - 2006-03-04.jpg, Brizlee Tower, Alnwick File:2008-09-14 Osterley GardenHouse.jpg, The semi-circular conservatory, Osterley Park File:Nostell Priory Park2.jpg, Featherstone entrance, Nostell Priory, Yorkshire File:Oswald's Temple, Auchincruive - geograph.org.uk - 1149431.jpg, Oswald's Temple,

, Ayrshire File:Robert AdamFishing Room and Boat House at Kedleston Circa 1769.JPG, Kedleston Fishing, Bathing & Boat House File:Boathouse Bridge - geograph.org.uk - 1472741.jpg, Kedleston Bridge File:Entering The Culzean Visitor Centre - geograph.org.uk - 1229843.jpg, Former Home Farm, Culzean Castle File:Model Village, Lowther - geograph.org.uk - 59691.jpg, Lowther Castle Model Village File:Montagu Bridge, Dalkeith Country Park - geograph.org.uk - 1589872.jpg, Montagu Bridge, Dalkeith Palace File:The Lion Bridge - geograph.org.uk - 919287.jpg, The Lion Bridge, Alnwick File:Tea House Bridge - geograph.org.uk - 1442099.jpg, Tea House Bridge, Audley End File:Clock Tower, Upton Castle, Templepatrick - geograph.org.uk - 33750.jpg, Clock Tower, Stables, Castle Upton, County Meath File:Culzean Castle - clock tower courtyard - geograph.org.uk - 1560844.jpg, Stables, Culzean Castle, Ayrshire

Country houses with minor work

, West Lothian (interiors) (1750–1754), the house was designed by William Adam * Ballochmyle House, Ayrshire () *

Compton Verney House Compton Verney House () is an 18th-century country mansion at Compton Verney near Kineton in Warwickshire, England. It is located on the west side of a lake north of the B4086 road, B4086 about north-west of Banbury. Today, it is the site of th ...

, added the wings and interiors (1760–1763) * Croome Park, three interiors: the Library the fittings are in the

, Gallery and Tapestry Room this is now in the

, (1760–1765) *

, redecoration of ground floor rooms (1763–1765) * Goldsborough Hall, near

Knaresborough Knaresborough ( ) is a market and spa town and civil parish on the River Nidd in North Yorkshire, England. It is east of Harrogate and was in the Borough of Harrogate until April 2023. History The Knaresborough Hoard, the largest hoard of ...

, North Yorkshire (1764–1765) *

Alnwick Castle Alnwick Castle () is a castle and country house in Alnwick in the English county of Northumberland. It is the seat of the Ralph Percy, 12th Duke of Northumberland, 12th Duke of Northumberland, built following the Norman Conquest and renovated an ...

, Northumberland (interiors) (1766) destroyed when

Anthony Salvin Anthony Salvin (17 October 1799 – 17 December 1881) was an English architect. He gained a reputation as an expert on Middle Ages, medieval buildings and applied this expertise to his new buildings and his restorations, such as those of the ...

created the current state rooms *

Woolton Hall Woolton Hall is a former country house located in Woolton, a suburb of Liverpool, England. Built in 1704 and extensively renovated in 1772 by the influential architect Robert Adam, the building is praised as the finest example of Adam's work in ...

, Woolton, Merseyside (1772), remodelled main façade and the interior * Headfort House, County Meath, Ireland. Internal work, including stairs and notably the Great Eating Room (1775) for Thomas Taylour, 1st. Earl Bective. * Wormleybury, Hertfordshire, internal work including entrance hall & staircase (1777) * Downhill, near

Coleraine Coleraine ( ; from , 'nook of the ferns'Flanaghan, Deirdre & Laurence; ''Irish Place Names'', page 194. Gill & Macmillan, 2002. ) is a town and Civil parishes in Ireland, civil parish near the mouth of the River Bann in County Londonderry, No ...

, County Londonderry, Ireland. (1780) Design for dining room. Not executed. House is now a crumbling ruin. * Moccas Court, Moccas, Herefordshire, internal work including drawing room (1781) * Castle Upton, Templepartick, County Antrim, Ireland. Remodelling of house. (1782–1783) for 1st. Lord Templetown. * Archerfield House, Lothian, internal work including library (1791) *

Summerhill House Summerhill House was a 100-roomed Palladian house in County Meath, Ireland which was the ancestral seat of the Viscounts Langford and the Barons Langford. Built in 1731, it was likely designed by Sir Edward Lovett Pearce and completed by Ric ...

, County Meath, Ireland. 1765 unexecuted. Proposed alterations including a quadrant link connecting two wings. File:Summerhill House, Main front.jpg, Summerhill House, Main Front. File:Comptonverney.jpg, Compton Verney House, wings by Adam

References

Sources

* Adam, Robert (1764
''Ruins of the palace of the Emperor Diocletian at Spalatro in Dalmatia''
* Beard, Geoffrey (1978) ''The Work of Robert Adam'', John Bartholomew & Son. * Bolton, Arthur T. (1922, reprinted 1984) ''The Architecture of Robert & James Adam, 1785–1794'', 2 volumes * Curl, James Stevens (2006) ''Oxford Dictionary of Architecture and Landscape Architecture'' 2nd Edition. Oxford University Press. * Fleming, John (1962) ''Robert Adam and his Circle'' John Murray * Glendinning, Miles, and McKechnie, Aonghus, (2004) ''Scottish Architecture'', Thames and Hudson. * Graham, Roderick (2009) ''Arbiter of Elegance: A Biography of Robert Adam'' (Birlinn, ) * Harris, Eileen (1963) ''The Furniture of Robert Adam'' Alec Tiranti, London. . * Harris, Eileen (2001) ''The Genius of Robert Adam: His Interiors'' * Lees-Milne, James (1947) ''The Age of Adam'' * Pevsner, Nikolaus (1951) ''An Outline of European Architecture'' 2nd Edition. Pelican * Roderick, Graham (2009) ''Arbiter of Elegance A Biography of Robert Adam''. Birlinn * * Stillman, Damie (1966) ''The Decorative Work of Robert Adam'' * Tait, A. A. (2004
"Adam, Robert (1728–1792)"
''

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography The ''Dictionary of National Biography'' (''DNB'') is a standard work of reference on notable figures from History of the British Isles, British history, published since 1885. The updated ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (''ODNB'') ...

'', Oxford University Press, * Yarwood, Doreen (1970) ''Robert Adam'' and (1973 paperback) * Belamarić, Joško – Šverko, Ana (eds.): Robert Adam and Diocletian's Palace in Split, Zagreb 2017,

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Adam, Robert 1728 births 1792 deaths People from Kirkcaldy People educated at the Royal High School, Edinburgh Alumni of the University of Edinburgh Independent members of the House of Commons of Great Britain Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for Scottish constituencies British MPs 1768–1774 Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh Fellows of the Royal Society Fellows of the Society of Antiquaries of London People of the Scottish Enlightenment Politics of Perth and Kinross 18th-century Scottish antiquarians 18th-century Scottish architects 18th-century Scottish male artists Scottish furniture designers Scottish interior designers British neoclassical architects Burials at Westminster Abbey Fellows of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland

Biography

Early life

Architectural practice in Edinburgh

Grand Tour

Architectural practice in London

Public life

Architectural style

Influence

Written works

Death and burial

List of architectural works

Public buildings

Churches

Mausoleums

Urban domestic work

Country houses with major work

Garden buildings and follies

Country houses with minor work

See also

References

Sources

Further reading

External links