Art Market Blog : Dublin Architecture and Interiors of the Georgian Period

GEORGIAN DUBLIN IN A NUT SHELL

The Georgian period normally refers to the reigns of George I (1714-27), his son George II (1727-60), his grandson George III (1760-1820) and George IV (1820-30). George IV – Prince of Wales, ruled as Regent on behalf of his insane father, is known as the Regency. The Industrial Revolution in Britain during the 18^th and 19^th centuries had an important impact on construction and the development of towns and cities in both Britain and in Ireland. It was a time that brought about new manufacturing processes such as fundamental changes in agriculture, textile and metal manufacture, transportation, economic policies and the social structure in England. New materials and techniques meant new sources of fuel, plasterwork, types of bricks, iron and glass technology, paint, improved plumbing and drainage systems and new lighting methods which lead to improved housing construction and domestic life. These changes lead to the ‘birth of the consumer society’. The industrial revolution can arguably be considered as one of Britain’s most significant contributions to the world. The architectural and interiors of English houses began to change dramatically from the mid-18^th through to theearly 19^th century. The main focus of the post is on the Georgian style architecture and interiors of Dublin, a style which I think is the most refined, elegant and sophisticated styles of all and one in which cabinet-making was at its best.

The Georgian style originated in London with architects such as James Gibbs taking over from the Baroque style architecture of Sir Christopher Wren. The main architectural style during the Georgian period was that of Italian architect Andrea Palladio (1508-80) with features of Neo-classicism. Is it Classism that characterises so much of Georgian buildings. Palladianism was introduced into England around 1715. Many interior styles were employed throughout the Georgian period such as; the Chinese style or also known as Chinoiserie, the Neo-classical style under Robert Adam’s interior and furniture designs executed by the cabinet makers such as John Linnell (1729–96), George Hepplewhite (1727-1786) and Thomas Sheraton (1751 –1806), the Egyptian style and the Gothick or Gothic revival with cabinet maker Thomas Chippendale (1718-79) as the prominent furniture maker and designer of this style. The Chinoiserie style became popular in both building and furniture design during the late Georgian period or Regency period.

Typical façade of a classically styled Georgian terraced building included classical porticos and columns of the Classical order, pedimented doors and iron railings fronting the basement level and as well as sash windows. Venetian windows and large bow windows are typical Georgian features. Iron work production fanlights began to appear in 1720 and were popular until the 1840’s. The tallest windows are on the first floor where the principle reception rooms were usually located. Georgian interior features included stair cases with turned wooden balusters and carved handrails or heavy decorated wrought iron work and marble top chimney pieces with cast iron dog-grates. The ceiling was plastered in heavily ornamented Rococo stucco work with motifs such as animal heads, Egg-and dart designs, scrolls, shell, putti and garlands of acanthus leaves and other foliage. Castletown House, Co. Kildare is very famous for its stuccowork in the Staircase Hall. They were crafted by the Francini brothers. Most of what one sees inside Castletown House today can be attributed to Lady Louisa's choice of furnishings in the late 18th century. Lady Louisa Lennox was the wife of Tom Conolly, great-nephew of William Conolly, the first owner of Castletown House.

The Georgian period was the time when fashionable seaside resorts such a Brighton were built, as well as spa town such as Bath. The Royal Crescent, Bath, built 1767-c.75 by John Wood the Younger, is a building that typifies the architecture of the Georgian period. The Royal Brighton Pavilion, commissioned by the Prince Regent from John Nash, finished in 1821 is predominantly in the Indian style but furnished in the Chinese taste, the Gothick taste and the Regency style.

In Dublin, the Georgian style is the main style of architecture evident today. When doing my Fine and Decorative arts Diploma in the I.P.A.V, I took a trip with the class around some of the oldest streets in Dublin with the finest examples of Georgian architecture and interiors. We walked through Fitzwilliam Square, Upper and Lower Mount Street and Leeson Street, Merrion Square, Parnell square and Mountjoy square and Henrietta Street. Henrietta Street in particular, contains some of the oldest and largest Georgian houses in Dublin. It was converted into tenements in the 19th century. Other examples of Georgian architecture in Dublin are seen in buildings such as; King’s Inns, The Royal exchange, the Houses of Parliament (designed by Edward Lovett Pearce), Leinster House.

View of Henrietta Street, Dublin.

I recently became a member of the Irish Georgian Society in Dublin. The IGS was founded in 1958 by the Hon. Desmond Guinness and Mariga Guinness to ‘conserve, protect and foster an interest and a respect for Ireland’s architectural heritage and decorative arts’. Sadly, the Irish government hasn’t done enough to protect and maintain the historical buildings in Ireland but thanks to the money raised by the IGS, some buildings have been restored. The country does not have the resources anymore to make conservation and protection of historical buildings a priority, but it was never an issue that has been high on their political agenda. During the boom or Celtic Tiger years, property developers were buying important buildings, renovating, and in some cases demolishing them without maintaining some of the period features, irrevocably destroying our heritage in the process. It is disgraceful that not many measures were put in place at the time to maintain our culture and heritage in a way that the UK government does to protect theirs with adequate funding and awareness. The National Trust, a charity organisation, do fantastic work in promoting and protecting historic places and opening up important houses and buildings to the public. I intend to get more involved in the work that the IGS do to save our heritage from being destroyed by those who have little or no understanding of the principles of architecture and interior design. Its high time people stop tearing down period buildings and replacing them with concrete slabs and cheap materials that won’t be sustainable in the future.

This Georgian Irish chimneypiece in the manner of Pietro Bossi was sold at Sotheby's in London on September 14. It had an estimated value of £40,000-£60,000 and the price realised was £85,250.