Highlighted Skills: painting, design research
Spencer House, Painted Room
English Georgian, 1760
Villa Farnese, Staircase
Italian Renaissance, 1559
S. Nicolò da Tolentino, Library
Italian Baroque, 1666
The Painted Room was designed by James “Athenian” Stuart in 1760. It is one of the most famous English interiors from the 18th century. This room was designed in the English Georgian style with influences from Greek architecture. Motifs such as dentil molding, greek key, anthemion, and palmettes can be found throughout the space, as well as corinthian columns. Baroque aspects can also be found in this design, including theatrical effects and use of contrast. The Triumph of Love was the main inspiration for this space and mainly focused on the Lord and Lady Spencer’s marriage.
Giacomo da Vignola designed Villa Farnese near Rome in 1559. Farnese was one of his greatest villas, and one of the finest examples of the Italian Renaissance style. Vignola designed a beautiful palazzo around the surrounding pentagonal fortress and added bountiful gardens. The villa has 5 floors in total, all with a different function. On the 1st floor, or piano nobile, there is a large central loggia surrounded by the main rooms of the 2 symmetrical apartments. These rooms are famous for their Mannerist frescoes which depict scenes of the Farnese’s glory.
The library at S. Nicolò da Tolentino in Venice, Italy was designed in the Italian Baroque style. Construction began in 1665 and ended in 1666. The original construction documents did not name an architect, though it was later found that Baldassare Longhena designed it. Longhena was a very famous Venetian architect. He studied under Vincenzo Scamozzi and in the 17th century he was well known mainly for designing churches such as the Church of Santa Maria della Salute.