Holkham: An English Treasure House and Its Landscape

(Hardback)

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Description

Created over four decades from the 1720s to the 1760s by the highly erudite, visionary, and ambitious Earl of Leicester, Holkham is a masterpiece of Palladian architecture. Richly illustrated and with far-reaching essays, this volume invites us to a splendid tour through an incredibly well-preserved house, with all its splendidly furnished interiors and amazing collection of artworks still in place.

Lord Leicester designed Holkham as the ideal home and setting for the ancient sculptures, distinguished paintings, and other treasures he had acquired on his Grand Tour. The unique Marble Hall and the Gallery revive and celebrate the values and virtues of ancient Rome, while the Saloon and state rooms vibrate with a baroque sense of grandeur and splendor. With the original family still in custodianship, Holkham is a unique survivor of the golden age of English country house culture.

Author Bio

Leo Schmidt is an architectural historian and emeritus professor of heritage conservation at Brandenburg University of Technology in Cottbus.

Elizabeth Angelicoussis is a classical archaeologist and expert on 18th-century sculpture collections.

Contributions by Peter Burman, Polly Feversham, Anne Glenconner, Katherine Hardwick-Kulpa, John Hardy, Uta Hassler, Christine Hiskey, Markus Joachim, Christian Keller, Axel Klausmeier, Werner Koch, Silke Langenberg, Tom Leicester, Laura Nuvoloni, Bernhard Ritter, Christoph Martin Vogtherr and Tom Williamson.