Lancelot Brown and the Capability Men: Landscape Revolution in Eighteenth-Century England

(Hardback)

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Lancelot 'Capability' Brown is often thought of as an innovative genius who single-handedly pioneered a new, 'naturalistic' style of landscape design. But he was only one of many landscape designers in Georgian England, albeit the most commercially successful. Published to tie in with the tercentenary of Brown's birth, Lancelot Brown and the Capability Men casts important new light on his world-renowned work, his eventful life and the business of landscape design in Georgian England.There is no evidence that Brown actually invented the style with which his name is now so closely associated - it was simply the style of the times. He was the head of a complex business that could supply clients with a whole design 'package', which included new greenhouses, kitchen gardens and land drainage schemes. This innovative book investigates the nature and organization of Brown's business, and draws insightful comparisons with similar providers of 'taste' such as the Adam brothers, Thomas Chippendale and Josiah Wedgwood. Illustrated with over 120 images, this beautiful book shows that Brown's style, like the organization of his business, was the product of a distinctly modern world.

Reviews

"In the cluster of publications on Lancelot 'Capability' Brown coinciding with the tercentenary of his birth in 2016, Brown and Williamson's contribution stands out in its attempt to place the man and his oeuvre firmly into context. This should be essential reading for anyone wishing to understand the Brownian style of landscapes. For, as the authors capably illustrate, Brown was only one of many practitioners 'contriving improvements' in that manner in the second half of the eighteenth century. This book takes in a wide arc to explain the designs of Brown and his contemporaries--the aptly named 'Capability Men' of the title. . . . An enjoyable and highly informative read."-- "Landscape History"
"The authors primary goal is to allow students and scholars to distinguish the work of Brown from that of his rivals and followers. . . . There are many plans by other designers reproduced here, a contribution that on its own establishes the permanent usefulness of this book."-- "Garden"
"In this beautifully illustrated, thoroughly researched volume, the authors elucidate the social, cultural, political, and economic context within which Brown operated. His predecessors, imitators, rivals, and successors are all painstakingly documented to provide a rich composite portrait of the many influences at work in transforming the English landscape. Brown was indeed instrumental in ushering the landscape business into the modern era, but he was part of an intricate network of patrons, contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers. Many had different goals, tastes, and time lines. At times, Brown's contributions were more subtle and his transformations less total than reputed. This book is an important contribution to the history of landscape design. Recommend."-- "Choice"

Author Bio

David Brown is Tutor of Landscape History at the University of Cambridge. Tom Williamson is Professor of Landscape History at the University of East Anglia. His books include Polite Landscapes: Gardens and Society in Eighteenth-century England (1998).