stuart proposals

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Stuart, James and Revett, Nicholas, Proposals for Publishing a New and Accurate Description ofAntiquities in Attica. British Library, Lansdowne MSS 1056, f. 77.

Proposals for Publishing a new and accurate Description of the Antiquities in Attica ByJames Stuart and Nicholas Revett

There is perhaps no Part of Europe more deservedly excites the Curiosity, and Attention ofthe Lovers of Polite Literature than the Province of Attica, and in particular Athens itsCapital City; whether we reflect on the Figure i makes in History on Account of theExcellent Men it has produced, or whether we consider the Number of Antiquities stillremaining there, Monuments if the Good Sense, and Elevated Genius of the Athenians, andthe most perfect Models of what is Excellent in Sculpture and Architecture.

Many Authors have mentioned these Remains of Antiquity, as Works of GreatMagnificence, and most Exquisite Taste; but their Descriptions are so confused , and theirMeasures so inaccurate, that the most expert Architect could not from these Books form anIdea distinct enough to make Exact Drawings of any one Building they describe. Their

Works seem rather calculated to raise our Admiration , than to satisfy our Curiosity, orimprove our Taste.

Rome, who borrowed her Arts, and frequently her Artificers from Greece, has by means ofPalladio, Serlio, Santo Bartoli, and other Ingenious Men, preserved the Memory of the mostExcellent Sculptures, and Magnificent Edifices, which once adorned her; and though someof the Originals are since destroyed, yet the Memory, the Exact Form of these Things, naythe Arts themselves seem secured from perishing, since the Industry of these Men havedespersed Examples of them in all the Polite Nations of Europe; but Athens the mother ofElegance and Politeness, whose Magnificence scarce yielded to that of Rome, and who forthe Beauties of a Correct Stile, must be allowed to surpass her, as much as an Original excells

a Copy, has been always entirely neglected, and unless Exact Drawings from them bespeedily made, all her Beauteous Fabricks, her Temples, her Theatres, her Palace, will dropinto Oblivion, and Posterity will have to reproach us, that we have not left them a tolerableIdea of what is so Excellent, and so much deserves our Attention. The Reason indeed ofthis Neglect is obvious.

Greece since the Revival of the Arts, has been in the Possession of Barbarians, and Artificerscapable of such a Work have not been able to gratify their Passion for Fame, or Profitwithout risking themselves among such professed Enemys to the Arts, as the Turks still are,and whose Ignorance and Jealously [sic] make an Undertaking of this Sort, still somewhatdangerous. While those Gentlemen who have travelled there though some of them have

been abundantly furnished with Literature, yet have not any of them been sufficientlyconversant with Painting Sculpture and Architecture to make their Books of such generalUse, or even Entertainment to the Public, as a Man more acquainted with these Arts mightdo; for the best Verbal Description cannot be supposed to convey so adequate an Idea ofthe Magnificence and Elegance of Buildings, the fine Form Expression or Proportion ofSculptures, the Beauty or Variety of a Country, or the Exact Scene of any Celebrated Action,as may be formed from Drawings made on the Spot, measured with the greatest Accuracy,and delineated with the utmost Attention.


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We doubt not but a Work so much wanted will meet with Approbation of all theseGentlemen, who are lovers of Antiquity, or have a Taste for what is Excellent in these Arts,as we are assured that those Artists, who aim at Perfection must be infinitely more pleased,and better instructed, the nearer they can draw their Examples from the Fountain-head.

It is proposed to divide this work into three Volumes. The first of Which will consist ofViews of the Principal Antiquities in their present State, and Prospects of those placesmention'd by the Poets and Historians, either on Account of their Beautiful Situation, or asthe Scenes of any Celebrated Action, together with an Exact Map of all AtticaTrigonometrically surveyed.

The Second Volume will contain the Geometrical Plans, and Elevations of the Temples,Theatres etc. still remaining there, after the Manner of Degodetz in which will be given withthe Greatest Accuracy, the Measure and Proportion of each Particular Member, as well asthe General Disposition and Ordonnance of the whole Building, restored to its originalForm, whenever Materials can be found for such Restoration; for the Justness andProbability of which, it is to be observed, the first Volume will be a sufficient Voucher. And

to this Volume will be prefixed a Plan of Modern Athens, with so much of the adjacentCountry, as may be supposed to have been contained within the Ancient Walls.

The Third Volume will consist of Statues and Basso Relievos still remaining there, many ofwhich are supposed to be the work of Phidias, Praxiteles, and other most ExcellentSculptors, of all which the following Catalogue will give a more particular Idea.

[The numbers following the entry below are Views, Archi:, Basso Relievos in that order]

Temple of Minerva Parthenion. Doric Order enriched with Sculptures (2, 8, 20)Temple of Victory without Wings. Doric Order (1, 2, 6)

Arsenal of Lycurgus. Ionic Order (1, 3, 0)Temple of Erestheus. Ionic Order (1, 3, 0)Temple of Minerva and the Nymph Pandrossa with Cariatides (1, 2, 4)Temple of Pan and Apollo. Corinthian Order (1,1,0)The Theatre of Bacchus. Three Orders (2, 6, 0)The Portico of Eumenes (1,1,0)Palace of Hadrian. Corinthian Order (3,6,0)Aqueduct of Hadrian. Ionic Order (2,2,0)Gate of Hadrian (2,3,0)Temple of Diana Agrotera (1,2,0)Stadium Panathenairum (1,2,0)

Antique Bridge on the Illissus (1,2,0)Temple of Ceres (1,1,0)Temple of the Muses Illipiades (1,0,0)An Antique Temple now a Church called Hagia Maria (1,1,0)The Museum (1,2,0)Odeum (1,2,0)The Fountain Henneacrene (1,0,0)The Church of St. Dennis the Areopagite (1,0,0)Temple of Theseus. Doric Order enriched with Sculptures (1,6,20)


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The Gymnasium of Ptolemy (2,1,0)Temple of Castor and Pollux (1,2,0)The Lyceum (1,0,2)Temple of Augustus. Corinthian Order (1,3,0)Temple of Jupiter Olympus. Corinthian Order (2,5,0)

Tower of the Eight Winds, built by Andronicus Cyrrestes (1,1,8)Lanthom of Demosthenes. Corinthian Order. enriched with Sculptures (1,4,10)The Pyreum, or Ancient Port of Athens (1,0,0)The Maxea Teixn [Though in Greek letters] (1,0,0)Temple of Diana Munichia (1,2,0)Temple of Jupiter at Salamis (1,3,0)Temple of Jupiter at Egina (1,2,0)Temple of Venus at Egina (1,2,0)Temple of Ceres at Eleusis (1,3,5)An Ancient Temple at Eleusis, now the Church of St. George (1,1,0)An Octagon temple near Corinth adorned with Sculptures (1,2,8)Temple of Minerva at Sunium (1,2,0)

Rupes Scironides (1,0,0)Views of Athens Megara Eleusis, Mons Cytheron, Helicon, Mt. Parnassus, Mt Hymettus,Pentelius, Leitra Marathon Platea and Salamis (12, 0,0)A Map of Attica (2,0,0)A Plan of Athens (0,2,0)To each Print will be added an Explanation [total] (62,90,88)

These are the Subjects which we propose to ourselves, after consulting the Writings of themost Creditable Authors, and conversing with several Gentlemen, who have visited thisCountry. it is possible nevertheless that on our Arrival there, we shall be obliged to omittsome, that by the injuries of Time will be entirely ruined, and we may add others of which

we cannot yet be supposed to have any Notice. And we shall endeavour, through in theconscisest Manner possible, to illustrate each Print with fresh Explanations andDescriptions, as will be necessary to make them useful and intelligible, which will beprincipally done by pointing out the Relation they have to the Doctrine of Vitruvius or theDescription of Pausanias, Strabo, Thucydides, etc.

During the time we waited at Venice for an Imbarcation to Land, less so much Time shouldbe unimployed, we resolved to make a litttle Voyage to Pola in Istria, assuring ourselves onthe Judgement of Palladio, that we should find in that Place some Antiquities deserving ourNotice. At Pola (says he) a City of Istria, besides the Theatre and Ampitheatre, and an Arch,which are most beautiful Buildings etc. there are on one Side of the Piazza two Temples of

Palladio. Book A. nor were we deceived in our Epectation; for though the Theatre beentirely destroyed, yet the Arch of the Sergy, the outwards Ruins of an Ampitheatre inExcellent Preservation, and a Temple built in the most Exquisite Taste of the Augustan Age,were sufficient Materials to keep us continually employed three Months, much to ourAdvantage and Instruction; for by discovering the Mistakes, which Serlio, Palladio, andMaffei have committed in what regards this Place, we are convinced of the Necessity ofusing all our Diligence in measuring and designing whatever Antiquities may fall under ourNotice, as 'tis doubtless owing to Inaccuracy and the too cursory View, that these Great Menhave bestowed on the Antiquities of Pola, that they have succeeded so ill in their


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Representation of them. They seem neither to have dug, nor to have erected the necessaryscaffolds. It likewise appears that a greater Number of Examples than those we already haveare necessary in Order to form a true Judgement of the Ancient Architecture; for thoughsince the Time of Serlio, many Books on this Subject have been published, it cannot be trulysaid, we have any Author, we can entirely credit, except Degodetz, whose Book though it

contains many Excellent Examples of the Corinthian Order, yet unless the Coliseum and theTheatre of Marcellus be supposed models fit for our Imitation in Building of a less GiganticStructure, he must be allowed very deficient in what regards the Doric and Ionic Orders, ashe give no Temp[le of the first, and of the second only that dedicated to Manly Fortune. Ofthe Antiquities of Pola, we have made the following designs.

Of the Ampitheatre1. An External View2. An Internal View [they write of #'s 1 and 2] -- which shew exactly the present Conditionof this Building3. A Plan4. A General Elevation of the Front, and a transverse Section

5. An Elevation of one of the Abutments, called by Serlio Contraforti6. An Elevation of a Flank of the same, and Profils of some Cornices belonging to them7. Sections etc. of Ditto, shewing their Use.8. A Plan and Elevation of the two Peers of the Basement9. Zoccolo and Cornice etc. of Ditto10. A Plan and Elevation of an Arch of the First Order11. Capital Entablature and Impost of Ditto.12. A Plan and Elevation of an Arch of the Second Order13. Capital Entablature and Impost of Ditto.14. A Plan and Elevation of Part of the upper Order, shewing one Window, the Channelsand Zoccolos in which the Poles were planted that the Vail was fastened to.

15. Profils of the upper Cornice, and of the Architrave and Cornice of the Windows.

Of the Arch

16. A View Shewing the Situation and Condition it is now in.17. A Plan18. An Elevation of the Front19. Ditto of the Flank.20. A Section21. Basement and Base of the Columns22. Capital and Entablature, with a Profil of the Capital

23. Angular View and Plan of the Capital24. The Attick Story, Impost of the Arch, and a Bass [sic] Relief of an Eagle with the Wingsextended, grasping a Serpent. In the Suffit of the Arch25. Bas Reliefs of Trophies.

Of the Temple

26. A View of the Front, shewing the Condition it is now in27. Ditto of the Back front, as also of another consimiler Temple


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28. A Plan29. An Elevation of the Front.30. Ditto of the Flank31. Basement and Base of the Columns, and Foliages that adorn the Freeze [sic]32. Capital and Entablature, with a Profil of the Capital

33. Angular View and Plan of the Capital.34. Capital of the Pilasters, it Plan and Profil. Suffit of the Architrave and Base of thePilasters.

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