HINTS ON PUBLIC ARCHITECTURE, Containing among other Illustrations, Views and Plans of the Smithsonian. Together with an Appendix Relative to Building Materials . . .
New York: George P. Putnam, 1849. First edition. 4to. 17, 119 pp. Illustrated with a frontispiece, engraved title-page, 6 full-page lithographs with some tidemarks, 7 fullpage engravings, and 99 woodcut illustrations in the text. Blue publisher's cloth, gilt on front board and spine, slightly faded. Cloth rubbed through on spine ends. R. D. Owen wrote his Hints on Public Architecture “to introduce the members of the Building Committee of the Smithsonian Institute to concepts of good taste in architecture, as demonstrated by current British examples by A. W. Pugin and discussed in the writings of John Ruskin.” [see the Smithsonian website]. Owen was a member of the House of Representatives from Indiana, member of the Building Committee and he was instrumental in the passage of legislation that would fund the building of the structure. A controversy had arisen with the various designs for the Smithsonian in Washington and members of the Committee and the Congress needed guidance as to the proper role of architecture in publicly funded buildings. The book lays out a justification for the Norman Romanesque as an appropriate architectural style for American public buildings, using the Smithsonian Building as a model. The book is extremely well illustrated with the best lithographers and wood engravers used to produce the images. The American branch of Ackerman & Co. and Napoleon Sarony created the highly detailed lithographs and W. Roberts, Bobbett and Edmonds, and J. H. Hall produced many of the wood engravings. Owen's "Hints" is a veritable gallery of wood engravers and lithographers of the mid-19th century. He is considered part of the Romanesque Revival. HITCHCOCK 885. Item #63882
Price: $550.00