Royal Scottish Academy Building
Playfair, William Henry; Steell, John
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Alternative Title
Royal Institution
Date
1822-1826Description
Detail of the Doric order and entablature of the west facade; The area known as the Mound was Playfair's greatest achievement, which he owed to his appointment as architect to the Board of Manufactures [and Fisheries]. Playfair began in 1822 with the Doric style Royal Institution (now Royal Scottish Academy), at the foot of the Mound, which he enlarged and ornamented in 1830. His early work is in a creditable but conventional Greek Revival style. Along with the adjacent National Gallery of Scotland (his last work), their Neoclassical design helped transform Edinburgh into a modern day "Athens of the North". After 1830, his style expanded so that the Mound perfectly unites the contrasting Gothic and Classical character of the Old and New Towns. The building was named the Royal Institution from 1826 to 1911. From the completion of the building, the Royal Institution shared it with the Royal Society of Edinburgh and the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. It is now managed by the National Galleries of Scotland. The building was renovated in 2003. The statue of Queen Victoria top the building was sculpted by Sir John Steell. Source: Grove Art Online; http://www.oxfordartonline.com/ (accessed 6/22/2012)
Type of Work
society building; exhibition building; art museumSubject
architecture, revival styles, sphinx, Nineteenth century, Neoclassical, Greek Revival
Rights
Rights Statement
Licensed for educational and research use by the MIT community only