Playfair, William Henry, 1790-1857 (architect)
Dates
- Existence: 1790 - 1857
Biography
The architect William Henry Playfair was born in Russell Square, London, July 1789. On the death of his father, Playfair was sent to reside with his uncle in Edinburgh. Professor John Playfair, mathematician and geologist and a leading figure in the Edinburgh Enlightenment, took control of his nephew's education. Following his father's profession, the young Playfair studied under William Starke of Glasgow. His first public appointment was the laying out of part of the New Town in Edinburgh in 1815.
Then, after a visit to France in 1816, he established himself professionally by winning the commission in 1817 to complete the unfinished University buildings (leaving the front as designed by Robert and James Adam). He also designed the city's Royal Terrace and Regent Terrace on the Calton Hill estate; the unfinished National Monument on Calton Hill; and, the Royal Scottish Academy and the National Gallery on the Mound. While Playfair's most important works in Edinburgh have been executed in the Greek revivalist or classical style - earning for Edinburgh the title of 'Athens of the North' - he was competent in other styles too. He designed New College for the ten newly established Free Church of Scotland, a jagged-lined rendering of the Gothic style. He also built country houses and mansions in the Italianate and Tudor styles.
Playfair died in Edinburgh after a long illness on 27 May 1857.
Found in 163 Collections and/or Records:
Plasters for Venetian Windows in Lower Gallery of Museum (Full Size), 22nd April 1819
Elevation and detail of the capitol and base of the plaster with section of the shaft at the bottom and top.
Playfair's note: "N.B. The returns of whole plasters and corner plasters to have half a leaf which must be somewhat broader to suit the projection AB."
Profile of Architrave Moldings of Great Arches & Moldings of Sunk Pannels for the Upper Museum, 20th June 1818
Line drawing with detail of moulding for sunk panels in spandrels and the moulding below arches as well as architrave moulding for arches
Profile of Architrave of Stone Entablature of Colonnade for South Western Buildings, 19th June 1818
Section Drawing of Architrave Profile
the drawing outlines the profile of the stone architrave as well as all the different parts composing it
On the reverse of the drawing: Black ink pen + watercolor (pink)
Profile of Base of Columns in the Upper Museum, 1st January 1818
Full Size drawing illustrating the outline at the base of stone columns in the Upper Museum
dashed lines indicate the position of joints
On the reverse of the drawing: Black ink pen
Profile of Base of Ionic Columns of Colonnade of the Building at the South Western Angle, 16th June 1818
simple black ink pen drawings of profile of the iron column base
very simple black ink pen drawings with guides (dashed lines) which indicates the relative relationship between different parts. on the curve line also see the spot instruction used for measurement
On the reverse of the drawing: Black ink pen
Profile of base of Pilasters in the Upper Museum, 4th January 1818
Outline of base of Pilasters
simply linear drawing showing the joint line Specific Features and Details:
On the reverse of the drawing: Black ink pen
Profile of Cornice for Ionic Colonnade of the Building at South Western Angle, 17th June 1818
simple drawings of the cornice profile. also we could see the moulding work of cornice
On the reverse of the drawing: Black ink pen watercolor (pink)
Profile of Moldings of Sunk Pannels in Soffit of Architrave in Upper Museum, 25th September 1818
Plan of Soffit with measurements and full size details of the section
Profile of Moulded Cill Above the ornamented belt for building at South Western Angle, 10th June 1818
Section of Moulded profile
the drawing has probably been trimmed in the upper part
the drawing illustrates the profile of a moulded block
On the reverse of the drawing: Black ink pen + watercolor (pink)