John Soan, Architect

Without doubt the most brilliant architectural innovator of his day, Sir John Soane RA (1753-1837) displayed a remarkable ability to adapt and modernise the language of classical architecture. The range of his built designs, from the ingenuity of his own house in Lincoln’s Inn Fields (later left in trust to the nation) to the opulence and originality of the Bank of England, places him on a par with other leading European Neoclassicists, such as Ledoux and Schinkel. His architectural vocabulary remains influential to this day. This landmark publication considers the legacy of Soane’s architectural achievements, as well as his life and public role. It reproduces over one hundred of Soane’s drawings and contains specially commissioned photographs of his original models and existing buildings. Contributors discuss all of the architect’s major commissions, including the Dulwich Picture Gallery, the Law Courts at Westminster, and the Bank of England.