Lord Burlington

Lord Burlington (1694–1753), the tastemaker who defined the Georgian age, was the epitome of an eighteenth-century aristocrat. Having become 3rd Earl of Burlington at the age of nine, Richard Boyle’s world encompassed friendships with the leading literary figures of his time, a Grand Tour and the collecting of art and antiquities, as well as revelry and scandal at court. He is most famous, though, for his immense contribution to English architecture, not only as a patron and pundit but an architect, many of whose drawings now survive at Chatsworth House. Burlington played a key role in the transition from the Baroque to Palladianism, helping to transform the country’s architecture and shape many of its most celebrated buildings. His influence is still seen and felt today.

Offering a comprehensive reassessment of Burlington’s life and designs, Alexander Echlin’s Lord Burlington: The Earl Who Shaped Georgian Architecture considers his work and legacy afresh, shining new light on the decline of the Baroque and the emergence of the Palladian Revival. Lord Burlington is hereby restored to the forefront of English culture and art in the eighteenth century, emerging at last as a fascinating, rounded individual, in contrast to the stilted portrait all too often presented in the past.