Dictionary of Irish Architects 1720 - 1940

Artist and architect, of London, for whom see Susan Weber Soros, ed., James 'Athenian' Stuart:  the rediscovery of Antiquity (Bard Graduate Center, 2007), and Howard Colvin, A Biographical dictionary of British architects 1600-1840 (4th edn, 2008), 998-1003. James Stuart, known as 'Athenian' Stuart after the publication of his book The Antiquities of Athens measured and delineated by James Stuart…and Nicholas Revett (1762), designed the Temple of the Winds at Mount Stewart, Co. Down, 1782-83, for Robert Stewart, later first Marquess of Londonderry.(1) Some of the internal decoration at Rathfarnham Castle, Co. Dublin, executed for Henry Loftus, 1st Earl of Ely, in 1769, including that in the ground-floor gallery, has been attributed to Stuart by McParland, who infers from this the possibility that Stuart was also involved in the decoration of Ely House in Dublin.(2)

Among his acquaintances who had, or subsequently acquired, strong Irish connections, Stuart numbered James Caulfield, fourth Viscount and first Earl of Charlemont, who was one of the Dilettanti who funded his travels in Greece with Revett in 1751-55. He was associated with JAMES GANDON  JAMES GANDON on works for Elizabeth Montagu in Portman Square, London, circa 1775-1782(3) and was also a friend of Thomas Percy, poet and editor of Reliques of Ancient English Poetry (1765), who became Bishop of Dromore, Co. Down, in 1782.(4)

See WORKS, for Irish works only.



References



(1) Payment for plans in account book among Londonderry papers in PRONI, D654/H1/1.
(2) E.McParland, 'Rathfarnham Castle, Co. Dublin', Country Life 172, 9 Sep 1982, 737.
(3) E. McParland, James Gandon: Vitruvius Hibernicus (1985), 27,29.
(4) 'notes under Walker' (IAA, Edward McParland files, Acc. 2008/44).


3 work entries listed in chronological order for STUART, JAMES #


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Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, ELY PLACE, ELY HOUSE
Date: 1769ca
Nature: E.Mc P says that attribution of internal decoration of Rathfarnham Castle to JS, implies his involvement at Ely House. For Henry Loftus, 1st Earl of Ely.
Refs: E.McParland, 'Rathfarnham Castle, Co. Dublin', Country Life 172, 9 Sep 1982, 737

Building: CO. DUBLIN, RATHFARNHAM CASTLE
Date: 1769p
Nature: Internal decoration, including that of ground floor gallery, attr, to JS by McParland on stylistic grounds and on basis of  remark by Lady Shelburne  in 1769 that some interiors at Rathfarnham were being decorated 'after Designs of Mr Stuart's' . For Hon. Henry Loftus.
Refs: E.McParland, 'Rathfarnham Castle, Co. Dublin', Country Life 172, 9 Sep 1982, 737;  Kerry Bristol, 'Rathfarnham Castle in the architectural oeuvre of James 'Athenian' Stuart:  a question of patronage', in Michael McCarthy, ed., Lord Charlemont and his Circle:  essays in honour of Michael Wynne (2001), 113-122, mistakenly suggests that Stuart was employed initially by the previous owner of the house (information from Simon Loftus, Nov 2011);  Christine Casey, The Buildings of Ireland: Dublin (2005),496.

Building: CO. DOWN, MOUNT STEWART
Date: 1782-83
Nature: Temple of the Winds, for Robert Stewart.
Refs: Payment for plans in account book among Londonderry papers in PRONI, D654/H1/1.