College of Charleston architectural history students visit Drayton Hall on March 4, 2013
Drayton Hall’s entry room fireplace that uses Inigo Jones design and walls revealing the colors that the room had been painted.
During spring break, a small group of College of Charleston architectural history students toured Drayton Hall. Peggy, our tour guide (pictured in blue), prepared a tour for us that specialized in its Palladian, Georgian, and Adamesque features. Drayton Hall has nearly cubic proportions and Palladian porches, but house has lost the original flanking buildings and connecting colonnade. (The columns are in the basement.) However, it retains much of its early interior decoration much of which has been reproduced from designs available in books, like William Kent’s Designs of Inigo Jones (1727). The interior walls have only been painted a few times (three?) and time and wear have revealed theses colors in layers. It is amazing how well-preserved the house remains (carving on the walls, most of the railings on the staircase, fireplace mantles, ceiling decoration, etc.). Peggy pointed out the original Georgian fireplace in the withdrawing room and we compared it to a mass-produced Adamsesque fireplace that was later added to the study. We also examined how interior decoration demonstrates the hierarchy of room importance. Overall, it was a fantastic tour and a wonderful way to begin our Art & Architectural History Association excursions.
Classroom Connection
ARTH 102 History of Art: Renaissance through Modern (Goudy)
ARTH 105 Introduction to Architecture (Goudy)
Drayton Hall
College of Charleston architectural history students visit Drayton Hall on March 4, 2013
Drayton Hall’s entry room fireplace that uses Inigo Jones design and walls revealing the colors that the room had been painted.
During spring break, a small group of College of Charleston architectural history students toured Drayton Hall. Peggy, our tour guide (pictured in blue), prepared a tour for us that specialized in its Palladian, Georgian, and Adamesque features. Drayton Hall has nearly cubic proportions and Palladian porches, but house has lost the original flanking buildings and connecting colonnade. (The columns are in the basement.) However, it retains much of its early interior decoration much of which has been reproduced from designs available in books, like William Kent’s Designs of Inigo Jones (1727). The interior walls have only been painted a few times (three?) and time and wear have revealed theses colors in layers. It is amazing how well-preserved the house remains (carving on the walls, most of the railings on the staircase, fireplace mantles, ceiling decoration, etc.). Peggy pointed out the original Georgian fireplace in the withdrawing room and we compared it to a mass-produced Adamsesque fireplace that was later added to the study. We also examined how interior decoration demonstrates the hierarchy of room importance. Overall, it was a fantastic tour and a wonderful way to begin our Art & Architectural History Association excursions.
Classroom Connection
ARTH 102 History of Art: Renaissance through Modern (Goudy)
ARTH 105 Introduction to Architecture (Goudy)