Inigo Jones

Inigo Jones (/ˈɪnɪɡoʊ/; possibly born Ynyr Jones;^[1][2] 15 July 1573 – 21 June 1652) was the first significant^[3] architect in England in the early modern period, and the first to employ Vitruvian rules of proportion and symmetry in his buildings.^[4] As the most notable architect in England,

Beyond that he was born in Smithfield, London, as the son of clothworker Inigo Jones Snr., and baptised at the church of St Bartholomew-the-Less, little is known about Jones's early years. Later Welsh sources claim that the family was from Wales, and even that Inigo was originally named Ynir or Ynyr Jones.^[5][6] But no records from his own time indicate any family ties to Wales.

He did not approach the architectural profession in the traditional way, namely either by rising up from a craft or through early exposure to the Office of Works, although there is evidence that Christopher Wren obtained information that recorded Jones as an apprentice joiner in St Paul's Churchyard.^[7] At some point before 1603, a rich patron (possibly the Earl of Pembroke or the Earl of Rutland) sent him to Italy to study drawing after being impressed by the quality of his sketches. From Italy he travelled to Denmark where he worked for Christian IV on the design of the palaces of Rosenborg and Frederiksborg.^[8]

Jones first became famous as a designer of costumes and stage settings, especially after he brought "

Jones worked as a producer and architect for Masques from 1605 to 1640, but his most known work in this field came from his collaboration with poet and playwright Ben Jonson. Having worked together for fifteen years, the two debated and had disagreements about their line of work and about what was most integral in a masque. While Jonson argued that the most important aspect of a masque was the written word that the audience heard, Jones argued that the visual spectacle was the most important aspect, and that what the audience saw was more important.^[17] Jones also felt that the architect had just as much creative freedom and rights as the writer or poet of the masque.^[18] In defence of this Jones stated that masques were "nothing but pictures with light and motion," making little to note of the words spoken.^[19]

Jones's work on masques with Jonson is credited to be one of the first instances of scenery introduced in theatre.^[20] In his masques, curtains were used and placed in between the stage and the audience, and they were to be opened to introduce a scene. Jones was also known for using the stage and theatre space in its entirety, putting his actors throughout different parts of the theatre, such as placing them below the stage or elevating them onto a higher platform. Jones's settings on the stage also incorporated different uses of light, experimenting with coloured glasses, screens and oiled paper to create a softer source of light on the stage.^[17]

Jones is also known for introducing to English audiences moving scenery through what is called 'machina versatilis', helping to create motion among a stable scene without any noticeable Stagehands and of creating a representation of the ethereal.^[19][17]

These elements of stage design and of theatre production would later have influence beyond the English court, as those working in the public stage would take up these ideas and apply them to the early modern stage and for its larger audience.^[19]

Architecture

In September 1615, Jones was appointed Surveyor-General of the King's Works, marking the beginning of Jones's career in earnest. Fortunately, both James I and

Between 1619 and 1622, the

The other project in which Jones was involved is the design of Covent Garden Square. He was commissioned by the Earl of Bedford to build a residential square, which he did along the lines of the Italian piazza of Livorno.^[26] It is the first regularly planned square in London. The Earl felt obliged to provide a church and he warned Jones that he wanted to economise. He told him to simply erect a "barn" and Jones's oft-quoted response was that his lordship would have "the finest barn in Europe". In the design of St Paul's, Jones faithfully adhered to Vitruvius's design for a Tuscan temple and it was the first wholly and authentically classical church built in England. The inside of St Paul's, Covent Garden was gutted by fire in 1795, but externally it remains much as Jones designed it and dominates the west side of the piazza.^[27]

Jones also designed the square of

Another large project Jones undertook was the repair and remodelling of St Paul's Cathedral. Between the years of 1634 and 1642, Jones wrestled with the dilapidated Gothicism of Old St Paul's, casing it in classical masonry and totally redesigning the west front. Jones incorporated the giant scrolls from Vignola and della Porta's Church of the Gesù with a giant Corinthian portico, the largest of its type north of the Alps, but the church would be destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666. Also around this time, circa 1638, Jones devised drawings completely redesigning the Palace of Whitehall, but the execution of these designs was frustrated by Charles I's financial and political difficulties.^[31]

More than 1000 buildings have been attributed to Jones but only a very small number of those are certain to be his work. According to architecture historian John Summerson, the modern concept of an architect's artistic responsibility for a building did not exist at that time, and Jones's role in many instances may be that of a civil servant in getting things done rather than as an architect. Jones's contribution to a building may also simply be verbal instructions to a mason or bricklayer and providing an Italian engraving or two as a guide, or the correction of drafts.^[32] In the 1630s, Jones was in high demand and, as Surveyor to the King, his services were only available to a very limited circle of people, so often projects were commissioned to other members of the Works. Stoke Bruerne Park in Northamptonshire was built by Sir Francis Crane, "receiving the assistance of Inigo Jones", between 1629 and 1635. Jones is also thought to have been involved in another country house, this time in Wiltshire. Wilton House was renovated from about 1630 onwards, at times worked on by Jones, then passed on to Isaac de Caus when Jones was too busy with royal clients. He then returned in 1646 with his student, John Webb, to try and complete the project.^{[27] : 130–132} Contemporary equivalent architects included Sir Balthazar Gerbier and Nicholas Stone.^[33]

One of Jones's designs is the "double cube" room at Wilton, and it was also the foundation stone of his status as the father of British architecture. Jones, as the pioneer in his era, had strong influence during their time. His revolutionary ideas even effect beyond the Court circle, and today, many scholars believe that he also started the golden age of British architecture.^[34]

Political and civic life

On 16 February 1621, in a by-election caused by the ejection of an existing member Sir John Leedes, Jones was elected M.P. in the Parliament of England for New Shoreham in West Sussex, a borough constituency controlled by the Earl of Arundel, and sat till the dissolution of that parliament in February 1622. He was named to a committee to improve lighting and increase seating in the House of Commons' chamber, resulting in a new gallery being erected in St Stephen's Chapel during the summer recess and was also responsible for a new ceiling put in the House of Lords chamber in 1623. He also served as a Justice of the Peace (J.P.) for the county of Middlesex and borough of Westminster from 1630 until at least 1640. He was made a freeman of the borough of Southampton in 1623^[35] and in 1633 was offered, but declined, a knighthood by Charles I.^[36]

Later life

Jones's full-time career effectively ended with the outbreak of the English Civil War in 1642 and the seizure of the King's houses in 1643. Jones was captured at the third siege of Basing House in October 1645.^[37] Unfortunately, as one of the last great strongholds to the Cavaliers, the great mansion inside was destroyed by Cromwell's army and even the walls were broken into many pieces.^[38] His property was later returned to him (c. 1646) but Jones ended his days, unmarried, living in Somerset House. He was, however, closely involved in the design of Coleshill House, in Berkshire, for the Pratt family, which he visited with the young apprentice architect Roger Pratt, to fix a new site for the proposed mansion. He died on 21 June 1652 and was buried with his parents at St Benet's, Paul's Wharf, the Welsh church of the City of London. John Denham and then Christopher Wren followed him as King's Surveyor of Works. A monument dedicated to him in the church, portraying St Paul's Cathedral and other buildings, was destroyed in the Great Fire in 1666.

Legacy

Jones was an influence on a number of 18th-century architects, notably Lord Burlington and William Kent. There is an Inigo Jones Road in Charlton, southeast London (SE7), near Charlton House, some of whose features were allegedly designed by him.

A bridge in Llanrwst, North Wales, built in 1636 and named "Pont Fawr" is also known locally as "Pont Inigo Jones" (Inigo Jones's Bridge). He is also said^{[by whom?]} to be responsible for the Masonic "Inigo Jones Manuscript", from around 1607, a document of the Old Charges of Freemasonry.^[39][40]

List of architectural works

Gallery of architectural works

• 
  Banqueting House Whitehall
• 
  Banqueting House Whitehall
• 
  Detail of the Banqueting House Whitehall
• 
  Interior looking north, Banqueting House Whitehall
• 
  Ceiling, with Rubens paintings, Banqueting House Whitehall
• 
  Design to rebuild Whitehall Palace
• 
  West front, nave and transepts, Old St. Paul's Cathedral, as remodelled by Jones
• 
  North front, The Queen's House, Greenwich
• 
  South front, The Queen's House, Greenwich
• 
  South front, The Queen's House, Greenwich
• 
  Great Hall, The Queen's House, Greenwich
• 
  Tulip Stair, The Queen's House, Greenwich
• 
  Plan, The Queen's House, Greenwich
• 
  Covent Garden
• 
  St. Paul's Covent Garden
• 
  Gateway from Oatlands, now at Chiswick House
• 
  Wilton House, Wiltshire
• 
  Rolls Chapel and Rolls House, now part of Maughan Library, King's College London
• 
  Queen's Chapel, St. James Palace, London
• 
  Stoke Park, attributed

See also

• List of architects
• Lists of people from London

References

Sources

• OCLC 67375135
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• OCLC 38304358
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• Colvin, Howard, "A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects: 1600 to 1840", 1954
• Gotch, A J, "Inigo Jones", 1968.
• OCLC 243606208
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• Hart, Vaughan (1995). "Imperial Seat or Ecumenical Temple? On Inigo Jones's use of 'Decorum' at St Paul's Cathedral". Architectura. 25 (2): 194–213.
• OCLC 706965857
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• S2CID 169066726
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• Hart, Vaughan; Tucker, Richard (2002). "Ornament and the work of Inigo Jones". Architectura. 32: 36–52.
• Leapman, Michael (2003). Inigo: the troubled life of Inigo Jones, architect of the English Renaissance. London: Headline Book Publishing.
  OCLC 52358668
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• Orgel, Stephen; Strong, Roy C. (1973). The theatre of the Stuart Court : including the complete designs for productions at court, for the most part in the Collection of the Duke of Devonshire, together with their texts and historical documentation. London: Sotheby Parke Bernet.
  OCLC 873803
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• OCLC 61821817
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External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Inigo Jones.

Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article "Jones, Inigo".

• "Jones, Inigo" . Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.
• Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Inigo Jones" . Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
• Biography of Inigo Jones, Royal Institute of British Architects.
• Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
• "An Early Drawing by Inigo Jones and a monument in Shropshire"^{[permanent dead link]} The Burlington Magazine, Vol. 115, No. 843, June 1973
• Inigo Jones at the National Portrait Gallery, London
• Inigo Jones' Tulip Stairs, Queen's House, Greenwich, photo gallery at Atlas Obscura
• H. Flitcroft, H. Hulsbergh, I. Cole, P. Fourdrinier, "The designs of Inigo Jones : consisting of plans and elevations for publick and private buildings", 1727