Royal Scottish Academy Building (Edinburgh, Scotland) : Detail, looking up at Doric order entablature at corner of portico and pediment, side entrance

Creator:

Playfair, William, 1759-1823

Published/Created:

Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
The Mound; south side of Princes Street
1822-1826 ; 1830-1836 (alteration)

Materials:

sandstone

Notes:

The area known as the Mound was Playfair's greatest achievement, which he owed to his appointment as architect to the Board of Manufactures [and Fisheries]. Playfair began in 1822 with the Doric style Royal Institution (now Royal Scottish Academy), at the foot of the Mound, which he enlarged and ornamented in 1830. His early work is in a creditable but conventional Greek Revival style. Along with the adjacent National Gallery of Scotland (his last work), their Neoclassical design helped transform Edinburgh into a modern day "Athens of the North". After 1830, his style expanded so that the Mound perfectly unites the contrasting Gothic and Classical character of the Old and New Towns. The building was named the Royal Institution from 1826 to 1911. From the completion of the building, the Royal Institution shared it with the Royal Society of Edinburgh and the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. It is now managed by the National Galleries of Scotland. The building was renovated in 2003. The statue of Queen Victoria top the building was sculpted by Sir John Steell.

Variant Titles:

Royal Institution

Topics:

Architecture -- Britain -- 19th century -- (YVRC)
Architecture -- Scotland -- 19th century -- (YVRC)

Period/Style:

Greek Revival
Neoclassical
Nineteenth century

Culture:

British
Scottish

Accession Number:

1A1-PWH-RSAB-A12

Coordinates:

+55.95175-3.196389

Genre:

architecture (AAT)
exhibition buildings: art museums (AAT)

Format:

Image

Content Type:

Sculptures, Models, & Architecture

Rights:

Copyright Scott Gilchrist, Archivision, Inc
The use of this image may be subject to the copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) or to site license or other rights management terms and conditions. The person using the image is liable for any infringement.

Access Restrictions:

Yale Community Only

Digital:

buildings; exhibition buildings; buildings; exhibition buildings; museums; art museums; buildings; societies' buildings architecture; revival styles; sphinx

Source Creator:

Gilchrist, Scott

Source Title:

Archivision Addition Module Seven

Source Created:

2878 Chamonix, Montreal QC
Archivision, Inc.

Source Note:

Purchase, Visual Resources Collection, May, 2011; photographer Scott Gilchrist

Yale Collection:

Visual Resources Collection

Digital Collection:

Visual Resources Collection

Local Record Number:

4349

OID:

10468565

PID:

digcoll:1861792