Artwork
Kinmel Hall, drawing no. 348 and 354, plan of ceiling for principal staircase
Kinmel Hall, drawing no. 348 and 354, plan of ceiling for principal staircase is a drawing by the Impressionist artist William Eden Nesfield. It dates from 1874 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Kinmel Hall’s remodeled look still stands today, with its striking mix of Greek Revival bones and Nesfield’s fresh ideas.
William Eden Nesfield drew this exact plan in 1874. It shows the ceiling for the main staircase at Kinmel Hall, a grand country house in north Wales. The drawing is part of a bigger renovation project Nesfield led between 1871 and 1876.
The plan captures one slice of a much larger redesign. Kinmel Hall’s remodeled look still stands today, with its striking mix of Greek Revival bones and Nesfield’s fresh ideas.
Plans like this show how architects turn sketches into real spaces. Check out more architectural drawings by Nesfield, William Eden.
Overview
This 1874 drawing by William Eden Nesfield depicts the ceiling plan for the principal staircase of Kinmel Hall, a country house in north Wales, as part of its extensive 1871-1876 renovation.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing specifically illustrates the design for the ceiling of the main staircase, a focal point within the renovated Kinmel Hall, reflecting Nesfield's contribution to the house's transformation into a grand, eclectic Victorian estate.
Technique & Style
While the drawing's technique is not explicitly detailed here, Nesfield's style, evident in the final structure, blends Greek Revival elements with personal motifs, such as sunflowers, and architectural influences from visits to sites like Hampton Court Palace.
History & Provenance
Created in 1874 by Nesfield for Hugh Robert Hughes, the drawing is part of the renovation documents for Kinmel Hall, which was rebuilt between 1871 and 1876 on the site of an earlier Greek Revival house.
Context
Kinmel Hall, often termed the 'Welsh Versailles' due to its scale (over 120 rooms) and described as a 'Calendar House' (365 windows, 52 bedrooms), showcases Victorian extravagance and architectural eclecticism, with Nesfield's design balancing French chateau elements with English heritage influences.
Artist & collection
Artist
William Eden Nesfield was an English architect. Like his some-time partner, Richard Norman Shaw, he designed several houses in Britain in the revived 'Old English' and 'Queen Anne' styles during the 1860s and 1870s. He…
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