Drawings C, Plans of the Athenaeum, 6th and Adelphi Sts, Philadelphia, [Pa.] / J[o]hn Haviland, archt.

Format:

Archive

Manuscript

Author/Creator:

Haviland, John, 1792-1852.

Subjects (All):

athenaeums--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia.

Clubs--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia.

Research libraries--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia.

Architecture, American--19th century--Designs and plans.

Architecture, American.

Adelphi St. & 6th St. (Philadelphia, Pa.).

Athenaeum of Philadelphia (Washington Square, Philadelphia, Pa.)--Competition drawings--1845.

Local Subjects:

Adelphi St. & 6th St. (Philadelphia, Pa.).

Athenaeum of Philadelphia (Washington Square, Philadelphia, Pa.)--Competition drawings--1845.

Genre:

Architectural drawings -- American.

Ink drawings.

Physical Description:

items : ink with wash on paper ; 32 x 48.5 cm. or smaller + 1 portfolio cover

Contained In:

Historical Society of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, Pa.) Architectural drawings, prints and papers.

Arrangement:

This subset represents Series V. of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania architectural drawings collection on long term loan to the Athenaeum.

Summary:

According to Grieff. John Notman, architect (p.74 and 99) there were two different projects for the original building of the Athenaeum. In the first attempt in 1839-40, John Notman, Thomas U. Walter and William Strickland were asked to prepare plans by the Directors of the Athenaeum. This project was abandoned, evidentally due to a lack of funds. A later competition, in which Haviland, Notman, Richard A. Gilpin, and Napoleon Le Brun participated, according to Grieff, resulted in the John Notman Italianate style building still in use by the Athenaeum today. The building as built has its main entrance on Sixth Street, not Adelphi (now St. James) as shown in the Haviland drawings.

Another set of drawings for the Athenaeum, attributed to Haviland, is part of the regular Athenaeum holdings. These drawings, two plans and one long side elevation, by comparison with the the Historical Society set, are unlabeled, and show a similar, but not the same, structure. Style elements, such as the Eqyptian theme decorative element, exist in both sets, but the placement of windows and doors has changed. The HSP drawings clearly show three stories with a cellar, while no cellar is apparent from the other set, which is more decorative than informative.

Notes:

Title from portfolio cover, which is mostly written in pencil, probably in a later hand.

Forms part of: Historical Society of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, Pa.) Architectural drawings, prints and papers.

Finding Aid/Index:

Historical Society of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, Pa.) Architectural drawings collection [inventory] [1991] item level control.

Cited as:

Athenaeum copy: Historical Society of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, Pa.) architectural drawings collection on loan to the Athenaeum of Philadelphia, with the support of the Pew Charitable Trusts through its Museum Loan Program.