The President's House
Competition Design for the President's House
Washington, DC
1792
Thomas Jefferson
Jefferson's fascination with both Palladio and domes was vividly demonstrated in his proposed design for the United States' President's House, submitted anonymously in the 1792 competition for the executive residence. Modeled after Palladio's Villa Rotonda, Jefferson's scheme closely paralleled the version of the Rotonda published in Giacomo Leoni's 1715 edition of Quattro Libri.
Although Leoni took liberties with Palladio's schemes, mainly adding embellishments, the Leoni edition remained Jefferson's primary authority for Palladianism. Jefferson's submission varied from Leoni's version of the Villa Rotonda in the use of pairs of bays flanking each of porticoes rather than a single bay, and in the use of free-standing columns rather than arches on the sides of the porticoes.
A striking proposal, however, was the inclusion of glass panels between the dome's ribs, a feature Jefferson observed with wonder in the Halle au Ble in Paris(built 1763-1767) ,by Nicolas Le Camus de Mezieres. He also proposed Paris-style skylights for the attic rooms.
Dimensions: 25" diameter base x 13"h
Weight: 40lbs
Scale:1:95
$6,400.00 / £4,000.00
Quantity:
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