Galleries on The Mound
by Yvonne Johnstone
Title
Galleries on The Mound
Artist
Yvonne Johnstone
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
Both the Royal Scottish Academy building and the National Gallery were designed by the famous Scottish architect, William Henry Playfair.
Favouring the Greek Revival style in most of his work (including these two buildings), Playfair helped Edinburgh earn its nickname, ‘Athens of the North’. The Royal Scottish Academy building was first designed in 1822 with an addition completed by Playfair in 1835 and it epitomises this style as it looks like a Greek temple. Specifically, Playfair designed it in the Doric Order which is characterised by the massive but simple and austere columns and capitals.
There is also a pair of sphinxes at each of the four corners of the roof; two pairs facing east and two pairs facing west. A statue of Queen Victoria is on top of the north pediment done by John Steell.
The National Gallery building was also built in the Greek Revival architectural style. However, Playfair designed this building in the Ionic Order with more slender columns that are characterised by the two scrolls (volutes) on its capital.
Uploaded
March 17th, 2019
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