Robert Wood (engraver)

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Robert Wood (1717 - 1771) was a British gentleman and politician.

In 1750-1753 Wood and his friends James Dawkins (1722-1757) and John Bouverie travelled to Syria were they had the Italian architect Giovanni Battista Borra measure and draw the ancient ruins of Palmyra and Baalbek. The results were published in 1753 and 1757 in both English and French editions and were among the first systematic publications of ancient buildings. Both works were of great influence on neoclassical architecture in Britain and on the continent.

[edit] Writings

• Les ruines de Palmyre, autrement dite Tedmor, au desert. London (1753).
• The ruins of Palmyra; otherwise Tedmor in the desart. London (1753).
• Les Ruines de Balbec, autrement dite Heliopolis dans la Coelosyrie. London (1757).
• The ruins of Balbec, otherwise Heliopolis in Coelosyria. London (1757).
• An essay on the original genius of Homer. London (1769)

[edit] References

• Sir John Summerson, Architecture in Britain 1530-1830. Pelican History of Art. 9th edition. New Haven / London: Yale University Press (1993) p. 380-381
• Unpacking Ruins: Architecture from Antiquity. Exhibition at the Central Library, University of Otago / New Zealand, 12 September – 28 November 2002.

[edit] External links

Preface to the Ruins of Palmyra.