Robert William Billings
Encyclopedia
Robert William Billings was a London
-born Victorian era
painter
and architect
. He wrote a book called The Power of Form, in which he showed examples of the use of geometry in architecture. He also illustrated The Baronial and Ecclesiastical Antiquities of Scotland. Many paintings based on his prints still survive in private collections. This work on Scotland's historic buildings include an extensive series of Scottish castles including Crathes Castle
, Cawdor Castle
, Dunnottar Castle
and Muchalls Castle
, some of which works are the earliest extant renderings of certain of these structures. He was primarily engaged in delineating and restoring historic buildings.
In 1865 Billings erected a curious memorial to fellow architect Peter Nicholson
(1765–1844) in Carlisle cemetery, which took the form of a pair of interpenetrating obelisks.
More commonly published as R.W. Billings, his analysis of Carlisle Cathedral
has been the subject of scholarly interpretation, particularly citing his geometric theory of analyis.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
-born Victorian era
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
painter
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
and architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
. He wrote a book called The Power of Form, in which he showed examples of the use of geometry in architecture. He also illustrated The Baronial and Ecclesiastical Antiquities of Scotland. Many paintings based on his prints still survive in private collections. This work on Scotland's historic buildings include an extensive series of Scottish castles including Crathes Castle
Crathes Castle
Crathes Castle is a 16th century castle near Banchory in the Aberdeenshire region of Scotland. This harled castle was built by the Burnetts of Leys and was held in that family for almost 400 years...
, Cawdor Castle
Cawdor Castle
Cawdor Castle is a tower house set amid gardens in the parish of Cawdor, approximately 10 miles east of Inverness and 5 miles southwest of Nairn in Scotland, United Kingdom. It belonged to the Clan Calder. It still serves as home to the Dowager Countess Cawdor, stepmother of Colin Robert Vaughan...
, Dunnottar Castle
Dunnottar Castle
Dunnottar Castle is a ruined medieval fortress located upon a rocky headland on the north-east coast of Scotland, about two miles south of Stonehaven. The surviving buildings are largely of the 15th–16th centuries, but the site is believed to have been an early fortress of the Dark Ages...
and Muchalls Castle
Muchalls Castle
Muchalls Castle stands overlooking the North Sea in the countryside of Kincardine and Mearns, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The lower course is a well preserved double groined 13th century towerhouse structure, built by the Frasers of Muchalls. Upon this structure, the 17th century castle was begun by...
, some of which works are the earliest extant renderings of certain of these structures. He was primarily engaged in delineating and restoring historic buildings.
In 1865 Billings erected a curious memorial to fellow architect Peter Nicholson
Peter Nicholson (architect)
Peter Nicholson was a Scottish architect, mathematician and engineer. Largely self-taught, he was apprenticed to a cabinet-maker but soon abandoned his trade in favour of teaching and writing...
(1765–1844) in Carlisle cemetery, which took the form of a pair of interpenetrating obelisks.
More commonly published as R.W. Billings, his analysis of Carlisle Cathedral
Carlisle Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity, otherwise called Carlisle Cathedral, is the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Carlisle. It is located in Carlisle, in Cumbria, North West England...
has been the subject of scholarly interpretation, particularly citing his geometric theory of analyis.
External links
- The Baronial and Ecclesiatical Antiquities of Scotland (4 volumes), on the Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
. - Rendition of Cawdor Castle, by R. W. Billings (1845)