Joseph Michael Gandy (1771–1843) was an English artist, visionary architect and architectural theorist, most noted for his imaginative paintings depicting Sir John Soane's architectural designs. He worked extensively with Soane both as draughtsman and creative partner from 1798 until 1809 when he (ultimately unsuccessfully) set up his own practice.

Family

Joseph Gandy was the son of Thomas Gandy (1744–1814) and Sophia née Adams (1743–1818). His father was employed at White's Club, London. Joseph was the brother of the architects Michael Gandy (1778–1862) and John Peter Gandy, later Deering (1787–1850). He married, in 1801, Eleanor Susannah Baptist née Webb (1773–1867), daughter of Thomas Webb and Catherine née Wiggington. Among their children, Mary Gandy (1810–1888) married Francis Impey (1812–?) attorney, son of Vice Admiral John Impey RN (1772–1858); and Thomas Gandy (1807–1877), portrait painter, married Catherine née Hyde (1811–1889); they were great grandparents of Robin Oliver Gandy (1919–1995).

Early life

During the rebuilding of White's in 1787–8, Gandy came to the notice of architect James Wyatt, who took him into his office. Gandy entered the Royal Academy School in 1790. In 1794 he travelled to Italy (with another young architect, Charles Tatham) at the expense of John Martindale, proprietor of White's, and remained there until the advance of

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

's army in 1797. Returning to England, he found employment as a draughtsman in the office of Sir John Soane. He practised on his own from 1801 and in 1803 was elected ARA, perhaps through Soane's influence.

Career

Aerial cutaway view of Soane's Bank of England by JM Gandy 1830

Gandy built little in his career, having a reputation as a difficult individual to deal with. His work included the Phoenix Fire and Pelican Life Insurance Offices (1804–1805, destroyed ) in London; the gallery at Doric House at Sion Hill in

Bath Bath may refer to: * Bathing, immersion in a fluid ** Bathtub, a large open container for water, in which a person may wash their body ** Public bathing, a public place where people bathe * Thermae, ancient Roman public bathing facilities Plac ...

for

Charles Spackman Charles Edward Spackman VC, MM (11 January 1891 – 7 May 1969) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth ...

(1818); and the remodelling of

Swerford Swerford is a village and civil parish on the River Swere in the Cotswold Hills in Oxfordshire, England. It is about northeast of Chipping Norton. Swerford has two main neighbourhoods: Church End and East End. The area between them contains ver ...

Park house in Oxfordshire for General Bolton (1824–1829). In the intervals between these works he was employed by Soane to make watercolour perspectives of his architectural designs. Commercially he was a failure and served two terms in a debtors' prison, but his published and exhibited work was largely a critical and popular success. In 1821 he published two articles in the ''Magazine of Fine Arts'' on ''The Philosophy of Architecture''. He intended to expand upon this subject in an eight-volume work entitled ''Art, Philosophy and Science of Architecture'', of which his unpublished manuscript survives. His paintings show a dramatic use of

two-point perspective Linear or point-projection perspective (from la, perspicere 'to see through') is one of two types of graphical projection perspective in the graphic arts; the other is parallel projection. Linear perspective is an approximate representation ...

and architectural precision, and also reflect his (and Soane's) fascination with Roman ruins. His architectural fantasies owe a clear debt to

Piranesi Giovanni Battista (or Giambattista) Piranesi (; also known as simply Piranesi; 4 October 1720 – 9 November 1778) was an Italian Classical archaeologist, architect, and artist, famous for his etchings of Rome and of fictitious and atmospheric ...

and play upon historical, literary and mythological themes, with a feeling for the sublime that is the equal of his contemporaries

J. M. W. Turner Joseph Mallord William Turner (23 April 177519 December 1851), known in his time as William Turner, was an English Romantic painter, printmaker and watercolourist. He is known for his expressive colouring, imaginative landscapes and turbulen ...

and

John Martin John Martin may refer to: Business *John Martin (businessman) (1820–1905), American lumberman and flour miller *John Charles Martin (fl. 1913–1931), American newspaper publisher *John Martin (publisher) (born 1930), American founder of Black ...

Death and legacy

Gandy died in a private asylum in Plympton, then on the outskirts of

Plymouth Plymouth () is a port city and unitary authority in South West England. It is located on the south coast of Devon, approximately south-west of Exeter and south-west of London. It is bordered by Cornwall to the west and south-west. Plymouth ...

, where he had been placed by his family in 1839. Many of his paintings can be seen in the Picture Room of Sir John Soane's Museum in London.

Bibliography

* Joseph Gandy, Designs for Cottages, Cottage Farms, and Other Rural Buildings: Including Entrance Gates and Lodges. London: John Harding, 1805. * Joseph Gandy, The rural architect: consisting of various designs for country buildings, accompanied with ground plans, estimates and descriptions. London; John Harding, 1805 * 'Joseph Gandy in the shadow of the Enlightenment: The annual Soane Lecture', Brian Lukacher, 2002. . * 'Joseph Gandy: An Architectural Visionary in Georgian England', Brian Lukacher, 2006. .

References

External links

Joseph Gandy, Designs for Cottages, Cottage Farms ... including entrance gates and lodges. London: for John Harding, 1805

Joseph Gandy The Rural Architect; consisting of various Designs for Country Buildings. London: for John Harding, 1805

The Tragic Genius of Joseph Michael Gandy

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gandy, Joseph Michael 1771 births 1843 deaths 19th-century English painters English male painters 19th-century English architects People imprisoned for debt Associates of the Royal Academy Architects from London 19th-century English male artists Joseph