Inigo Jones and the Classical Tradition

Inigo Jones worked as hard on the creation of his architectural persona as he did on the design of the buildings for the early Stuart court. Through his study of continental architectural and art theory, humanist education, and courtly behavior, Jones redefined the intellectual status of architecture in England and forged a new role for the architect in public life. Since the time of his death, he has been variously described as the first educated architect, the first classicist, the first Renaissance architect in Britain, and the savior of British building from the long winter of the Elizabethan style. This reputation has overlooked the many ways that Jones drew on English customs in order to shape classical architecture for a domestic audience. This book explores the creation of Jones as professional architect and the development of classical architecture in England through a study of his reading, writing, and architectural practice.

• Places Jones in context of English Renaissance culture, including issues of book culture, reading communities, nationality, changing ideas of masculinity, and antiquarianism • Based on extensive research on the library and annotations by Jones • New interpretation of architectural classicism in England and northern Europe

1. Introduction: books and buildings; 2. The famous Mr. Jones; 3. Building a library; 4. Conversations with the dead; 5. The hand of Inigo Jones; 6. A more masculine order; 7. Practices; 8. Conclusion: inventing the past for the present.

\'Anderson strikes the right note in claiming that Jones created the Banqueting House as a personal reflection of James I\'s political rule, and considered that architecture was another, more permanent, form of court costume\' Literary Review