Medium and large carpet design sketches and patterns in the Empire style or in the style of Robert Adam. Robert Adam (1728-1792) was a Scottish architect who took inspiration from archeaological discoveries at Herculaneum and Pompeii, and his designs are characterised by austere but refined classical forms, symmetry, detail and geometric precision. Empire refers to a style which became popular during the period of Napoleon's French empire from 1804 to 1814, characterised by heavy Neoclassical forms and lavish use of drapery, but often distinguished by the use of specifically Napoleonic motifs reflecting the emperor's power and personal taste, such as bees, the letter N, eagles, wreaths, and the swan of Empress Josephine. Designs generally consist of several seperate pieces of paper and have therefore been catalogued as single items with multiple parts. Where items are folded and stapled or clipped together the size recorded is that when folded. The majority have been given a design number, some are dated, while a few also note contract details. Many designs in this drawer feature pattern numbers in the form of 2 or 3 letters (eg. 'LEC' or similar), and as such, can potentially be cross-referenced with two design studio record books titled 'Letter Books' (Catalogue reference: STOD/201/8/5/1-2), often revealing further information such as dates and designers.
This description is part of the Design Archive which is divided into the 142 sections, each with its own separate description.