DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4328#0019
6 ANTIQUITIES OF IONIA
being still unedited, have been presented by us to the Royal Society of Literature, and it is hoped will
be speedily published in their Transactions."1
The original drawings made at the several sites, and the Journal of the Mission, have for the most
part been lost. One or two sketches, now at the Institute of Architects, are all which are known to
exist, but a Memorandum amongst the papers of the Society of Dilettanti gives the following details
of the collection:
Received from Sir Thomas Lawrence, Secretary of the Society of Dilettanti, the following manuscripts of the Ionian
Mission. Three volumes bound in red leather of Sir W. Gell's Journal, 8 inches by 4. Three volumes in yellow paste-board
of sketches and views, by Sir W. Gell, rather smaller. Two volumes in red leather of a large size (10 inches by 5) of views
and drawings, by Sir W. Gell. Four volumes of drawings, chiefly architectural, by the architects of the Mission, of the same
size as the two preceding (10 inches by 5); the leaves in one of these, volumes are separated from the binding, in two others
they are entirely loose and unsecured.—W. M. Leake, 26 Nottingham Place, August 12, 1822.
Another reference, many years later, shows that these books were then still in the hands of
Leake, and the text of his volume on Asia Minor shows that he made full use of the material; the
description of the Temple of Magnesia and the note on the Sepulchre at Lindus are examples of this.
On the return of the Mission, Bedford and Gandy were employed for years in making the finished
drawings, a large number of which are now in the Library of the Institute of Architects. The scheme
of publication involved the issue of a volume on Greece proper, entitled The Unedited Antiquities of
Attica, which appeared in 1817, also new volumes on Ionia, and the reissue of the old volumes with
additional plates and text. In 1820 the revised edition of Part II. of Antiquities of Ionia was issued,
and in 1821, Part I., containing additional matter on Priene and a new section on Samos, appeared.
At a meeting of the Publication Committee in 1819 it had been "strongly recommended that the
third volume of the Ionian Antiquities should be immediately commenced." For all these works,
William Wilkins, R.A. (1778-1839), the scholarly architect of the National Gallery2 and University
College, acted as architectural editor. In 1823, several plates, including some of Myra and Magnesia,
were ready, and it was then hoped that the work would be completed in twelve or eighteen months.
In 1830 about ninety plates had been finished, and ten more were in an advanced state. Wilkins
now suggested that they would be sufficient for two volumes, "i.e. a third and fourth part of Ionia
. . . the plates comprehending Magnesia, Cnidus, Aphrodisias, Patara, and tombs from various cities
of Asia Minor in Cnidus, Myra, Phellus, Antiphellus, Telmessus, Patara, and Lindus." Vol. I. was
to consist of forty-two plates, Vol. II. of sixty-three. An additional sum of about £1000 would, it
was thought, defray the costs. It was hoped that one of the volumes would be ready about the
beginning of 1832, and the second soon after. The first volume was, in fact, delayed until 1840, and
the present work represents the second. Wilkins wrote: " Mr. Roffe has finished all his plates. . . .
Mr. Pye has completed the view given to him ten years ago; his charge is 100 guineas [for the
Hippodrome at Aphrodisias in Vol. III.]. Engravers, like physicians, are always paid in a nominal
coin. . . . Mackenzie has made two beautiful drawings from the sketches of Gell for the engraver
and has the other nearly finished." One of these seems to have been of Cnidus, the others were
probably for two of the plates in the present volume. Thus the work of preparation dragged on all
through the "thirties," notwithstanding all sorts of difficulties. Sir William Gell, who had lived in
Italy from 1820, died in 1836.3 Cook the engraver died, leaving unfinished plates. Barnett the copper-
plate printer failed. It was next to impossible to get the last drawings from Gandy-Deering; in 1835
he still had three more to do—" Heaven knows when we shall get them out of his hands." Drawings
were mislaid and their identification forgotten. The costs were enormous. One of the plates, "worked
all over and no sky, a work of great labour and merit," cost £120. Deering's bas-relief, prepared as
a headpiece for Vol. III., cost £45 to engrave.4 Letters were constantly passing like these :
29 Tottenham Street, 25 February 1834. To W. Wilkins, Esq. Having now completed the printing of the 60 plates
belonging to the architectural department of the work belonging to the Dilettanti Society, I should feel extremely obliged by
being allowed to receive £50-£60 on account as before when you was kind enough to oblige me with £100.—I remain, Sir, most
respectfully, your obliged and obedient servant, John Barnett.
Dear Hamilton—Hollis, who has had £30 for etching the view of Magnesia, brings you a proof of the plate in a more
advanced state, requesting £30 more on account which the work which he has bestowed upon it will warrant. Can you
accommodate him ?—Yours very truly, W. Wilkins. April 9, 1834.
1 Sherard visited Ionia in 1709; his collection is now MS. 7509 Harl.
2 Details from Antiquities of Ionia are repeated here; the consoles of the windows, for instance, are taken from Cnidus. Gandy worked with him
for a time.
3 It may be mentioned here that the Society of Dilettanti possesses a number of long reports from Gell of archaeological discoveries in Italy at this
time which have not been printed. It may also be recorded that Lord Carlisle proposed to the Society that they should publish a history of Magna Graecia.
4 It was used in Specimens of Antient Sculpture (1835), and appears again in the title-page of the present volume.
being still unedited, have been presented by us to the Royal Society of Literature, and it is hoped will
be speedily published in their Transactions."1
The original drawings made at the several sites, and the Journal of the Mission, have for the most
part been lost. One or two sketches, now at the Institute of Architects, are all which are known to
exist, but a Memorandum amongst the papers of the Society of Dilettanti gives the following details
of the collection:
Received from Sir Thomas Lawrence, Secretary of the Society of Dilettanti, the following manuscripts of the Ionian
Mission. Three volumes bound in red leather of Sir W. Gell's Journal, 8 inches by 4. Three volumes in yellow paste-board
of sketches and views, by Sir W. Gell, rather smaller. Two volumes in red leather of a large size (10 inches by 5) of views
and drawings, by Sir W. Gell. Four volumes of drawings, chiefly architectural, by the architects of the Mission, of the same
size as the two preceding (10 inches by 5); the leaves in one of these, volumes are separated from the binding, in two others
they are entirely loose and unsecured.—W. M. Leake, 26 Nottingham Place, August 12, 1822.
Another reference, many years later, shows that these books were then still in the hands of
Leake, and the text of his volume on Asia Minor shows that he made full use of the material; the
description of the Temple of Magnesia and the note on the Sepulchre at Lindus are examples of this.
On the return of the Mission, Bedford and Gandy were employed for years in making the finished
drawings, a large number of which are now in the Library of the Institute of Architects. The scheme
of publication involved the issue of a volume on Greece proper, entitled The Unedited Antiquities of
Attica, which appeared in 1817, also new volumes on Ionia, and the reissue of the old volumes with
additional plates and text. In 1820 the revised edition of Part II. of Antiquities of Ionia was issued,
and in 1821, Part I., containing additional matter on Priene and a new section on Samos, appeared.
At a meeting of the Publication Committee in 1819 it had been "strongly recommended that the
third volume of the Ionian Antiquities should be immediately commenced." For all these works,
William Wilkins, R.A. (1778-1839), the scholarly architect of the National Gallery2 and University
College, acted as architectural editor. In 1823, several plates, including some of Myra and Magnesia,
were ready, and it was then hoped that the work would be completed in twelve or eighteen months.
In 1830 about ninety plates had been finished, and ten more were in an advanced state. Wilkins
now suggested that they would be sufficient for two volumes, "i.e. a third and fourth part of Ionia
. . . the plates comprehending Magnesia, Cnidus, Aphrodisias, Patara, and tombs from various cities
of Asia Minor in Cnidus, Myra, Phellus, Antiphellus, Telmessus, Patara, and Lindus." Vol. I. was
to consist of forty-two plates, Vol. II. of sixty-three. An additional sum of about £1000 would, it
was thought, defray the costs. It was hoped that one of the volumes would be ready about the
beginning of 1832, and the second soon after. The first volume was, in fact, delayed until 1840, and
the present work represents the second. Wilkins wrote: " Mr. Roffe has finished all his plates. . . .
Mr. Pye has completed the view given to him ten years ago; his charge is 100 guineas [for the
Hippodrome at Aphrodisias in Vol. III.]. Engravers, like physicians, are always paid in a nominal
coin. . . . Mackenzie has made two beautiful drawings from the sketches of Gell for the engraver
and has the other nearly finished." One of these seems to have been of Cnidus, the others were
probably for two of the plates in the present volume. Thus the work of preparation dragged on all
through the "thirties," notwithstanding all sorts of difficulties. Sir William Gell, who had lived in
Italy from 1820, died in 1836.3 Cook the engraver died, leaving unfinished plates. Barnett the copper-
plate printer failed. It was next to impossible to get the last drawings from Gandy-Deering; in 1835
he still had three more to do—" Heaven knows when we shall get them out of his hands." Drawings
were mislaid and their identification forgotten. The costs were enormous. One of the plates, "worked
all over and no sky, a work of great labour and merit," cost £120. Deering's bas-relief, prepared as
a headpiece for Vol. III., cost £45 to engrave.4 Letters were constantly passing like these :
29 Tottenham Street, 25 February 1834. To W. Wilkins, Esq. Having now completed the printing of the 60 plates
belonging to the architectural department of the work belonging to the Dilettanti Society, I should feel extremely obliged by
being allowed to receive £50-£60 on account as before when you was kind enough to oblige me with £100.—I remain, Sir, most
respectfully, your obliged and obedient servant, John Barnett.
Dear Hamilton—Hollis, who has had £30 for etching the view of Magnesia, brings you a proof of the plate in a more
advanced state, requesting £30 more on account which the work which he has bestowed upon it will warrant. Can you
accommodate him ?—Yours very truly, W. Wilkins. April 9, 1834.
1 Sherard visited Ionia in 1709; his collection is now MS. 7509 Harl.
2 Details from Antiquities of Ionia are repeated here; the consoles of the windows, for instance, are taken from Cnidus. Gandy worked with him
for a time.
3 It may be mentioned here that the Society of Dilettanti possesses a number of long reports from Gell of archaeological discoveries in Italy at this
time which have not been printed. It may also be recorded that Lord Carlisle proposed to the Society that they should publish a history of Magna Graecia.
4 It was used in Specimens of Antient Sculpture (1835), and appears again in the title-page of the present volume.