James Oldham to Thomas Jefferson, [received 21 June 1819]
From James Oldham
[received 21 June 1819]
J; Oldham sends Mr Jefferson the Draughts of the window frames for his examenation. the Dorick of diocletion, baths, chambray is not in the Book of Palladio which I have, and I must aske the favor of Mr Jefferson to lone me the book to lay down my cornice and I will immediately return it Safe. I will be thankefull for instructions1 as respects the ceiling of the Portico which I have to do, those that are now finishing I discover are calculated for the ceilings to finish close down on the Top of the cap of the column, this kinde of finish it appears to me will have an aucword affect, but if the ceiling is recest and the architrave of the cornice is returnd on the inside of the Portico it will make a meteriall change in the appearance of the columns, and will come something neare the rule lade down by Palladio for finishing of Porticoes.
Our Proctor is not heare, he gave me no positive instructions as to the maner of finish but referred to those that ware going on. it is nesary for the Scantling to be made sutable for the finish.
RC (ViU: TJP); undated; addressed: “Thos Jefferson Eqr Monticello”; endorsed by TJ as received 21 June 1819 and so recorded in SJL. Enclosures not found.
For the architectural drawing by Roland Fréart de chambray of the Doric columns at the Baths of Diocletian in Rome, see Charles Antoine Jombert, ed., Bibliothèque portative d’Architecture élémentaire, a l’usage des Artistes (new ed., Paris, 1764–66; no. 4216; , 12 [no. 723]; TJ’s copies in DLC: Rare Book and Special Collections and MoSW), vol. 4, plate preceding p. 27. our proctor: Arthur S. Brockenbrough.
1. Manuscript: “instrutions.”
Index Entries
- architecture; books on search
- Bibliothèque portative d’Architecture élémentaire, a l’usage des Artistes (C. A. Jombert) search
- books; on architecture search
- Brockenbrough, Arthur Spicer; as University of Virginia proctor search
- building materials; lumber search
- Diocletian (Roman emperor); drawings of baths of search
- Fréart de Chambray, Roland; architectural drawings by search
- Jefferson, Thomas; Books and Library; requests to borrow books from search
- Jombert, Charles Antoine; Bibliothèque portative d’Architecture élémentaire, a l’usage des Artistes search
- lumber; used at University of Virginia search
- Oldham, James; as builder for University of Virginia search
- Oldham, James; letters from search
- Palladio, Andrea; works of, as models for University of Virginia construction search
- Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; and classical architecture search
- Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; builders for search
- Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; design of search