James Gibbs - Published Works

Published Works

Gibbs published the first edition of A Book of Architecture, containing designs of buildings and ornaments in 1728, dedicated to one of his patrons John Campbell, 2nd Duke of Argyll, was a folio of his building designs both executed and not, as well as numerous designs for ornaments, there are 150 engraved plates covering 380 different designs, he was the first British architect to publish a book devoted to his own designs. The major works illustrated include, St Martin-in-the-fields including the unexecuted version with a circular nave, St. Mary le Strand, the complete schemes for King's College Cambridge and the Public Building (including the Senate House) Cambridge University, numerous designs for medium sized country houses, garden building and follies, obelisks and memorial columns, church memorials and monuments, as well as wrought iron work, fireplaces, window and door surrounds, Cartouche (design) and urns. The first page of the introduction included: '...such a Work as this would be of use to such Gentleman as might be concerned in Building, especially in the remote parts of the Country, where little or no assistance for designs can be procured'. It was intended to be a pattern book for both architects and clients, and became, according to John Summerson, "probably the most widely-used architecture book of the century, not only throughout Britain, but in the American colonies and the West Indies". For example, Plate 58 was an inspiration for the river façade of Mount Airy, Richmond County, Virginia, and perhaps for the floorplan of Drayton Hall in Charleston County, South Carolina, as well.

Other published works by Gibbs include: In 1732, The Rules for Drawing the Several Parts of Architecture that explained how to draw the Classical orders and related details, a textbook which was used well into the 19th century. Bibliotheca Radcliviana subtitled A Short Description of the Radcliffe Library Oxford in 1747 to celebrate the Radcliffe Camera, it includes a list of all the craftsmen employed in the building's construction as well as twenty-one plates. In 1752 he published a two volume translation of the Latin book De Rebus Emanuelis, that was by a 16th century Portuguese Bishop Jerome Osorio da Fonseca, his English title was The History of the Portuguese during the Reign of Emanuel and is a history book with accounts of warfare, voyages of discovery from Africa to China including descriptions of the religious beliefs of these countries and also the initial colonisation of Brazil.