Author Archives: Montacute Pavilion

Emerging from Darkness: Sophonisba and Masinissa

Posted on December 12, 2023 by Montacute Pavilion

In the news today is a report that Denzel Washington (the black American actor) is to play Hannibal in a Netflix program. Quite rightly, they are questioning this in Tunisia. Hannibal was a Carthaginian, which means he was descended from … Continue reading →

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The Chinese Fret in Oiserie Design

Posted on December 6, 2022 by Montacute Pavilion

1. The Chinese fret is a key theme in Chinoiserie design and its principles are not always obvious. This series of images attempts to explain its design principles. It is based on a Chinoiserie bridge design published by Becker in … Continue reading →

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How a Rainbow Arch Declares the Death of Art History

Posted on October 25, 2022 by Montacute Pavilion

Recently it was announced that Daylesford would get the Big Rainbow Arch. Hepburn Shire Council opened a survey asking for opinions on options for siting.[1] Several current councillors make a lot of noise about consultation, and on issues like The … Continue reading →

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The Gardens in Hamilton New Zealand: Part 2. The Picturesque Garden

Posted on June 9, 2022 by Montacute Pavilion

Part 1: Introduction The Hamilton Gardens garden recognise that there is another garden style beside the Chinese that relies on a linear itinerary, the picturesque landscape garden. At Hamilton this is done in an interestingly and quite original way by … Continue reading →

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The Gardens in Hamilton New Zealand: Part 1. Introduction

Posted on June 9, 2022 by Montacute Pavilion

Part 2. The Picturesque Garden The Enclosed Gardens in Hamilton, New Zealand, are one of the most exciting creations I have seen in Australia and New Zealand. There seems to be nothing quite like it anywhere else. Unlike the Chaumont … Continue reading →

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New Traditional Architecture 1: A Frankfurt Reconstruction

Posted on April 28, 2022 by Montacute Pavilion

The New Traditional Architecture Facebook site is interesting, not least because of its European (often Central European) focus. While Putin seems to be revisiting WW2, as Hitler needing Lebensraum rather than Stalin resisting an invader, this site often engages with … Continue reading →

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New Traditional Architecture 3: On Vernacular Architecture

Posted on April 23, 2022 by Montacute Pavilion

In one posting on the New Traditional Architecture Facebook page is illustrated the ‘Villa Tällberg’, completed in 2019 in the Swedish vernacular manner. It is by a Swedish architectural firm Byggnadswerk, led by Tommy Janssen, who does some rather beautiful … Continue reading →

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New Traditional Architecture 2: Right Wing Conspiracies and Leftist Divisiveness

Posted on April 22, 2022 by Montacute Pavilion

An article in the Art Newspaper by Robert Bevan on 7 January 2022 (‘The ugly pursuit of beauty: how traditional architecture has become a battleground for right-wing politicians’) comes out firing on all barrels against New Traditional Architecture as a … Continue reading →

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Sky Barrels: Lake Daylesford, Neighbourhood Character, and Imagistic Architecture

Posted on April 8, 2022 by Montacute Pavilion

In Daylesford there has been a recent planning application for ‘Sky Barrels’ on Cornish Hill (Fig. 1).[1] These are five one-bedroom holiday cottages in the shape of compressed (elliptical) barrels on metal stands. The ends of the barrels are windowed, … Continue reading →

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Montsalvat Part 1: Less an Artist’s Colony than an Ideal Burgundian Village, an Australian Portmeirion

Posted on April 2, 2022 by Montacute Pavilion

While Montsalvat was an artist’s colony, it was also a Portmeirion: one man’s dream of building a village that romantically alluded to old Europe. Continue reading →

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