Vignette. ‘It would be difficult to say which is worse in Saxony, of their Publick or Domestic Architecture.’ [0009]
‘And on the 22nd of the preceding month, November, I had equally the honour of receiving Your Lordship’s Circular of the 14th of that month, with printed copies of the conditions (accompanied by Maps) on which the designs of foreign Artists for certain Publick Offices in London would be received by Her Majesty’s Government.
‘On both occasions, I transmitted copies of the several Enclosures to the Baron de Beust who holds the Home as well as the Foreign Department, along with explanatory notes; from the Home Department I conclude that copies will be sent to the Schools of Architecture, but I cannot hold out a Prospect of any good resulting from them.
‘It would be difficult to say which is worse in Saxony, of their Publick or domestic Architecture. The two great Buildings of late years, are the Theatre and Museum, as they call the Picture-Gallery; it, in fact, contains other collections. The exterior of the Theatre is far from handsome; it is a heavy misshapen mass with two principal fronts, the one of which is flat, and has not sufficient extent for its height, whilst the other Facade is semicircular, and would be appropriate for a hot climate. The interior arrangements are very good.
‘This is exctly the case with the Picture-Gallery: The exterior is very ugly, heavy, and of a different style of Architecture from the rest of the beautiful Zwinger, whilst the Interior for the Pictures is excellent.’
FO 68/99: Francis Reginald Forbes to Earl of Clarendon, No. 59, Dresden, 21 December 1858 (British envoys to Germany, Dresden
: 307).