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The Omnipotent Magician: Lancelot 'Capability' Brown: 1716-1783
Lancelot Brown changed the face of eighteenth-century England, designing country estates and mansions, moving hills and making flowing lakes and serpentine rivers, a magical world of green. This English landscape style spread across Europe and the world. At home, it proved so pleasing that Brown's influence spread into the lowland landscape at large, and into landscape painting. He stands behind our vision, and fantasy, of rural England. In this vivid, lively biography, based on detailed research, Jane Brown paints an unforgettable picture of the man, his work, his happy domestic life, and his crowded world. She follows the life of the jovial yet elusive Mr Brown, from his childhood and apprenticeship in rural Northumberland, through his formative years at Stowe, the most famous garden of the day. His innovative ideas, and his affable and generous nature, led to a meteoric rise to a Royal Appointment in 1764 and his clients and friends ranged from statesmen like the elder Pitt to artists and actors like David Garrick. Riding constantly across England, Brown never ceased working until he collapsed and died in February 1783 after visiting one of his oldest clients. He was a practical man but also a visionary, always willing to try something new. As this delightful, and beautifully illustrated biography shows, Brown filled England with enchantment—follies, cascades, lakes, bridges, ornaments, monuments, meadows, and woods—creating views that still delight us today.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 5, 2018
I’ve read a lot of history and biography, and while this biography/history was enjoyable, it has its failings.
On the plus side, the writing was accessible, the times were well captured, and there were moments of inspired and colourful description.
My main issue is that, as there is relatively little known about Lancelot, I really don’t understand why there wasn’t much more detail included from the existing letters and papers that he did leave behind. For example, in one section, it refers (twice!) to an episode with an old woman which Lancelot recorded in a letter written to his daughter - but gives absolutely no clue as to what the episode was. At other times, letters are paraphrased, or briefly mentioned, rather than letting the reader ‘hear his voice’ so to speak. I found this odd for a biography.
I also found it very frustrating to read about project after project, and there was absolutely no illustration - not even a drawing in most instances - of the place. Where the houses still exist, surely a photo of two could have been included; and there are still plans in existence - such as the one at Belvoir - that could have been reproduced. This lack made many pages of what could have been insightful reading, well - just a bit dull. No, I don’t always need pictures in my books - but the picture, in this case, is absolutely the point.
The telling thing was, as I was reading, my mind wandered often - not just during the descriptions of works without pictures as mentioned, but also as the author took us through the (often complicated) genealogy and history of the gentry that Lancelot was servicing. This was confusing and for the most part added nothing to the biography. It would have been more to the purpose to give us more details about his children’s or friends lives, which were sadly skimmed over.
I guess that, to me, it read as an uncomfortable (and unsuccessful) compromise between a biography and a history. If it had been a focused biography, I’d have left feeling like I knew Lancelot more; if it had been a focussed history of landscape gardening, then I’d have expected more depth to those details of lords and their families and the politics of the time etc. etc. Instead, I am left unsatisfied on both counts.
On the plus side, the writing was accessible, the times were well captured, and there were moments of inspired and colourful description.
My main issue is that, as there is relatively little known about Lancelot, I really don’t understand why there wasn’t much more detail included from the existing letters and papers that he did leave behind. For example, in one section, it refers (twice!) to an episode with an old woman which Lancelot recorded in a letter written to his daughter - but gives absolutely no clue as to what the episode was. At other times, letters are paraphrased, or briefly mentioned, rather than letting the reader ‘hear his voice’ so to speak. I found this odd for a biography.
I also found it very frustrating to read about project after project, and there was absolutely no illustration - not even a drawing in most instances - of the place. Where the houses still exist, surely a photo of two could have been included; and there are still plans in existence - such as the one at Belvoir - that could have been reproduced. This lack made many pages of what could have been insightful reading, well - just a bit dull. No, I don’t always need pictures in my books - but the picture, in this case, is absolutely the point.
The telling thing was, as I was reading, my mind wandered often - not just during the descriptions of works without pictures as mentioned, but also as the author took us through the (often complicated) genealogy and history of the gentry that Lancelot was servicing. This was confusing and for the most part added nothing to the biography. It would have been more to the purpose to give us more details about his children’s or friends lives, which were sadly skimmed over.
I guess that, to me, it read as an uncomfortable (and unsuccessful) compromise between a biography and a history. If it had been a focused biography, I’d have left feeling like I knew Lancelot more; if it had been a focussed history of landscape gardening, then I’d have expected more depth to those details of lords and their families and the politics of the time etc. etc. Instead, I am left unsatisfied on both counts.
April 25, 2012
A well-researched and composed biography of perhaps England's finest landscape gardener. The poems that open each chapter are indicative of the author's indulgence of the Romantic spirit - appropriate for the subject matter and contemporaneous of Lancelot - and this should be experienced as a fitting style for the author to have adopted.
September 15, 2013
Some more examples of his work from plans, photographs and paintings would have been welcome. Some interesting stories and characters here though. Even so, they could have been brought to life a bit more if the tempo of the book had been upped.
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April 7, 2019The things which historians know for sure about Capability Brown are covered in this book very well. The writing is clear, and the poems featured throughout are lovely. It is a long read, but one which is worth reading for enthusiasts.
If you're not sure if you want to invest in a book of this size about Brown, it may be worth reading an overview of his life first before beginning. We have one here as it happens... https://www.janeausten.co.uk/lancelot...
If you're not sure if you want to invest in a book of this size about Brown, it may be worth reading an overview of his life first before beginning. We have one here as it happens... https://www.janeausten.co.uk/lancelot...
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews