Design for a Corinthian Entablature for the Duke of Richmond, either for Richmond House, Whitehall, London, or Goodwood, Sussex 1770 - 1829

Thomas Hardwick created this design for a Corinthian Entablature, sometime in the late 18th or early 19th century. The drawing proposes architectural enhancements for the Duke of Richmond's residences, reflecting the era's obsession with classical aesthetics and aristocratic display. But consider the backdrop against which these grand designs unfolded. The wealth that facilitated such opulence was often directly tied to colonial exploitation and the labor of enslaved people. Architectural designs like these, while seemingly benign, were potent symbols of power and social hierarchy. They visually reinforced a world where privilege was concentrated in the hands of a few, supported by systems of inequity. It is impossible to divorce the beauty of Hardwick's design from the socio-economic realities of his time, prompting us to reflect on the complex relationship between artistic expression and social justice.