Inigo Jones

Lore & Background

Jones was born in Smithfield, London, as the son of clothworker Inigo Jones Snr., and baptised at the church of St Bartholomew-the-Less, but little is known about his early years. Later Welsh sources claim that the family was from Wales, and even that Inigo was originally named Ynir or Ynyr Jones, but no records from his own time indicate any family ties to Wales. He did not approach the architectural profession in the traditional way, though there is evidence that Christopher Wren obtained information that recorded Jones as an apprentice joiner in St Paul's Churchyard. At some point before 1603, a rich patron (possibly the Earl of Pembroke or the Earl of Rutland) sent him to Italy to study drawing after being impressed by the quality of his sketches. From Italy he travelled to Denmark where he worked for Christian IV on the design of the palaces of Rosenborg and Frederiksborg.

Jones first became famous as a designer of costumes and stage settings, especially after he brought 'masques' to the stage. Under the patronage of Queen Anne of Denmark, he is credited with introducing movable scenery and the proscenium arch to English theatre. Between 1605 and 1640, he was responsible for staging over 500 performances, collaborating with Ben Jonson for many years, despite a relationship fraught with competition and jealousy: the two had arguments about whether stage design or literature was more important in theatre. Over 450 drawings for the scenery and costumes survive, demonstrating Jones's virtuosity as a draughtsman and his development between 1605 and 1609 from initially showing 'no knowledge of Renaissance draughtsmanship' to exhibiting an 'accomplished Italianate manner' and understanding of Italian set design. This development suggests a second visit to Italy, c. 1606, influenced by the ambassador Henry Wotton. Jones learned to speak Italian fluently and there is evidence that he owned an Italian copy of Andrea Palladio's I quattro libri dell'architettura with marginalia that refer to Wotton. His architectural work was particularly influenced by Palladio, and to a lesser extent, he also held to the architectural principles of the ancient Roman writer Vitruvius.

On 27 April 1613, Jones was appointed the position of Surveyor of the King's Works and shortly after, embarked on a tour of Italy with the Earl of Arundel. On this trip, Jones was exposed to the architecture of Rome, Padua, Florence, Vicenza, Genoa and Venice among others. His surviving sketchbook shows his preoccupation with such artists as Parmigianino and Andrea Schiavone. He is also known to have met Vincenzo Scamozzi at this time. His annotated copy of Palladio's Quattro libri dell'architettura also demonstrates his close interest in classical architecture: Jones gave priority to Roman antiquity rather than observing the contemporary fashion in Italy. He was probably the first native-born to study these Roman remains first hand and this was key to the new architecture Jones introduced in England and Wales.

Reader's Guide

Inigo Jones's significance lies in his role as the first English architect to systematically apply classical principles of proportion and symmetry, derived from Vitruvius and Andrea Palladio, to buildings in England. His appointment as Surveyor of the King's Works in 1613 allowed him to design key structures that set a new standard for English architecture. The Queen's House, begun in 1616 and finished in 1635, is recognized as the first strictly classical building in England, employing ideas from Palladio and ancient Rome. The Banqueting House at Whitehall, built between 1619 and 1622, derived from designs by Scamozzi and Palladio, and later received a ceiling painted by Peter Paul Rubens. Covent Garden square, laid out by Jones, became a model for future developments in the West End of London. Beyond architecture, Jones's work in theatre was equally transformative. Under Queen Anne of Denmark, he introduced movable scenery and the proscenium arch to English theatre, and his collaborations with Ben Jonson on masques from 1605 to 1640 produced over 500 performances. His innovations in stage design—including the use of curtains, varied lighting, and moving scenery via 'machina versatilis'—influenced later public theatre. Jones's legacy is that of a pioneer who brought Renaissance and classical ideals to English architecture and stagecraft, shaping the visual culture of the early modern period.

Did You Know?

• Jones was the first person to introduce the classical architecture of Rome and the Italian Renaissance to England.
• He is credited with introducing movable scenery and the proscenium arch to English theatre under the patronage of Queen Anne of Denmark.
• Jones and Ben Jonson had a long collaboration on masques, but argued about whether stage design or literature was more important.
• His annotated copy of Palladio's 'I quattro libri dell'architettura' shows marginalia referring to the ambassador Henry Wotton.