Design for a Turkish Villa (front elevation and two plans)
Draftsman Alexander Jackson Davis American
Not on view
Turkish was among the exotic architectural styles that Davis experimented with in a series of unrealized and undated villa designs. Here, he enlivened a simple country house plan with Middle Eastern elements derived from mosques and palaces--imagery he would have known through printed sources. His additions include two minarets, a crescent-topped flattened onion dome, a covered roof terrace, and pendent moldings along the eaves. After sketching the design in graphite, he strengthened the lines with ink and used watercolor washes to suggest textures and indicate a garden setting.