Merlini, Domenico

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Merlini, Domenico (1730–97). Italian-born Court Architect to King Stanisław August Poniatowski (1764–95) of Poland from 1773. He collaborated with Kamsetzer in creating the lovely Louis Seize interiors of the Royal Palace, Warsaw (1776–85), and various buildings in the Royal Park of Ujazdów, Warsaw. Among these are the remodelling of the exquisite lakeside Łazienki Palace (1775–93). Merlini designed the Orangery Theatre (1784–8) with Jan Bogumił Plersch (1737–1817) as his collaborator, and the little Lodge in the Park (c.1765–74). More Baroque are his Myślewicki Palace (1775–6—with a curved front, end pavilions, and a two-storey apsidal entrance), Jabłonna Palace (1775–9), and Królikarnia Palace (1782–6—with Ionic portico and domed rotunda), all in Warsaw. His Jabłonowski Palace, Racot (c.1785), is almost Palladian in composition, but given a rustic flavour.

Bibliography

Lorentz & and Rottermund (1984);
Jane Turner (1996);
D. Watkin (1986)