(b Edinburgh, 21 July 1732; d London, 20 Oct 1794). Architect, son of (1) William Adam. In the 1750s he was taken into partnership in Edinburgh with his older brothers John and Robert, and from 1760 to 1763 he was on a Grand Tour in Italy. Accompanied by an architectural draughtsman, George Richardson, James was guided by Charles-Louis Clérisseau, Robert’s teacher, employee and friend during his time in Italy. In 1763 James joined Robert in a London partnership, remaining his brother’s associate and subsidiary designer until Robert’s death in 1792. He then continued alone until his own death two years later.

Part of the Adam (ii) family

• Adam (ii), James
  • Adam (ii)
  • Etruscan style
  • Etruscan style, §3: Interior design
  • Greece, ancient, §V, 10: Pottery: Collecting and collections
  • assistants
    • Bonomi, Joseph
    • Cunego, Domenico
    • Dewez, Laurent Benoît
    • Richardson, George
  • collaboration
    • Adam (ii): (2) John Adam
    • Adam (ii): (3) Robert Adam
    • Adam (ii): (3) Robert Adam, §1(iii): Early work in London, 1758–mid-1760s
    • Scotland, §II, 3(i): Architecture, c 1680–c 1800: Secular buildings
  • dealing
    • Dalton, Richard
  • groups and movements
    • Neo-classicism, §1: Archaeology and the rise of historicism
  • illustrated writings
    • Vivares, François
  • teachers
    • Clérisseau, Charles-Louis
  • works
    • Boulton, Matthew
    • Castle, §II, 2: c 1660–c 1840
    • Console table
    • Davis, Owen William
    • England, §V, 4: Interior decoration, 1721–90
    • England, §IX, 2(iii)(d): Base metalwork, 1601–1800: Iron and steel
    • Pattern book, §I, 2(i): Western: Decorative arts, after c 1440
    • Pompeian Revival, §1: Early excavations and beginnings
    • Urban planning, §III, 2(i): c 1450–c 1800: Moderate expansion