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St Luke's Hospital for Lunatics, Old Street, Finsbury, Islington, London, 1777, 1781-2 and c.1794-1811
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- George Dance office drawings: the drawings of George Dance the Elder and George Dance the Younger
Reference number
SM D4/1/16 and SM D4/1/17
Purpose
St Luke's Hospital for Lunatics, Old Street, Finsbury, Islington, London, 1777, 1781-2 and c.1794-1811
Aspect
[25 and 26] Eight cross-sections from N to S and copy
Scale
1/14 in to 1 ft
Inscribed
([SM D4/1/16] verso) St Luke's Hopl / rough Transvere secn, sections titled, for example, Section from North to South thro' double Cells and Galleries / uponi the Line IK Plan No2, Section from North to South thro' Pump Recess &c across Galleries / upon the Line EF Plan No 2, dimensions given and (verso of [SM D4/1/17]) St Luke's Hopl / rough Transverse Sectn
Signed and dated
- c.1794-1811
Medium and dimensions
Pen, pencil within single ruled border, pricked for transfer on wove paper (635 x 985, 635 x 990)
Hand
see note below
Watermark
([SM D4/1/16]) 1794 J Whatman ([SM D4/1/17]) E&P 1801
Notes
These correspond to the four cross-sections of contract drawings [SM D4/2/6] except that three Serlian windows shown in the contract drawing on the section across the galleries are not drawn here; presumably, they were omitted because of the cost.
Drawings [SM D4/1/9], [SM D4/1/8], [SM D4/1/6], [SM D4/1/5] , [SM D4/1/12], [SM D4/1/14], [SM D4/1/15], [SM D4/1/18], [SM D4/1/16], nine in all, share the same watermark (1794 J Whatman) and office draughtsmanship. [SM D4/1/10], [SM D4/1/7], [SM D4/1/13], [SM D4/1/17] are drawn by another office hand on paper watermarked 1801, [SM D4/1/11] does not have a watermark but is by the same hand as the 1794 group, and [SM D4/1/19], more finished than the rest, is on paper watermarked 1811.
The purpose of the drawings of St Luke's Hospital as executed is probably to do with the interest shown by others concerned with the design of asylums. These included John Bevans of The Retreat near York, and the commissioners of a lunatic hospital in Copenhagen (see general notes below) by whom George Pepys was paid for making their copies, a profitable sideline no doubt for the office assistants.
Drawings [SM D4/1/9], [SM D4/1/8], [SM D4/1/6], [SM D4/1/5] , [SM D4/1/12], [SM D4/1/14], [SM D4/1/15], [SM D4/1/18], [SM D4/1/16], nine in all, share the same watermark (1794 J Whatman) and office draughtsmanship. [SM D4/1/10], [SM D4/1/7], [SM D4/1/13], [SM D4/1/17] are drawn by another office hand on paper watermarked 1801, [SM D4/1/11] does not have a watermark but is by the same hand as the 1794 group, and [SM D4/1/19], more finished than the rest, is on paper watermarked 1811.
The purpose of the drawings of St Luke's Hospital as executed is probably to do with the interest shown by others concerned with the design of asylums. These included John Bevans of The Retreat near York, and the commissioners of a lunatic hospital in Copenhagen (see general notes below) by whom George Pepys was paid for making their copies, a profitable sideline no doubt for the office assistants.
Level
Drawing
If you have any further information about this object, please contact us: drawings@soane.org.uk