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Legal Quays and Custom House, south of Lower Thames Street, City of London, 1796
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Reference number
SM D3/11/4
Purpose
Legal Quays and Custom House, south of Lower Thames Street, City of London, 1796
Aspect
[3] Elevation, approximately 1312 ft long and supported by 45 arches, showing the Monument on the left
Scale
not to scale
Inscribed
(verso, cut) of London / [Leg]al Quays / Elevn to / [sm]all scale / Mr Dance / 121
Signed and dated
- 1796
Medium and dimensions
Pen, raw umber, sepia and green earth washes, watercolour technique, within single ruled border on laid paper, two sheets joined (265 x 900)
Hand
Dance
Watermark
J Whatman
Notes
Dance has changed the rhythm of the arcaded and rusticated podium from the elevation of [SM D3/11/2] so that the offices flanking the Custom House are of two bays rather than three and the central part of the warehouses has nine instead of seven bays. The pediments over the warehouses, erased and drawn over, have been replaced by shallow hipped roofs, and the Custom House has lost its equestrian statue but two more giant Corinthian columns have been added to the front.
The omission of pediments may owe something to Joseph Farrington who noted (22 May 1796) that Dance 'shewed me his improved designs for new Docks & Warehouses, which I liked much. I gave him my opinion that a long even line of 200 f. interrupted by the Center which rises higher, is preferable to having it broken with pediments; the latter giving a meanness to it. N[athaniel] Dance came in and agreed with me.'
REPRODUCED. Stroud fig.50b.
The omission of pediments may owe something to Joseph Farrington who noted (22 May 1796) that Dance 'shewed me his improved designs for new Docks & Warehouses, which I liked much. I gave him my opinion that a long even line of 200 f. interrupted by the Center which rises higher, is preferable to having it broken with pediments; the latter giving a meanness to it. N[athaniel] Dance came in and agreed with me.'
REPRODUCED. Stroud fig.50b.
Level
Drawing
Digitisation of the Drawings Collection has been made possible through the generosity of the Leon Levy Foundation
If you have any further information about this object, please contact us: drawings@soane.org.uk