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Reference number

SM D5/3/25

Purpose

Royal College of Surgeons, 41-42 (now 35-43) Lincoln's Inn Fields, Holborn, Camden, London, 1805-12 (with James Lewis)

Aspect

[186] Incorrect perspective of museum from the N end

Scale

not to scale

Signed and dated

  • 1805-12

Medium and dimensions

Pen within single ruled border on laid paper (425 x 340)

Hand

Dance

Watermark

D & C Blauw

Notes

The drawing appears to be incorrect since it shows a cross-vault over the foreground (that is, the north apsidal bay) and shows the south apsidal wall with a chimney-piece, as flat. Drawn in outline, it relates to a record drawing (Royal College of Surgeons Library, 317) by William Cliff (Hunterian Museum curator 1800-42) made before 1834, that was drawn from the same viewpoint and reproduces the same mistakes. The drawn-in floorboards help to set up the single-point perspective for a surprisingly clumsy drawing that seems to be in Dance's hand.

Kalman (p.376, n.50) notes that 'The juxtaposition of a groined vault and dome in the drawing resembles, probably coincidentally, Soane's Bank Stock Office.'

There is a folder enclosing the drawings and engravings for Combe Bank that is part of a sheet with an unfinished interior perspective of the museum. Drawn to a larger scale with some setting-up lines, it shows an apsidal end with three semicircular-arched openings fronted by two piers.

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