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[20] Presentation drawing for the Gallery, alternative design No 5
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Reference number
SM 65/4/17
Purpose
[20] Presentation drawing for the Gallery, alternative design No 5
Aspect
Interior View of Gallery, Design No 5
Inscribed
as above, No XII, (Soane) Dulwich College, (verso, pencil) Plan with measurements / & perspective elevations of two fronts / Dulwich Gallery for / Mr Britton
Signed and dated
- (Soane) Lincolns Inn Fields / May 1811
Medium and dimensions
Pen and coloured washes, watercolour technique, shaded, partly pricked for transfer, within a nine-ruled pen and black and sepia wash border on wove paper (413 x 325)
Hand
Soane office
Watermark
Ruse and Turners
Notes
These interior perspectives are consistent with the plan shown on SM 65/4/16. The top-lighting, five-bay vaulted enfilade and red-painted walls with paintings hung five-deep have the essentials of Soane's final scheme.
The drawings show pendentive domes supporting the glazed lanterns over the gallery spaces, however this was not executed. Flat angled ceilings were actually realised beneath the lanterns, with blank lunettes to give more interest.
Underwood is recorded in the Day Book entry for Monday 1 April as taking the 'dimensions of Sir Bourgeois' pictures', presumably so to plan wall space and the arrangement of paintings within the galleries, as demonstrated in these two alternative interior perspectives.
Nevola wrote that 'it is loosely modelled on the Shakespeare Gallery of 1788-9, designed by George Dance the Younger'. Dance's Gallery had, for example, an enfilade plan with plain round arches and top-lighting. Top-lighting for the Gallery meant light would be more evenly distributed over all the walls and more space would be available for the paintings.
In the plans the top-lighting is refered to as skylights and in the perspectives these appear as glazed lanterns over the gallery rooms.
The drawings show pendentive domes supporting the glazed lanterns over the gallery spaces, however this was not executed. Flat angled ceilings were actually realised beneath the lanterns, with blank lunettes to give more interest.
Underwood is recorded in the Day Book entry for Monday 1 April as taking the 'dimensions of Sir Bourgeois' pictures', presumably so to plan wall space and the arrangement of paintings within the galleries, as demonstrated in these two alternative interior perspectives.
Nevola wrote that 'it is loosely modelled on the Shakespeare Gallery of 1788-9, designed by George Dance the Younger'. Dance's Gallery had, for example, an enfilade plan with plain round arches and top-lighting. Top-lighting for the Gallery meant light would be more evenly distributed over all the walls and more space would be available for the paintings.
In the plans the top-lighting is refered to as skylights and in the perspectives these appear as glazed lanterns over the gallery rooms.
Literature
G. Waterfield, Soane and after: the architecture of Dulwich Picture Gallery, 1987, pp. 32
C. Davies, 'Masters of building: the first independent purpose-built picture gallery: Dulwich Picture Gallery', Architect's Journal, April 1984, p. 53
F. Nevola, Soane's favourite subject: the story of Dulwich Picture Gallery, 2000, pp. 30 & 177
C. Davies, 'Masters of building: the first independent purpose-built picture gallery: Dulwich Picture Gallery', Architect's Journal, April 1984, p. 53
F. Nevola, Soane's favourite subject: the story of Dulwich Picture Gallery, 2000, pp. 30 & 177
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