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[30] Presentation drawing (relating to the final design) for the monument set in an imaginary landscape, 1816
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Reference number
SM 14/4/10
Purpose
[30] Presentation drawing (relating to the final design) for the monument set in an imaginary landscape, 1816
Aspect
Bird's eye view from the south-east showing the design as executed and without a gateway. Set in a hilly and wooded countryside with, in the distance, a village with its church, perched picturesquely on a hill
Signed and dated
- (verso, pencil) drawn by G. Basevi / June 4 1816 (by a later curator's hand transcribing a very feint pencil inscription below) From, Mr G Basevi / 4 June 1816. The entry for 4 June 1816 in the office Day Book has nothing relating to Basevi drawing a monument, in fact he was drawing views of Thomas Swinnerton's new house.
Medium and dimensions
Pen, green, raw umber, warm sepia, sepia, blue and red washes within black wash border on wove paper (720 x 1092)
Hand
George Basevi (1794-1845, pupil 1810-16)
Watermark
James Whatman Turkey Mill Kent 1809
Notes
In all, Basevi was making drawings for the monument from 14 February to 23 May. The finished perspectives catalogued here would have been made between 4 March and 5 April when many references under Basevi's name appear in the Day Book to 'Birds eye views of Monument' including (26 March) 'Finished birds eye of Mr Soane's Monument' and 5 April 'About drawing of Monument, sent afterwards to the Exhibition'.
This drawing is is rather bland. Basevi must have benefited from observing Gandy at work and his perspectives show an increasing confidence.
The gateway does not appear in this last design drawing. It's massy weightiness might be said to represent earthly sorrow and contrasts with the lighter, more transcendent design of the four-sided aedicule, the contrast between the two mediated by the stark monolithic dome on piers. Essentially, the scale was wrong, the design placing the emphasis on the vault rather than the monument and, it was unnecessary. Whatever the reason, Soane was reluctant to give up the gateway but eventually did so.
This drawing is is rather bland. Basevi must have benefited from observing Gandy at work and his perspectives show an increasing confidence.
The gateway does not appear in this last design drawing. It's massy weightiness might be said to represent earthly sorrow and contrasts with the lighter, more transcendent design of the four-sided aedicule, the contrast between the two mediated by the stark monolithic dome on piers. Essentially, the scale was wrong, the design placing the emphasis on the vault rather than the monument and, it was unnecessary. Whatever the reason, Soane was reluctant to give up the gateway but eventually did so.
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