Explore Collections
You are here:
CollectionsOnline
/
[12] Competition design for a men's prison, by George Dance, 1781
Browse
Reference number
SM 13/1/22
Purpose
[12] Competition design for a men's prison, by George Dance, 1781
Aspect
Section from A to B marked on the Ground Plan
Scale
bar scale of 1/8 in to 1 ft with distinctive three dots above the marks of division
Inscribed
as above and, N0 6 respectively
Mihi turpe relinqui est [it is shameful for me to be left behind] (competition motto)
Signed and dated
- 1781
Medium and dimensions
Pen and sepia washes, shaded within quadruple ruled and wash border on laid paper (606 x 3120)
Hand
George Dance (1741-1825)
Notes
This drawing is by George Dance: the bar scale with three dots over each mark of division is found on some of his earlier drawings (for example, D2/BK/2) the lettering with its florid capitals is in Dance's 'best' hand and the freehand rendering of the rusticated centre and the drawing of the festoon of chains is characteristic of Dance. And, for example, the pilaster-like buttresses of the screen wall are quite similar to the coupled pilasters of the screen wall of Dance's design for an unidentified country house c. 1771? (SM, S2/8/24, Lever, op.cit, catalogue [69].1). The three-part plan of Newgate Gaol can also be seen in the plan (SM 13/1/16).
Some personal references include the variation on the festoon of shackles that Dance used for Newgate Gaol and the competition motto, used by Soane for one of his two competition entries for St Luke's Hospital (q.v.) but much earlier by Dance for his competition design for the Parma Academy, 1763 (J.Lever, Drawings of George Dance the Younger (1741-1825) ... from the Collection of Sir John Soane's Museum, 2003, catalogue 17]. As du Prey points out (op.cit, p.211) though there are no battlements, machicolations or portcullis the design conjures up a medieval castle.
This drawing, SM 13/1/20 and SM 13/1/21 made by Dance (together with SM 13/1/16) relate to SM 42/122 verso in which the sketch plan, bird's eye view and elevation clearly give the form and layout of the final design. The three elevations by Dance seem to have always been among Soane's own drawings; a search through the inventory made by George Bailey, first curator of the Soane Museum, in 1837 reveals nothing relevant among the drawings in Dance's own drawing cabinet.
Some personal references include the variation on the festoon of shackles that Dance used for Newgate Gaol and the competition motto, used by Soane for one of his two competition entries for St Luke's Hospital (q.v.) but much earlier by Dance for his competition design for the Parma Academy, 1763 (J.Lever, Drawings of George Dance the Younger (1741-1825) ... from the Collection of Sir John Soane's Museum, 2003, catalogue 17]. As du Prey points out (op.cit, p.211) though there are no battlements, machicolations or portcullis the design conjures up a medieval castle.
This drawing, SM 13/1/20 and SM 13/1/21 made by Dance (together with SM 13/1/16) relate to SM 42/122 verso in which the sketch plan, bird's eye view and elevation clearly give the form and layout of the final design. The three elevations by Dance seem to have always been among Soane's own drawings; a search through the inventory made by George Bailey, first curator of the Soane Museum, in 1837 reveals nothing relevant among the drawings in Dance's own drawing cabinet.
Literature
P.du Prey, John Soane: the making of an architect, 1982, chapter 10, 'The Competition for the first Howardian penitentiaries'
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