1 foot to 7/8 inches

By John Talman in pen and brown ink with triple-T collector's mark in centre of cartouche

• c.1680s

Pen and brown ink with grey and grey-brown washes, over pencil under drawing

Edward Pearce

None visible

The monument is in three stepped bays, the central bay containing an oval panel framing a bust of an unidentified man in an academic's or cleric's gown and wearing a skull cap. The panel is framed by a banded laurel wreath, and the bust stands on a socle, from which descends a tongue-like strapwork scroll, below which is a folded ribbon, arranged symmetrically. These motifs may relate to the subject's academic garb. The central bay is flanked by narrow side panels with laurel leaf drops hung from laurel wreaths suspended from knotted ribbons. Either side are narrowed sweeped panels, the left one hung with a drop of books and quills (as an alternative ornamental addition). The pedestal base has dark marble cornice and basement mouldings (indicated by brown ink shading over grey wash) and the same marble colour is applied to the outer panels. The central panel has lugged mouldings at the top, and draped skulls peering out from the sides.

The monument is surmounted by a central oblong relief panel containing a strapwork cartouche. The panel is flanked by flattened scrolls sprouting acanthus leaves and topped by a segmental pediment carrying a flaming urn, decorated with gadrooning and diagonal fluting beneath a line of globe motifs around a wide central rim.

Prov: John Talman Collection

Wren Society, XVII, pl. 24, top

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