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[10/3] Preparatory design for finishing the stone stairs of the river wharf landing stage, the stone parapet and the central iron railings of the river wall, c.1712
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Reference number
SM volume 109/30
Purpose
[10/3] Preparatory design for finishing the stone stairs of the river wharf landing stage, the stone parapet and the central iron railings of the river wall, c.1712
Aspect
Elevation
Scale
Just over 20 feet to 1 inch
Inscribed
In graphite, by Hawksmoor, with numbers of scale bar; and in ink, at bottom right, in C19 hand, 30.
Signed and dated
- Undated, but datable c.1712
Medium and dimensions
pen and brown ink over graphite under-drawing, with grey wash, on two roughly equal sheets of laid paper, pasted at centre; laid down; 381 x 865.
Hand
Hawksmoor
Watermark
Small fleur-de-lis and CDG (countermark) on each sheet
Notes
On 7 February 1712 Hawksmoor was ordered by the Fabric Committee to 'make an Estimate of the Charge of finishing the Stone Stairs of the Wharfe, and of a Parapet-Wall of Stone and Iron Palissades, the whole breadth of the great Court' (Wren Society, VI, p. 65). The design shows the steps in the form shown on the Worcester College site plan of 30 May 1712 (ibid., pl. 14) and on the model at Greenwich of 1699 (Bold 2000, fig. 142). A wall of this design appears in Griffier's design of c.1712 (ibid., fig. 151).
The tall pedestals in the design were not executed. This was probably the result of an instruction Hawksmoor received from the Committee on 6 August 1713 'to make an Estimate of finishing the Stone Stairs at the Terras next the Thames, in the plainest manner, without any ornaments at present' (Wren Society, VI, p. 68). The fine pen and brown ink and light grey wash technique, combined with loose pen shading, is characteristic of Hawksmoor's hand in the c.1711-15 period (see [10/4]).
The tall pedestals in the design were not executed. This was probably the result of an instruction Hawksmoor received from the Committee on 6 August 1713 'to make an Estimate of finishing the Stone Stairs at the Terras next the Thames, in the plainest manner, without any ornaments at present' (Wren Society, VI, p. 68). The fine pen and brown ink and light grey wash technique, combined with loose pen shading, is characteristic of Hawksmoor's hand in the c.1711-15 period (see [10/4]).
Literature
Not in Wren Society
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