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[9-14] Preliminary variant elevations for a domed House of Lords, one dated August 179(?)3 (6) NB no digital images for drawing 13 (b) and (c) flyers 16/3/5 noted to SP
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Reference number
SM (9) 16/3/8 (10)16/3/10 (11) 16/3/9 (12) 16/3/7 (13) 16/3/5 (14) 16/3/6
Purpose
[9-14] Preliminary variant elevations for a domed House of Lords, one dated August 179(?)3 (6) NB no digital images for drawing 13 (b) and (c) flyers 16/3/5 noted to SP
Aspect
9 Sketch design for a thirteen-bay flank elevation with domed wings, and seven-bay return elevation
10 Elevation of a seven-bay front close to that of drawing 9, and a five-bay elevation with Ionic portico, the four columns supporting (above the cornice) four pedestals with statues
11 Finished version of drawing 9 with eight added niches for statues, and sketch alternative elevation with a central dome
12 Elevation with eight Corinthian columns and a central dome with sketch (pencil) additions of part-elevation, detail of elevation, and part-plan
13 Wall and stair plan, elevation with six columns, a variant of drawing 12. On left-hand side, flyers with alternative elevations: (a) triple arched (b) with Corinthian order and (c) with windows
14 Wall plan and elevation with six-column portico, alternative arrangement of pilasters to either side and a central dome
Scale
(9) to a scale (10) bar scale of 1/16 inch to 1 foot (11-13) bar scales of 1/10 inch to 1 foot (14) to a scale of 1/10 inch to 1 foot
Inscribed
(9) some pencil calculations
(10) (feint pencil) Elevation next Westminster Abbey and Elevation next the River
(11) a a a a a a and a a a to be equal and a few very feint and illegible pencil inscriptions
(12) (pencil) 150. above / plinth
(13) (pencil) to centre arch / 25.0 / centre / arches 41-0 and (beneath flyer) with a Colonnade
Signed and dated
- (10) Augst (very feint and partly illegible) 179 (?) 3
Medium and dimensions
(9) Brown pen and sepia wash, pencil, pricked for transfer on thin wove paper with three fold marks (543 x 682) (10) pen, blue, raw umber, sepia and black washes, pencil, two elevations each drawn with trompe l'oeil scrolls and with overall triple ruled black and sepia wash border on stout wove paper (975 x 610) (11) pen, brown pen, sepia washes, pencil, pricked for transfer, on thin wove paper, two sheets joined, two old repairs with one fold mark (548 x 973) (12) pen, brown pen, pencil, sepia wash, brown ink wash, pricked for transfer on thin wove paper (518 x 658) (13) pen, pencil, sepia washes, shaded, pricked for transfer on thin wove paper with two fold marks and with two flyers (530 x 680), flyers (221 x 278/275) (14) pen and sepia washes, shaded, pricked for transfer on thin wove paper with four fold marks (557 x 676)
Hand
(9-14) Soane ?
Notes
The sketch elevation added to drawing 11 has a central dome, and so, it seems, do the subsequent drawings 12 to 13 which also explore different solutions for the wings. However, the finished elevations, drawings 15 and 16, have domes at each end of the principal or flank elevations. The only clue as to when the drawings were made is on drawing 9 and though 'Augt' is clear, the year is not though it might be 1793. It was in August 1793 that Soane was asked to supply survey drawings of the Palace of Westminster to a dozen architects, to help them in making designs for the reconstruction of the House of Lords. He was not one of the invited architects. Of the two drawings that follow (15 and 16) one is dated 30 April 1794 (q.v.).
Literature. S.Sawyer, Soane at Westminster, PhD thesis Columbia University, 1999, p,233 (drawings 9,11)
Literature. S.Sawyer, Soane at Westminster, PhD thesis Columbia University, 1999, p,233 (drawings 9,11)
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