[The Thames and the Thames Tunnel]
Paper Peepshow
ca. 1843 (published)
ca. 1843 (published)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The Thame Tunnel was one of the most popular subjects for British paper peepshows, which were produced throughout the period of its construction and beyond. The Tunnel’s construction started in 1825, and after various flood accidents and a long period of suspension of work between 1828 and 1835, the Tunnel finally opened to the public on 25 March 1843. It was received with great excitement both during and immediately after its construction, which explains why it remained a popular topic for the paper peepshow for so long. The sensation of being under the Thames, and yet completely safe and dry stimulated much interest. It was therefore not unusual for representations of the Tunnel to appear together with the Thames to highlight this feeling.
Whereas paper peepshows showing both the Thames Tunnel and the River Thames are not unique (see for example Gestetner 241, see references), these are usually in the format of ‘double-decker’ paper peepshows, i.e., the top and bottom parts of the work showing different images. Combining two separate works in one wallet, however, is a rare practice (another similar example is Gestetner 247, see references). One wonders if this could be the result of the owner having bought these two items separately, although Bondy Azulay and T. C. Brandon, the two main sellers of Thames Tunnel paper peepshows, did often sell their works in wallets.
The paper peepshows as such are typical of the work by Azulay and Brandon. Both are crudely executed: colours in sweeps and dabs, and imagery on the cut-out panels taken from other prints. For example, Ralph Hyde identified that some of the figures comes from a sheet of stock figures like that in the Nobel Collection at the London Metropolitan Archives. The front-face of paper peepshow of the Thames is also a re-print of Brandon’s double print of Queen Victoria’s visit to the Tunnel on 26 July 1843. The publisher(s) of both works appear(s) not to be concerned with the high quality of paper peepshows, but rather stereotypical items that would make mass-production cheaper, and hence available to a wider range of customers.
Whereas paper peepshows showing both the Thames Tunnel and the River Thames are not unique (see for example Gestetner 241, see references), these are usually in the format of ‘double-decker’ paper peepshows, i.e., the top and bottom parts of the work showing different images. Combining two separate works in one wallet, however, is a rare practice (another similar example is Gestetner 247, see references). One wonders if this could be the result of the owner having bought these two items separately, although Bondy Azulay and T. C. Brandon, the two main sellers of Thames Tunnel paper peepshows, did often sell their works in wallets.
The paper peepshows as such are typical of the work by Azulay and Brandon. Both are crudely executed: colours in sweeps and dabs, and imagery on the cut-out panels taken from other prints. For example, Ralph Hyde identified that some of the figures comes from a sheet of stock figures like that in the Nobel Collection at the London Metropolitan Archives. The front-face of paper peepshow of the Thames is also a re-print of Brandon’s double print of Queen Victoria’s visit to the Tunnel on 26 July 1843. The publisher(s) of both works appear(s) not to be concerned with the high quality of paper peepshows, but rather stereotypical items that would make mass-production cheaper, and hence available to a wider range of customers.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | [The Thames and the Thames Tunnel] (popular title) |
| Materials and techniques | |
| Brief description | [The Thames and the Thames Tunnel], Azulay, Bondy, ca. 1843. |
| Physical description | Two accordion-style paper peepshows of the River Thames and Thames Tunnel, bound together. Two paper peepshows mounted in a leather wallet. The wallet has gilt borders on both side, and the letters ‘E.&C.’ in gilt on one side. [The Thames] 3 cut-out panels. 1 peep-hole. Hand-coloured etching and wood engraving. Expands to approximately 70 cm. Front-face: On the blue background, view of the Queen Victoria and Prince Albert’s visit to the Tunnel on 26 July 1843, from a print by the same publisher. The image shows Victoria and Albert about to disembark from a ceremonial barge at Wapping, and the crowds on the quay. Entrance building for the Tunnel and the Irving & Brown Coal Wharf in the background. At the top of the print is the title ‘Thames Tunnel Wapping Entrance,’ and the line ‘1200 feet long, 76 feet below high-water mark was 8 years building and cost £440,000. Opened March 25, 1843.’ The peep-hole consists of one circular opening in the centre. Panels 1-3: ships on the Thames. Back panel: ships on the Thames; buildings on the bank of the river. [The Thames Tunnel] 3 cut-out panels. 2 peep-holes. Hand-coloured aquatint. Expands to approximately 68 cm. Front-face: on the blue background the view of the Wapping entrance to the Thames Tunnel. Pedestrians on the stairs and in front of and inside the archways. The peep-holes consist of two openings on either side of the image. Panels 1-3 and back panel: pedestrians in the left and right archway of the Tunnel. |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Accepted under the Cultural Gifts Scheme by HM Government from the collections of Jacqueline and Jonathan Gestetner and allocated to the Victoria and Albert Museum, 2016. |
| Object history | Part of the Jacqueline and Jonathan Gestetner Collection, collected over 30 years and given to the V&A Museum through the government's Cultural Gift Scheme, 2016. |
| Summary | The Thame Tunnel was one of the most popular subjects for British paper peepshows, which were produced throughout the period of its construction and beyond. The Tunnel’s construction started in 1825, and after various flood accidents and a long period of suspension of work between 1828 and 1835, the Tunnel finally opened to the public on 25 March 1843. It was received with great excitement both during and immediately after its construction, which explains why it remained a popular topic for the paper peepshow for so long. The sensation of being under the Thames, and yet completely safe and dry stimulated much interest. It was therefore not unusual for representations of the Tunnel to appear together with the Thames to highlight this feeling. Whereas paper peepshows showing both the Thames Tunnel and the River Thames are not unique (see for example Gestetner 241, see references), these are usually in the format of ‘double-decker’ paper peepshows, i.e., the top and bottom parts of the work showing different images. Combining two separate works in one wallet, however, is a rare practice (another similar example is Gestetner 247, see references). One wonders if this could be the result of the owner having bought these two items separately, although Bondy Azulay and T. C. Brandon, the two main sellers of Thames Tunnel paper peepshows, did often sell their works in wallets. The paper peepshows as such are typical of the work by Azulay and Brandon. Both are crudely executed: colours in sweeps and dabs, and imagery on the cut-out panels taken from other prints. For example, Ralph Hyde identified that some of the figures comes from a sheet of stock figures like that in the Nobel Collection at the London Metropolitan Archives. The front-face of paper peepshow of the Thames is also a re-print of Brandon’s double print of Queen Victoria’s visit to the Tunnel on 26 July 1843. The publisher(s) of both works appear(s) not to be concerned with the high quality of paper peepshows, but rather stereotypical items that would make mass-production cheaper, and hence available to a wider range of customers. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Other number | 38041016059016 - NAL barcode |
| Collection | |
| Library number | Gestetner 244 |
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| Record created | August 22, 2018 |
| Record URL |
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