Design for the frontispiece of the second volume of 'Examples of Gothic Architecture'
- Object:
- Place of origin:
England, Great Britain (made)
UK (made)
- Date:
1834 (made)
1836 (published)
- Artist/Maker:
Pugin, Augustus Welby Northmore, born 1812 - died 1852 (artist)
- Materials and Techniques:
Pen with red and black ink.
- Museum number:
- Gallery location:
Prints & Drawings Study Room, level E, case A, shelf 147, box H
- Download image
The design follows this engraving exactly except for the lack of the lettering 'T.T. Bury sculpt'. It took two years after this design was drawn to publish the book because Pugin had difficulty getting E. J. Willson to write the text. In the preface to the book he described this frontispiece as 'This composition represents an artist of the fifteenth century seated in his study amidst his books and drawings making an architectural design. The furniture of the room is altogether agreeable to the fashions of the supposed period; and the inscriptions, and other ornaments of the border, are also designed in corresponding style'.
Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin (1812-52) is widely considered as one of the most significant and influential architects, designers and theorists of the 19th century. Following his conversion to Catholicism in 1835, he identified the Gothic style with Christian architecture and his work and writings inspired and framed the Gothic Revival. In ‘Contrasts’, published in 1836, he condemned classical forms and ardently praised 14th and 15th-century architecture. Pugin is best remembered for his work on the Palace of Westminster.
Place of Origin
England, Great Britain (made)
UK (made)
Date
1834 (made)
1836 (published)
Artist/maker
Pugin, Augustus Welby Northmore, born 1812 - died 1852 (artist)
Materials and Techniques
Pen with red and black ink.
Marks and inscriptions
This book was begun in the year of our Lord God one thousand, eight hundred and thirty one by Augustus Pugin, architect, and completed by his son Augustus Welby Pugin architect anno domini I thousand VIII hundred and XXXIV; Examples of Gothic Architecture / Second Series; The Literary Part / by E. J. Wilson, architect; London published for the author Augustus Welby Pugin at Messrs./ Walker & Ferry's, 100 Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury; s. A.W. Pugin invenit.
Dimensions
Height: 276 mm from catalogue, Width: 231 mm from catalogue
Object history note
Prov.: M. Purcell, 1970.
The engraving follows the design exactly except for the lack of the lettering T.T. Bury sculpt. The drawing is dated 1834 whereas the book was not published until 1836 because Pugin had the greatest difficulty in getting E J Wilson to write the text. In the preface to the book, which he wrote at St. Marie's Grange, Salisbury in July 1836, Pugin described his frontispiece thus: "This composition represents an artist of the fifteenth century seated in his study amidst his books and drawings making an architectural design. The furniture of the room is altogether agreeable to the fashions of the supposed period; and the inscriptions, and other ornaments of the border, are also designed in a corresponding style'.
Descriptive line
Design for the frontispiece of the second volume of 'Examples of Gothic Architecture' by A Pugin and A W Pugin. Pen with red and black ink.
Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)
Alexandra Wedgewood, A W N Pugin and the Pugin Family London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1985. ISBN: 0 948107 01 4.
Cat. 119.
Colin Cruise Pre-Raphaelite Drawing London: Thames & Hudson, 2011. ISBN: 978-0-7093-0264-3
Exhibition History
The Poetry of Drawing: Pre Raphaelite Studies, Designs and Watercolours (The Art Gallery of New South Wales (Sydney) 17/06/2011-04/09/2011)
The Poetry of Drawing: Pre Raphaelite Studies, Designs and Watercolours (Gas Hall, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery 29/01/2011-15/05/2011)
Collection code
PDP
