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Drawing

1832 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This design is from 'The Chest', a volume of finished drawings of designs for an imaginary medieval chest and its contents, based on Pugin's knowledge of 15th-century artefacts.

This book is the earliest of the group of bound volumes of Pugin's youthful ideal schemes in the V&A and it may be the earliest one there is. The idea of an illustrated book of designs was attempted on several loose sheets by Pugin in 1831 with his 'Designs for Silversmiths'. 'The Chest' gives his book a theme which is continued in 'The Shrine', 1832, which was probably his next book. 'The Chest' marks a turning point between Pugin's early furniture and metalwork designs and his desire to train himself as an architect, also revealed in works such as 'The Shrine' and 'St Margaret's Chapel'.

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.


Object details

Category
Object type
Materials and techniques
Pen and black ink. Full bound in red leather with marbled endpapers.
Brief description
Designs within 'The Chest' by A.W.N. Pugin. Design for a thurible, incense boat and spoon
Physical description
Design for a thurible, incense boat and spoon. The thurible has four pieced gables between which sit four angels. The base also rests on small foliage feet. There is little decoration on the incense boat.
Dimensions
  • Binding height: 232mm
  • Binding width: 185mm
  • Paper height: 218mm
  • Paper width: 175mm
Style
Marks and inscriptions
'The Thurible, Boat and Spoon'
Object history
This design is from 'The Chest', a volume of finished drawings of designs for an imaginary medieval chest and its contents which are mainly of an ecclesiastical character, based on Pugin's knowledge of 15th-century artefacts.

This book is the earliest of the group of bound volumes of Pugin's youthful ideal schemes in the V&A and it may be the earliest one there is. The idea of an illustrated book of designs was attempted on several loose sheets by Pugin; his Designs for Silversmiths, 1831. 'The Chest' gives his book a theme which is continued in 'The Shrine', 1832, which was probably his next book and which almost has a story to it. 'The Chest' marks a turning point between Pugin's early furniture and metalwork designs and his desire to train himself as an architect, which is also revealed in works such as 'The Shrine' and 'St Margaret's Chapel'.
Subjects depicted
Summary
This design is from 'The Chest', a volume of finished drawings of designs for an imaginary medieval chest and its contents, based on Pugin's knowledge of 15th-century artefacts.

This book is the earliest of the group of bound volumes of Pugin's youthful ideal schemes in the V&A and it may be the earliest one there is. The idea of an illustrated book of designs was attempted on several loose sheets by Pugin in 1831 with his 'Designs for Silversmiths'. 'The Chest' gives his book a theme which is continued in 'The Shrine', 1832, which was probably his next book. 'The Chest' marks a turning point between Pugin's early furniture and metalwork designs and his desire to train himself as an architect, also revealed in works such as 'The Shrine' and 'St Margaret's Chapel'.

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.
Bibliographic reference
Alexandra Wedgwood, A.W.N. Pugin and the Pugin Family , London; V&A, 1985, p. 129.
Collection
Accession number
E.653-1980

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Record createdJune 30, 2009
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