Telescopic View of the Chain Pier, Brighton
Paper Peepshow
ca.1842 (published)
ca.1842 (published)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The structure of this paper peepshow of the Brighton Chain Pier is quite unusual, as the cut-out panels all have just one smooth rectangular opening, instead of irregular ones commonly seen in other paper peepshows. This means only the central image of the second and third panel can be seen through the peep-hole. The producer therefore left much of these two panels blank, and the overall design of the paper peepshow is rather simple and repetitive. Nevertheless, the receding size of the Pier and figures, as well as the distance between the cut-out panels makes the paper peepshow very effective in giving the perspectival illusion.
The Brighton Chain Pier came out of the need for a landing stage for the city, which did not have a natural harbour, at the beginning of the nineteenth century. In July 1822, Captain Samuel Brown’s design for the Pier was formally approved, and the work began in September the same year. The Pier attracted such public interest that even its construction site became a popular tourist attraction like the Thames Tunnel. A viewing charge was introduced of six pence was introduced in July 1823, and later that year in November the Chain Pier opened with a grand ceremony.
The finished Pier generated much admiration for its technological advancement, and it also became a site for entertainment. Souvenirs were sold in shops at the base of the Pier’s towers, and firework displays would be staged on special occasions. The telescope on the front face, for example, could be referring to one of the entertainments still available on the Pier.
The Pier enjoyed the height of its popularity during the 1820s and 1830s, but started to decline in the 1860s. A storm in 1896 brought the life of the Pier to an end. The Palace Pier, still standing today, was built as its replacement.
The vendor of this work, Daniel Harding Greenin, was a retailer whose shop operated in Brighton for many years. The paper peepshow would have fit perfectly with the rest of his stock, which included Tunbridge ware and doll’s house furniture.
The Brighton Chain Pier came out of the need for a landing stage for the city, which did not have a natural harbour, at the beginning of the nineteenth century. In July 1822, Captain Samuel Brown’s design for the Pier was formally approved, and the work began in September the same year. The Pier attracted such public interest that even its construction site became a popular tourist attraction like the Thames Tunnel. A viewing charge was introduced of six pence was introduced in July 1823, and later that year in November the Chain Pier opened with a grand ceremony.
The finished Pier generated much admiration for its technological advancement, and it also became a site for entertainment. Souvenirs were sold in shops at the base of the Pier’s towers, and firework displays would be staged on special occasions. The telescope on the front face, for example, could be referring to one of the entertainments still available on the Pier.
The Pier enjoyed the height of its popularity during the 1820s and 1830s, but started to decline in the 1860s. A storm in 1896 brought the life of the Pier to an end. The Palace Pier, still standing today, was built as its replacement.
The vendor of this work, Daniel Harding Greenin, was a retailer whose shop operated in Brighton for many years. The paper peepshow would have fit perfectly with the rest of his stock, which included Tunbridge ware and doll’s house furniture.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Telescopic View of the Chain Pier, Brighton (published title) |
| Materials and techniques | |
| Brief description | Telescopic View of the Chain Pier, Brighton, Greenin, Daniel Harding, ca. 1842 |
| Physical description | Accordion-style paper peepshow of the Brighton Chain Pier. 3 cut-out panels. 1 peep-hole. Hand-coloured lithograph. Expands to approximately 70 cm. Front face: the title and the publisher’s imprint on the banner. A telescope in the middle; the owner on the left, a mother and two children on the right. The peep-hole consists of the square opening at the top of the tripod on which the telescope sits. Panels 1-3: men, women and children walking on the Chain Pier. A dog on panel 1. Back panel: distant view of the pier-head with visitors. |
| 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 structure of this paper peepshow of the Brighton Chain Pier is quite unusual, as the cut-out panels all have just one smooth rectangular opening, instead of irregular ones commonly seen in other paper peepshows. This means only the central image of the second and third panel can be seen through the peep-hole. The producer therefore left much of these two panels blank, and the overall design of the paper peepshow is rather simple and repetitive. Nevertheless, the receding size of the Pier and figures, as well as the distance between the cut-out panels makes the paper peepshow very effective in giving the perspectival illusion. The Brighton Chain Pier came out of the need for a landing stage for the city, which did not have a natural harbour, at the beginning of the nineteenth century. In July 1822, Captain Samuel Brown’s design for the Pier was formally approved, and the work began in September the same year. The Pier attracted such public interest that even its construction site became a popular tourist attraction like the Thames Tunnel. A viewing charge was introduced of six pence was introduced in July 1823, and later that year in November the Chain Pier opened with a grand ceremony. The finished Pier generated much admiration for its technological advancement, and it also became a site for entertainment. Souvenirs were sold in shops at the base of the Pier’s towers, and firework displays would be staged on special occasions. The telescope on the front face, for example, could be referring to one of the entertainments still available on the Pier. The Pier enjoyed the height of its popularity during the 1820s and 1830s, but started to decline in the 1860s. A storm in 1896 brought the life of the Pier to an end. The Palace Pier, still standing today, was built as its replacement. The vendor of this work, Daniel Harding Greenin, was a retailer whose shop operated in Brighton for many years. The paper peepshow would have fit perfectly with the rest of his stock, which included Tunbridge ware and doll’s house furniture. |
| Bibliographic reference | R. Hyde, Paper Peepshows. The Jacqueline and Jonathan Gestetner Collection (Woodbridge: The Antique Collectors' Club, 2015), cat. 237. |
| Other number | 38041800930893 - NAL barcode |
| Collection | |
| Library number | Gestetner 237 |
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| Record created | February 24, 2017 |
| Record URL |
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