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Side elevation of a building, New White Tower, Greenwich

Design
ca. 1722 (made)
Artist/Maker
Sir John Vanbrugh (architect)
Place of origin
England (made)

This drawing depicts one of the elevations for the New White Tower, which was designed by Sir John Vanbrugh for his son. Writing in 1722 to Lord Carlisle about his son Charles, Vanbrugh says `...[he] is much pleas'd with a House I am building him in the Field at Greenh: it being a Tower of White Bricks, only one room and a closet on a floor.'

This drawing is part of the Vanbrugh Album from the Library at Elton Hall. The Album contains 254 drawings and includes works by Sir John Vanbrugh, Sir Edward Lovett Pearce, William Talman, Nicholas Hawksmoor, Richard Castle and anonymous draughtsmen in Vanbrugh's office. It was created ca. 1945-54 and was purchased by Victoria and Albert Museum in 1992.

Object details

Categories
Designs
Drawings
Object type
Design
TitleSide elevation of a building, New White Tower, Greenwich (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Pen, ink and wash
Brief description
Side elevation of a building, New White Tower, Greenwich; the Vanbrugh Album; office of Sir John Vanbrugh; ca.1722.
Physical description
Side elevation of a building with a basement level and the ground floor arched windows surrounded by smooth rustication.
Dimensions
  • Height: 22.3cm
  • Length: 29.3cm
Taken from Lorimer, C. and Newton, C. (ed.), The collection of drawings by Sir John Vanbrugh and his circle in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London: V & A, 1996, pp. 25-26, cat. 53.
Production typeUnique
Marks and inscriptions
These Figures are as it is executed These Figures are as it was directed (Inscribed in ink. Numbered with these two sets of dimensions.)
Object history
The New White Tower was designed by Sir John Vanbrugh for his son. Writing in 1722 to Lord Carlisle about his son Charles, Vanbrugh says `...[he] is much pleas'd with a House I am building him in the Field at Greenh: it being a Tower of White Bricks, only one room and a closet on a floor.' See Downes (1987).

According to Colvin and Craig, the plan of the building is given in E.2124.45, .75 and .89, and described in E.2124.89 as the `New White Tower'. As the inscriptions indicate, there is a problem as the measurements do not tally.

Part of the Vanbrugh Album, which was purchased in 1992 with the aid of the National Heritage Memorial Fund, the National Art Collections Fund, The Monument Trust, The Sainsbury Trust, and an anonymous donor.
Subjects depicted
Tower
Elevation
Place depicted
Greenwich
Summary
This drawing depicts one of the elevations for the New White Tower, which was designed by Sir John Vanbrugh for his son. Writing in 1722 to Lord Carlisle about his son Charles, Vanbrugh says `...[he] is much pleas'd with a House I am building him in the Field at Greenh: it being a Tower of White Bricks, only one room and a closet on a floor.'

This drawing is part of the Vanbrugh Album from the Library at Elton Hall. The Album contains 254 drawings and includes works by Sir John Vanbrugh, Sir Edward Lovett Pearce, William Talman, Nicholas Hawksmoor, Richard Castle and anonymous draughtsmen in Vanbrugh's office. It was created ca. 1945-54 and was purchased by Victoria and Albert Museum in 1992.
Associated objects
Bibliographic references
  • Lorimer, C. and Newton, C. (ed.), The collection of drawings by Sir John Vanbrugh and his circle in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London: V & A, 1996, pp. 25-26, cat. 53.
  • Downes, K., Sir John Vanbrugh: A Biography, 1987, p. 346.
  • Colvin, H. and Craig, M., (Eds), Architectural Drawings in the Library of Elton Hall by Sir John Vanbrugh and Sir Edward Lovett Pearce, The Roxburghe Club, Oxford, 1964.
Collection
Prints, Drawings & Paintings Collection
Accession number
E.2124:136-1992

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Record createdMarch 23, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O205497/side-elevation-of-a-building-design-sir-john-vanbrugh/
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