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Elevation of The Nunnery, Greenwich

Design
ca. 1719-1720 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This was the first of the new houses after Vanbrugh Castle which the architect built on Vanbrugh Fields in Greenwich. It was already known as `The Nunnery' when William Stukely sketched it in 1721. Vanbrugh probably built this house for his brother Philip, who lived in it when on leave from the Navy. It was demolished in 1911. A plan of the Nunnery in E.2124.77-1992 shows projected additions at either end.

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
Object type
TitleElevation of The Nunnery, Greenwich (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Pen, ink and wash
Brief description
Elevation of The Nunnery, Greenwich; the Vanbrugh Album; office of Sir John Vanbrugh; ca. 1719-1720.
Physical description
Elevation of The Nunnery, Greenwich, showing the central block with seven bays separated by walled yards from two extensions of a single bay each. Broken pedimented roofs contrast with castellated sections on each side of the single bay extensions. Scale: 1 inch to 10 feet.
A repaired tear on the left side.
DimensionsNo dimensions given in 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, p. 45, cat. 114.
Production typeUnique
Marks and inscriptions
(Numbered in ink with the scale.)
Object history
This was the first of the new houses after Vanbrugh Castle which the architect built on Vanbrugh Fields in Greenwich. It was already known as `The Nunnery' when William Stukely sketched it in 1721. Vanbrugh probably built this house for his brother Philip, who lived in it when on leave from the Navy. It was demolished in 1911 (see Downes, 1987, p 434). See E.2124.77-1992.

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
Summary
This was the first of the new houses after Vanbrugh Castle which the architect built on Vanbrugh Fields in Greenwich. It was already known as `The Nunnery' when William Stukely sketched it in 1721. Vanbrugh probably built this house for his brother Philip, who lived in it when on leave from the Navy. It was demolished in 1911. A plan of the Nunnery in E.2124.77-1992 shows projected additions at either end.

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 object
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, p. 45, cat. 114.
  • Downes, K., Sir John Vanbrugh: A Biography, 1987, p. 434.
Collection
Accession number
E.2124:168-1992

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Record createdMarch 24, 2009
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