Her Majesty’s Royal Palace & Park of St. James’s

Location

Country: Belgium
City: Brussels
Place: British Embassy, UK representation to the EU & UK delegation to NATO

This bird’s-eye view of St. James’s Park continues across the distant fields which once surrounded the park. In the sky above the landscape, four cherubs carry a banner inscribed with the title and dedication to Her Majesty, Queen Anne (1665-1714). The key below the image clearly indicates which buildings are represented. To the far left is the Old Horseguards, which had decayed beyond repair by 1750 and was demolished and replaced with a much grander, Palladian structure. The new building, built between 1753 and 1755, was designed by William Kent (c.1685–1748) and still survives today. On the far right is Banqueting House, which was designed by Inigo Jones (1573–1652) in 1619 as part of the former Palace of Whitehall. Banqueting House survived the fire which destroyed the old Whitehall Palace in 1698. Across the centre of the print is the Mall, and below this, dissecting the park at an angle, is the canal. This stretch of water was created during the reign of Charles II, probably with the help of the French landscaper André Mollet (died c.1651). Between 1826 and 1827, the perfectly straight canal was remodelled into a more naturally-shaped lake by the architect and town planner John Nash (1752–1835), under the instruction of George IV (1762–1830).

Places

England, London, Marlborough House, St. James's Palace, St. James's Park, The Mall, Buckingham House, Whitehall

Subjects

topography, townscape/cityscape, tree, lake, hill, coat of arms, putto, field, garden, park, canal, country house/mansion, palace

Materials & Techniques

engraving

Artist

British 18th century unknown

Title

Her Majesty’s Royal Palace & Park of St. James’s

Date

Medium

Engraving

Acquisition

Purchased from William H Robinson Ltd, December 1948

Inscription

below image: [right, in ink] 3 & 4

GAC number

666