Vestibule, Somerset Place

Location

Country: UK
City: London
Place: Government Art Collection

Malton’s view from the vestibule (hall adjacent to an outer door) at Somerset Place looks through open archways, towards the courtyard. Elegantly dressed figures pass through the vestibule, deep in conversation. It has been suggested that the figures included in these works may have been added by painter Francis Wheatley (1747-1801). This illustration was plate 37 of ‘A Picturesque Tour through the Cities of London and Westminster’ (1792-1801). The publication is remarkable for all the plates having been drawn, engraved and aquatinted by the same artist. Malton’s project was the first considerable collection of topographical and architectural drawings of London to be aquatinted and also the first British project to assemble such a large number of aquatint prints. Malton's views are now considered a particularly valuable record of London architecture at the close of the 18th century because, although numerous topographical prints were published at that time, Malton’s often show an unexpected angle or record a building not illustrated elsewhere.

Thomas Malton junior was a teacher of perspective, draughtsman, etcher and aquatint engraver of views after his own designs and caricatures after Thomas Rowlandson. He was born in London, the son of the architectural draughtsman Thomas Malton senior and the brother of James Malton, who also became a well known draughtsman and aquatint engraver. Malton junior worked in Dublin for three years for the architect John Gandon and later studied at the Royal Academy Schools. He also worked as a scene painter, as well as running evening drawing classes, at which Turner took lessons in perspective. From 1796 until 1804 he lived in Long Acre, off St. Martin’s Lane. He is best known for his careful drawings of London buildings.

Places

England, London

Subjects

statue (as Subject), topography, dog, man, woman, 18th century costume, government building, vestibule, column, courtyard

Materials & Techniques

aquatint, coloured aquatint

Artist

Thomas, jnr Malton (1748 - 1804)

Title

Vestibule, Somerset Place

Date

published 5 November 1796

Medium

Coloured aquatint

Acquisition

Purchased from Baynton-Williams, February 1977

GAC number

12806