London and Westminster 4: Fleet Ditch to Basingshaw

Location

Country: UK
City: London
Place: Downing Street

In this view of ‘Fleet Ditch to Basingshaw’, St Paul’s Cathedral has a considerably more dominating presence within the architecture of the City of London than it does today. Numerous church steeples rise from the smaller, densely packed buildings, each with numbers above, referring to the key below. According to the lettering beneath the image, the original work was drawn from St Mary Overy's Church (now Southwark Cathedral).

Brothers Samuel and Nathaniel Buck made their names as leading British topographical draughtsmen of the 18th century. Over a period of 34 years, the Bucks produced several hundred drawings and engravings, including 87 engraved prospects of England and Wales. These are now important visual records of the appearance of British urban landscapes prior to the changes that occurred during the Industrial Revolution. In some cases, the places depicted have since disappeared or changed beyond recognition.

Places

England, River Thames, London, Church of St. Mary-le-Bow, St. Paul's Cathedral, City of London, Church of St. James Garlickhythe, Church of St. Martin-within-Ludgate, Church of St. Mary Aldermary, Church of St. Michael Paternoster Royal

Subjects

rowing boat, topography, townscape/cityscape, river bank, river, house, church, cathedral, spire, sailboat

Materials & Techniques

engraving, coloured engraving

Artist

Samuel and Nathaniel Buck (1696 - 1779)

Title

London and Westminster 4: Fleet Ditch to Basingshaw

Date

11 September 1749

Medium

Coloured engraving

Dimensions

height: 30.50 cm, width: 79.50 cm

Acquisition

Purchased from Parker Gallery, April 1964

GAC number

6409