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Lot Essay
The Art Journal of 1863, reviewing the Royal Academy exhibition of that year, wrote of this and St. Pauls from the River, looking west (the companion to this picture, sold at Christie's London, 12 July 1990, lot 17, 38,000):
'The two paintings taken from Father Thames, prove, in the movement of the river craft, in the disposition of changing incident, the arrangement of the lights, and the distribution of the shadows, absolute mastery of pictorial effect. Over these city views reigns one monarch supreme - St. Paul's - the crowning conception of Wren, himself a master of the pictorial effect which size, proportion, and symmetric composition can alone attain unto. In these pictures, looking once again upon this wondrous vault, we are amazed at the intolerant prejudice of certain critics who have thought fit to denounce every structure which cannot make good its Gothic pedigree. The entire series of the views on the Thames belong to Mr. [Charles] Lucas, the well-known contractor, who had, we learn, erected a room appropriate for their reception. The vast revolutions which the approaching embankments will make in the aspect of the Thames cannot fail in coming years to give to these transcripts by Mr Roberts historic interest.'
As stated in the review, the picture forms part of a series of Thames views, which according to Ballantine, Roberts's biographer, were suggested to the artist by J.M.W. Turner. Four were exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1862: South elevation of the new Palace of Westminster, from the old Horse Ferry, being No. 7 of a series of Views in London, on the River Thames (no. 63); View from Waterloo Bridge, embracing St. Paul's, Somerset House, and the Temple. being No. 6 of Views in London on the River Thames (no. 370); A relic of the past. Embarkation of the Lord Mayor of London at Blackfriars (now abolished) on Lord Mayor's day, November 9th, forming No. 1 of a series of Views on the River Thames from Chelsea to Greenwich (no. 489) ; and the New Palace of Westminster, being No. 2 of a series of Views of London on the River Thames (no. 628). The Palace of Westminster from the river, and A relic of the past, more commonly known as St Pauls from Blackfriars, both now belong to the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths. An on the spot study for the present picture is in the collection of the Yale Center for British Art. It is inscribed August 28th 1862 though it is signed and re-dated David Roberts RA 1863.
Of the landmarks now demolished, one of the more interesting is the large gasometer, which appears to the left of St Paul's Cathedral and belonged to the City Gas Company. It is shown in the first ordnance Survey Map of London, which was printed in 1875, and in Stanford's Library Map of London of 1875, but not in the Stanford's Map of 1877, by which time it had been demolished. The site was subsequently acquired from the City of London School. All Hallows Bread Street was demolished in 1876 to make way for warehouses.
Known as the Scottish Canaletto, Roberts was a prolific painter of architectural subjects. He started his career as a painter of stage scenery, executing designs at Drury Lane and Covent Garden with Clarkson Stanfield. From 1830 onwards he gradually abandoned scene painting for architectural subjects, travelling widely on the Continent to Belgium, France, Spain and Tangier. In 1838-9 he visited Egypt and the Holy Land and the engravings after the oils and watercolours produced on this tour were to earn him a considerable fortune.
'The two paintings taken from Father Thames, prove, in the movement of the river craft, in the disposition of changing incident, the arrangement of the lights, and the distribution of the shadows, absolute mastery of pictorial effect. Over these city views reigns one monarch supreme - St. Paul's - the crowning conception of Wren, himself a master of the pictorial effect which size, proportion, and symmetric composition can alone attain unto. In these pictures, looking once again upon this wondrous vault, we are amazed at the intolerant prejudice of certain critics who have thought fit to denounce every structure which cannot make good its Gothic pedigree. The entire series of the views on the Thames belong to Mr. [Charles] Lucas, the well-known contractor, who had, we learn, erected a room appropriate for their reception. The vast revolutions which the approaching embankments will make in the aspect of the Thames cannot fail in coming years to give to these transcripts by Mr Roberts historic interest.'
As stated in the review, the picture forms part of a series of Thames views, which according to Ballantine, Roberts's biographer, were suggested to the artist by J.M.W. Turner. Four were exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1862: South elevation of the new Palace of Westminster, from the old Horse Ferry, being No. 7 of a series of Views in London, on the River Thames (no. 63); View from Waterloo Bridge, embracing St. Paul's, Somerset House, and the Temple. being No. 6 of Views in London on the River Thames (no. 370); A relic of the past. Embarkation of the Lord Mayor of London at Blackfriars (now abolished) on Lord Mayor's day, November 9th, forming No. 1 of a series of Views on the River Thames from Chelsea to Greenwich (no. 489) ; and the New Palace of Westminster, being No. 2 of a series of Views of London on the River Thames (no. 628). The Palace of Westminster from the river, and A relic of the past, more commonly known as St Pauls from Blackfriars, both now belong to the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths. An on the spot study for the present picture is in the collection of the Yale Center for British Art. It is inscribed August 28th 1862 though it is signed and re-dated David Roberts RA 1863.
Of the landmarks now demolished, one of the more interesting is the large gasometer, which appears to the left of St Paul's Cathedral and belonged to the City Gas Company. It is shown in the first ordnance Survey Map of London, which was printed in 1875, and in Stanford's Library Map of London of 1875, but not in the Stanford's Map of 1877, by which time it had been demolished. The site was subsequently acquired from the City of London School. All Hallows Bread Street was demolished in 1876 to make way for warehouses.
Known as the Scottish Canaletto, Roberts was a prolific painter of architectural subjects. He started his career as a painter of stage scenery, executing designs at Drury Lane and Covent Garden with Clarkson Stanfield. From 1830 onwards he gradually abandoned scene painting for architectural subjects, travelling widely on the Continent to Belgium, France, Spain and Tangier. In 1838-9 he visited Egypt and the Holy Land and the engravings after the oils and watercolours produced on this tour were to earn him a considerable fortune.