VIEW OF THE CUSTOM HOUSE FROM THE THAMES

Details

JAMES BAKER PYNE (1800-1870)
VIEW OF THE CUSTOM HOUSE FROM THE THAMES
SIGNED AND DATED 'JBPYNE1850 N^O.218.' (LOWER LEFT)
OIL ON CANVAS
48 X 40½ IN. (121.9 X 102.9 CM.)

Provenance

MR MCCRACKEN, BELFAST (BY 1859).
PUCHASED BY THE GRANDFATHER OF THE PRESENT OWNER IN THE 1950S.

Exhibited

LONDON, SOCIETY OF BRITISH ARTISTS, NO. 480, 1848 AS 'THAMES RECOLLECTIONS - THE NEW CUSTOMS HOUSE'.
LONDON, SOCIETY OF BRITISH ARTISTS, NO. 127, 1850 AS 'THAMES RECOLLECTIONS - THE NEW CUSTOMS HOUSE'.
BIRMINGHAM, BIRMINGHAM CITY ART GALLERY, 1859.

Sale room notice

PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING PROVENANCE AND EXHIBITION REFERENCES:

PROVENANCE:
MR MCCRACKEN, BELFAST (BY 1859).

EXHIBITED:
LONDON, SOCIETY OF BRITISH ARTISTS, 1848, NO. 480, AS 'THAMES RECOLLECTIONS - THE NEW CUSTOM HOUSE'.
LONDON, SOCIETY OF BRITISH ARTISTS, 1850, NO. 127, AS 'THAMES RECOLLECTIONS - THE NEW CUSTOM HOUSE'.
BIRMINGHAM, CITY OF BIRMINGHAM ART GALLERY, 1859.

Lot Essay

THE CUSTOM HOUSE IN ITS PRESENT FORM, WITH WINGS STRETCHING BACK TO THAMES STREET, HAS SUFFERED A CHEQUERED HISTORY, WITH FIRE AND ACCIDENT CAUSING IT TO BE REBUILT OVER THE CENTURIES. THE LONG ROOM - WHERE OFFICIALS RECEIVE DOCUMENTS - EXTENDS CENTRALLY TOWARDS THE RIVER. ARCHITECT DAVID LAING SUFFERED DISREPUTE WHEN, IN 1825, INSECURE FOUNDATIONS SAW HIS VERSION CRASH TO THE GROUND, ONLY EIGHT YEARS AFTER ITS ORIGINAL COMPLETION. SIR ROBERT SMIRKE WAS COMMISSIONED TO BUILD A NEW LONG ROOM AND TO UPDATE THE ENTIRE RIVER FRONTAGE. PYNE'S RESPONSIVE PORTRAYAL OF EMBANKMENT LIFE IS MINUTELY OBSERVED. HE SKILFULLY RENDERS THE LIGHT AS IT CATCHES THE DISTURBED RIVER SURFACE, AND THE SENSE OF SPACE AND SCALE IS ENHANCED BY LONG DRAWN REFLECTIONS ECHOING THE SOARING SKY.

WE ARE GRATEFUL TO RALPH HYDE FOR HIS HELP IN PREPARING THIS CATALOGUE ENTRY.

More from VICTORIAN PICTURES

View All