Studies & Designs: View of a ruined Building with a Spire seen above…

Studies & Designs: View of a ruined Building with a Spire seen above…
Studies & Designs: View of a ruined Building with a Spire seen above…
Studies & Designs: View of a ruined Building with a Spire seen above…
The Trustees of the British Museum
title=Credit line
Artist
John Whessell (c.1760-1806) after Wilson
Title
Studies & Designs: View of a ruined Building with a Spire seen above the Remains of a Wall
Date
Published 1811
Medium
Soft-ground etching, etching
Dimensions
Metric: 155 x 209 mm
Imperial: 6 1/8 x 8 1/4 in.
Accession Number
1863,1114.253
Wilson Online Reference
E60/11
Description
View of a ruined building with a spire seen above the remains of a wall, visible in the middle distance. Two figures rest amongst classical rubble in the left foreground before a portico - alll within an etched rectangular border.
Provenance
Bought from Samuel & Sons, 1863
Signature/inscription
Lettered below the image 'Wilson del. | Whessell Sc'
Subject
The subject may be intended as an elegiac meditation on past architectural glories
Related Drawings
D53/6 Studies and Designs done in Rome in the Year 1752, p. 6
Versions
See 'Links' tab
Critical commentary
From a set of small soft-ground etchings by Whessell at the British Museum ( E60/1- E60/44). These were made after Wilson's drawings in the sketchbook of the same title at the Victoria & Albert Museum (D53-D53/81). The present one is taken from p. 6 (D53/6). In 1811 the etchings were published by the Oxford-based publisher, Robert Archer in more than one format - this one with an introduction and list of subscribers.
More Information
Archer 1811, p. 7
Updated by Compiler
2017-09-19 00:00:00