Study for Sadlers Wells Theater
c. 1809
Medium
Graphite on ivory wove paper
Dimensions
19.2 × 25.7 cm (7 9/16 × 10 1/8 in.)
Classification
graphite
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
39596
Art Historical Context
Augustus Charles Pugin’s *Study for Sadlers Wells Theater* offers a quiet glimpse into early nineteenth-century London’s theatrical world. Created around 1809 in graphite on ivory wove paper, this modest drawing—measuring just under eight by ten inches—serves as a preparatory sketch for one of the city’s most storied entertainment venues. Pugin, known for his precise architectural renderings, captures the theater’s façade and surrounding structures with careful line work that emphasizes proportion and detail. As a work on paper rather than a finished print or painting, the study highlights th...
About the Artist
Augustus Charles Pugin · 1762–1832
Augustus Charles Pugin (1762–1832) was a pioneering architectural draughtsman and engraver whose meticulous illustrations played a pivotal role in reviving interest in Britain's medieval Gothic heritage. Born in France, Pugin relocated to London around 1792, where he quickly established himself as a master of topographical and architectural rendering. Working primarily in engraving and watercolor,...