Study for The Magdalen Chapel, from Microcosm of London

Art Historical Context

This graphite study by Augustus Charles Pugin, dated around 1809, served as a preparatory drawing for an illustration in the influential publication *Microcosm of London*. Measuring just under 8 by 10 inches on ivory wove paper, the work reflects Pugin’s role as a leading architectural draftsman of the early nineteenth century. His drawings helped document London’s public and religious spaces for a growing audience eager to see the city’s landmarks rendered with clarity and precision. As a study rather than a finished print, the piece reveals the careful planning behind the book’s aquatint pl...

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,...