Study for Whitehall Chapel, from Microcosm of London
c. 1809
Medium
Graphite on ivory wove paper
Dimensions
20.2 × 25.2 cm (8 × 9 15/16 in.)
Classification
graphite
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
180494
Art Historical Context
Augustus Charles Pugin’s delicate graphite study captures the elegant interior of Whitehall Chapel, a preparatory drawing for the celebrated *Microcosm of London* series published by Rudolph Ackermann between 1808 and 1811. As one of the project’s principal architectural draughtsmen, Pugin excelled at precise, measured renderings that brought London’s public spaces vividly to life for a wide audience. Created around 1809 on ivory wove paper, the small sheet (just 20 by 25 centimeters) reveals Pugin’s meticulous technique—fine, controlled lines that map vaulted ceilings, arched windows, and or...
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,...