A Perspective View of Whitehall / Vue de Whitehall

Location

Country: UK
City: London
Place: Government Hospitality, Lancaster House

In this ‘Perspective View of Whitehall’ the imposing building of the Banqueting House is seen to the left of the composition. To the right is the Holbein Gate. Almost all of Whitehall Palace was destroyed by fire in 1698. Banqueting House, designed by Inigo Jones in 1619 and completed in 1622, is the only part of the Old Palace above ground level which survives today. It remains the property of the Queen, although it is now run by Historic Royal Palaces (an independent charity, which cares for five royal palaces) and is open to the public. Originally known as the King's Gate or the Cockpit Gate, the Holbein Gate was built by Henry VIII and is named after Hans Holbein, who is thought to have designed it.

This engraving was commissioned for a later edition of ‘The Survey of London’, a minute account of the buildings, social conditions and customs of London, written by historian John Stow (c.1525-1605) and first published in 1598.

John Maurer was born in Switzerland. He moved to England in about 1745 and worked as a draughtsman and engraver, often making engravings from his own pen and ink drawings. His subjects are almost exclusively buildings in London. Examples of his work include perspective views of St James’ Palace, Westminster Abbey and Leicester Square.

Places

England, London, Banqueting House, Whitehall: Holbein Gate, Whitehall

Subjects

wheelbarrow, carriage, topography, townscape/cityscape, tree, man, woman, 18th century costume, dress, gate, street, bollard, pavement, house, sentry box, cobbles, steps, door, window, chimney

Materials & Techniques

engraving

Artist

John Maurer

Title

A Perspective View of Whitehall / Vue de Whitehall

Date

published 1754

Medium

Engraving

Acquisition

Presented by Roland Wilkins, December 1931

Provenance

Presented by Roland Wilkins, Assistant Paymaster-General, 1931

GAC number

0/627