Interior of the House of Commons

Location

Country: UK
City: London
Place: Government Art Collection

The House of Commons at Westminster Palace is depicted as it was almost 20 years before the destruction of virtually the whole of the Palace by fire in 1834. The Speaker’s Chair is located centrally within the room, which was formerly used as a chapel. In front of it is the Table of the House, which was rescued from the fire and is now kept within the Speaker's apartments at Westminster Palace.

St Stephen's Chapel was used as the debating chamber of the House of Commons from 1547. MPs sat facing each other in medieval choir stalls and this arrangement influenced the design in use today. Architect Sir Christopher Wren added the galleries during the reign of Queen Anne and in 1800 architect James Wyatt was commissioned to increase the size of the chamber by reducing the thickness of the walls.

This is an illustration to a series of volumes titled ‘The Beauties of England and Wales’. The project began in 1800 when Edward Wedlake Brayley and John Britton made a walking tour from London to north Wales, gathering knowledge of topography and archaeology. The friends became joint editors of the volumes. However, both withdrew from the undertaking in 1814 and others took their place, completing the work in 1816.

John Preston Neale began his career as a clerk in the General Post Office. In 1796 he met John Varley and collaborated with him on ‘The Picturesque Cabinet of Nature’, with Varley making landscape drawings and Neale etching and colouring them. Neale first exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1797. From 1804, for some 40 years, he exhibited topographical views, including some oils, at the Royal Academy, Society of Painters, British Institution and Society of British Artists. In 1816 he began work on illustrations for ‘History and Antiquities of the Abbey Church of St Peter, Westminster’ (1818-23). This was followed by plates for numerous publications, including examples on country seats (1824-29) and churches (1824-25). Neale died aged c.67.

Places

England, London, Westminster

Subjects

topography, man, coat of arms, Speaker of the House of Commons, government building, window, balcony, bench, public interior

Materials & Techniques

engraving, coloured engraving

Artist

John Preston Neale (1780 - 1847)
Robert Wallis (1794 - 1878)

Title

Interior of the House of Commons

Date

published 1 November 1815

Medium

Coloured engraving

Dimensions

height: 10.00 cm, width: 15.00 cm

Acquisition

Presented by Dr. Peter Rusk, November 1973

Provenance

Gift from Dr Rusk and Lord Simon of Glaisdale November 1973

GAC number

10947