A Perspective View of the Parade in St. James’s Park / Vue de la Parade dans le Parc de St. James

Location

Country: UK
City: London
Place: Downing Street

The focus of this engraving is Horse Guards Parade on the edge of St James’s Park, the large parade ground situated by Whitehall. The scene shows His Majesty King George II travelling in procession through the newly built Horse Guards, towards the House of Lords, watched by a small crowd. Members of crowd wave their hats in the air as they cheer at the sight of their monarch.

The 17th-century Horse Guards building, once a guard-house for the palace of Whitehall, was demolished in 1749. The construction of a new building, designed by William Kent (1684-1748), began the following year, although the building would not be entirely complete until 1858.

This engraving was published as part of a later, illustrated 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 issued 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, Horse Guards, Downing Street, St. James's Park, Horse Guards Parade, Whitehall

Subjects

carriage, horseback, topography, genre, townscape/cityscape, dog, horse, lake, boy, man, woman, girl, crowd, 18th century costume, dress, coat, parade, soldier, park, government building, abbey

Materials & Techniques

engraving, coloured engraving

Artist

John Maurer

Title

A Perspective View of the Parade in St. James’s Park / Vue de la Parade dans le Parc de St. James

Date

published 1754

Medium

Coloured engraving

Acquisition

Purchased from Walter T Spencer, December 1970

GAC number

9058