Preparatory study for a drawing of Peterborough House and Westminster Abbey

1683

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Dominant colour

Preparatory study for a drawing of Peterborough House and Westminster Abbey is a 1683 by Francis Place, a Baroque work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: Francis Place
When & what style?: 1683 · Baroque
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This sketch shows a quick, loose drawing of two buildings side by side. One looks like a tall, fancy tower with a pagoda-style roof, and the other is a long, low structure with a sloped roof. Trees line the middle ground, and the whole scene is drawn in light pencil strokes with some shading. The artist used simple lines to capture shapes fast—no detail, just the basic forms. The paper is old, with some wear and faint marks. If you like this sketchy style, check out cross-hatching.

The story of this work

Overview

This preparatory drawing by Francis Place, dated 1683, depicts Peterborough House and Westminster Abbey and served as a study for a larger finished work. The drawing is part of a collection that remained largely intact through inheritance among Place’s descendants before being dispersed after an 1873 sale. Place, influenced early in his career by Wenceslaus Hollar, developed a more individual style in his later drawings, incorporating stronger hatching and wash techniques. The study is one of two sketches likely derived from the same sketchbook, contributing to a panoramic view later realized…

Read the full account in the museum source.