Architecture of the Middle Ages: Shrine of St. Fridswode, Cathedral, Oxford
1838
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1838
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
This black-and-white drawing shows a fancy cathedral shrine. Three people stand in front of it—a woman in a long dress, a man in old-fashioned clothes, and a boy holding a dog’s leash. Behind them, tall windows with diamond-shaped glass and carved stone walls rise up. The shrine itself has a balcony with detailed carvings and a small box-like structure above it. The artist focused on the tiny details of the stonework, like the intricate patterns on the columns and the carvings on the balcony. This kind of careful drawing was common in the 1800s, when artists often sketched buildings to study their designs. Next, check out The Cleveland Museum of Art to see this drawing in person.
