Part-elevation of the south transept wall and portico, before revisions to the outer doorcase

WRE/2/4/2

1678

Sir Christopher (1632–1723) Wren, Edward (c.1635–1695) Pearce

Pen and brown ink over pencil under-drawing, with some additions in pencil. 42.5 x 39.0 cm (section cut out, top right: 2.0 x 22.4 cm). Countermark: IHS surmounted by cross, over IM.

A modified copy by Edward Pearce of Wren’s early elevation of the south transept portico, WRE/2/2/7, but adding relief carving above and below the aisle window. Datable 1678. Implied scale, 4 ft to 1 inch, as on WRE/2/4/1. Pearce’s hand is recognisable from his rendering of fruit and flowers as plump, rounded forms, loosely outlined and shaded, and from the horizontal pen shading on the Corinthian capitals. His festoons are fuller in relief and more freely composed than those drawn by Wren; compare WRE/2/3/5. Added in fine pencil over the keyblock of the window is a projection in the frieze which rises to the lower mouldings of the cornice. This variant would have continued the massing of the window heads up to the entablature. The unidentified draughtsman drew out this alternative in a study for the north or south aisle bays of the transept, WRE/2/4/15, but Wren did not adopt it.

Access to the Wren office drawings held at London Metropolitan Archives is available only with advance notice and at the discretion of the Heritage Services Director, London Metropolitan Archives, 40 Northampton Road, London, EC1R 0HB.

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WRE/2/2/7, WRE/2/3/5