West–east section through the north aisle of the western body, to the middle of the third bay of the nave

WRE/3/4/17

c.1686

Sir Christopher (1632–1723) Wren, Simon (1661–1733) Gribelin

Pen and brown ink over pencil, with grey wash. Thick, smooth laid paper. 33.0 x 48.6 cm. No watermark or countermark visible.

A record drawing of a long section through the north aisle, looking north, from the middle of the third bay of the nave to the western steps. Drawn by Simon Gribelin, probably for engraving. Datable c.1686. Implied scale, just under 10 ft to 1 inch (40 ft = 104.5 mm). In the wall elevations of his western aisles, Wren repeated features he had used on the walls of the bastions and crossing piers and in the vaults of the aisles. Gribelin rendered several of these features inaccurately: the plinth at the base of the aisle wall should be in two courses, the upper one stepping back between the plinths of the Composite pilasters (compare WRE/2/2/5); the section of the arch of the aisle door recess should rise to the top of the fascia above the cornice of the Composite order and not to the top of the cornice; and the vault should be differently patterned and have narrow, horizontal panels at the bases of the ribs. These narrow panels are present in Gribelin's sections through the west end, WRE/3/4/18 and 19, and nave, WRE/3/2/10. In technique the drawing demonstrates Gribelin's mastery of grey-wash shading. The shading is smoothly 'washed in' from one tone to the next, with finer nuances of shadow expressed in slender bands of wash. The aisle recesses are washed over in a darker tone to indicate depth, and a darker layering of wash is applied to the easternmost aisle vault, furthest from light entering through the aisle door. The wash has been applied over finely drawn brown ink lines. These have not caused any blotting or bleeding of colour into the wash. For a similar technique, see WRE/3/3/4 and WRE/7/3/1. At All Souls is a companion study, probably in Gribelin's hand, for the internal elevation of two bays of the choir aisle; it is drawn at the same scale, and has similar freehand outlines and grey wash shading (Geraghty 2007, no.78).

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.

item

WRE/2/2/5, WRE/3/2/10, WRE/3/1/12, WRE/3/2/12