Revised study for the overdoor and frieze above the transept outer doorcase (10-ft opening)

WRE/2/4/6

1678–83

Sir Christopher (1632–1723) Wren, Edward (c.1635–1695) Pearce, Unidentified draughtsman (fl.1675–c.1687)

Pen and brown ink over pencil under-drawing, with grey wash and additions in pencil. Laid paper, with three dirt-stained fold marks on reverse, indicating that the sheet was folded as a packet. 24.0 x 37.0 cm. Watermark: Strasbourg Lily WR.

{\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252\deff0\deflang2057{\fonttbl{\f0\fswiss\fprq2\fcharset0 Microsoft Sans Serif;}{\f1\fswiss\fprq2\fcharset0 System;}} {\colortbl ;\red0\green0\blue128;} \viewkind4\uc1\pard\cf1\f0\fs20 A revision by Pearce of the overdoor in WRE/2/4/5, closely related to the executed scheme, where the door opening is 10 ft wide. Datable 1678-83. Drawn scale (in the hand of the unidentified draughtsman), c.3/8 inch to 1 ft; approx. 1 : 32 (10 ft = 97.5 mm).\par \par In place of the cartouche and swags which crown the overdoor in WRE/2/4/5 Pearce drew a vase framed by long acanthus scrolls. A garland of fruit and flowers hangs from the inner ends of these scrolls across the base of the vase. Sketched in thick pencil is a higher vase, rising above the architrave of the main entablature, the profile of which is drawn in pencil at the left edge of the sheet. The executed scheme of 1684 has a taller, more conventional vase, rising well above the architrave. It is set on a tall square pedestal framed by acanthus scrolls similar to those in Pearce\rquote s sketch but without the central garland.\par \par The overdoor panel is 12 ft 8 inches wide. This is 2 inches less than built and 5 inches narrower than the panel in WRE/2/4/5. The panel was narrowed when the door opening was widened from 9 to 10 ft, in order to align with the outer edges of the door architrave, which measure 12 ft 10 inches across in total; see WRE/2/4/4. Its height, when measured from the baseline to the top of the roll moulding at the bottom of the frieze, is 8 ft 6 inches. This is exactly as built. The study is therefore a near-final revision of the panel after Wren had widened and heightened the door but had not finalised all its dimensions. Soiled fold-marks on the back of the sheet indicate that the drawing was folded to quarter-size as a packet or letter; Pearce may therefore have been working remotely from Wren. The design could have been prepared as late as 1683 when construction on the door surrounds began (Wren Society 13, p.189). \cf0\b\f1\par }

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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