Study for the altar rail and gate, right side

WRE/4/1/17

c.1693–94

Sir Christopher (1632–1723) Wren, Nicholas (c.1662–1736) Hawksmoor

Pen and brown ink over pencil under-drawing, with additions in pencil, and grey wash. Smooth laid paper; vertical crease at left centre; small pasted overlay on baluster panel at centre of left edge. 35.5 x 41.3 cm. Countermark: CDG

{\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 An elevational study by Hawksmoor for part of a balustraded altar rail across the apse of the cathedral. Datable c.1693-94. Implied scale, about 2.5 inches to 1 ft.\par \par Titled by Hawksmoor in irregular Latin, \lquote\i Summum. Altare. Paulinu -\i0 :\rquote (\lquote high altar of Paul\rquote s\rquote ), this large-scale elevational study is a revision to the outer bays of the balustraded altar rail shown in two plans belonging to the earlier stage of the design for the enclosure: the preliminary half-plan of the choir, WRE/4/1/5, and the complete plan at All Souls (Geraghty 2007, no.93). The \lquote high altar\rquote in Hawksmoor\rquote s note may refer to the proposal on both plans for an altar raised on a platform and framed by a reredos canopy (see Newman 2004, p.230). \par \par On the present drawing, a wrought-iron gate replaces balustrading on the right-hand side on the two plans. The design has been trimmed at the point where the balustrade would have bowed outwards in the centre. The part-baluster at the edge of the sheet has a canted scroll at its top (on a small pasted overlay), and the angle of this feature suggests the start of the curve of the bow. Wren probably removed the bow from the apse platform before he presented a final set of proposals for the choir enclosure to the Commissioners on 1 May 1694, as the Bishop\rquote s Throne of the executed scheme would have been incompatible with a curved and stepped projection in the centre of the narrow bay. The revised arrangement is shown in a study-plan for the paving of the narrow bay and apse at All Souls, in which a straight balustrade, similarly designed, is set at the front of the platform, one step above the narrow bay (Geraghty 2007, no.103). \par \par In the first quarter of 1699, the joiner John Smallwell was paid for \lquote 41 ft of Raile and Ballister before the Altar with Scrowles at each end\rquote . It was painted white to resemble marble and had two doors with carved panels in the centre. Recorded in a lost engraving of c.1700 (Sladen 2004, fig.163), this balustrade was replaced by Jean Tijou\rquote s wrought-iron rail by 31 December 1706, when it appears in Robert Trevitt\rquote s view of the choir.The smith received full payment for his work in June 1707 (Wren Society 14, pl.18; 15, p.152). Tijou's rail was relocated to the west end of the reordered choir enclosure in the 1870s.\cf0\b\f1\par }

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