Composite half-section, half-plan and half-elevation of two versions of a 16-bay dome with paired columnar buttresses around the peristyle, developed from the dome in WRE/5/1/1

WRE/5/1/3

c.1690

Sir Christopher (1632–1723) Wren, Nicholas (c.1662–1736) Hawksmoor, Simon (1661–1733) Gribelin

Pen with brown and grey inks over incised lines and pencil under-drawing, with red chalk additions, pen and pencil shading. Four conjoined sheets of laid paper pasted on a ruled-pencil ledger sheet. 46.8 x 30.4 cm, mounted on a modern paper frame, 51.7 x 35.5 cm. (i) L-shaped main sheet (left section and half-plan), in darker paper, brown-stained from glue backing, 34.1 x 29.7 cm; (ii) inner sheet in angle of ‘L’ (drum and attic), 11.2 x 9.5 cm; (iii) upper sheet (outer dome), 8.9 x 9.7 cm; (iv) top sheet (lantern, cut out around profile), 8.8 x 4.4 cm. No watermarks or countermarks visible.

{\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 composite study on four cut-out sheets (i-iv), pasted on a base sheet with ruled pencil lines suggesting a page layout from a ledger. Prepared for engraving and representing two stages in the design of the dome related to WRE/5/1/2. Drawn and annotated by Hawksmoor, except for (iii), which is attributable to Simon Gribelin. Datable c.1690. Pencil studies by Hawksmoor on the reverse (v-viii). Implied scale, 20 ft to 1 inch.\par \par Previously attributed to Edward Woodroofe, who died in November 1675 (see Downes 1988b, p.116; Downes 1994, p.46), the drawing technique and annotating method on sheets (i), (ii) and (iv) are consistent with Hawksmoor\rquote s hand in the late 1680s and early 1690s; compare WRE/3/3/5, WRE/4/1/11 (see Higgott 2004b, pp.545-46). Annotated with dimensions on its quarter-plan, it may relate to the construction a small-scale masonry model \lquote for \'bc part Dome\rquote in January and February 1691 by Edward Strong and his team of masons (Wren Society 14, p.80; Higgott 2009, pp.161, 164).\par \par (i) The L-shaped sheet bears a half-section and half-plan of a triple-shell dome in hatched pen and brown ink. The outer dome is a revision of that in WRE/5/1/2. It has a steep single shell formed in eight bays separated by ribs, like the dome of Florence Cathedral, but was trimmed at the top to accommodate the revised outer dome on the right (iii) and the revised lantern above (iv). At lower left is a quarter-plan of the peristyle at mid-height with a quarter-plan of a lantern smaller than the revised one at the top (iv); the letter \lquote\i A\i0\rquote against the pier of the tambour corresponds to \lquote\i A\i0\rquote at half-height on the section.To the right are two eighth-plans, the upper one (marked \lquote\i B\i0\rquote ) at the base of the attic, and the lower one (marked \lquote\i C\i0\rquote ) at the base of the outer dome and showing the plan of the deep paired ribs (see \lquote\i B\i0\rquote and \lquote\i C\i0\rquote on the half-section).\par \par Vertical lines inscribed \lquote G\rquote on a base line below the half-plan mark the internal width of the outer dome (just under 107 ft). The half-width of the inner drum is marked as 54 ft 6 inches (6 inches more than built), and the depth the drum at its base, 20 ft (built 16 ft deep immediately above the crossing arches). Other inscriptions give the dimensions of the columnar buttresses and windows. Drawn above the quarter-plan are groups of dashed, dotted or solid construction lines to aid the drawing of the peristyle in elevation in (ii). \par \par The design in (i) retains the inner dome, cove and attic windows of the dome in the engraved long section, WRE/5/1/2, while substituting a single-shell outer dome and smaller lantern. It adds detail and relief to the peristyle and attic in WRE/5/1/2 by taking the section through a window bay rather than a pier mass. It also refines the shading on the soffit of the dome by meticulous cross-hatched shading, with the addition of loose pen strokes to suggest a decorative scheme. Areas left blank on the drawing are those in the engraving which did not require revision. The cornice profiles on the peristyle and attic are further evidence of intended revisions: they match Hawksmoor\rquote s sketched amendments to the engraving on WRE/5/1/2 in having similar, deeply projecting corona mouldings with cavetto mouldings beneath them. \par \par The downward-converging pencil lines within the quarter-plan are preparatory for rendering of the tambour in perspective and may have been drawn with a revision of WRE/5/1/2 in mind (although these changes were never made). Two of the lines extending to the middles of bays and are marked \lquote\i P\i0\rquote . Pencilled outlines mark the paired pilasters of the cove pencil. Loose pencil revisions on the half-section and half-plan include an octagon drawn around the interior of the dome, an arched radial buttress at the base of the drum like one in ink on WRE/5/1/6, and the outlines of roof construction.\par \par (ii) The inner sheet at the angle of the \lquote\i L\i0\rquote bears a half-elevation of the lower drum, peristyle and attic of the dome. It matches the design at the same level on the left, (i), and is inscribed \lquote H\rquote on the lower drum. \par \par (iii) Above is a revision of the dome in the section: a hemispherical outer dome, with three tiers of oval lunettes recalling the dome of St Peter\rquote s in Rome, replaces the half-melon shaped dome in (i). The swags of fruit with string-like supports are characteristic of Simon Gribelin\rquote s hand (see WRE/6/2/7).\par \par (iv) Above both halves is a revised lantern with paired columnar buttresses, raised over a large coved base.\par \par The dome and lantern on sheets (ii), (iii) and (iv) match those on the c.1687-88 proof engraving of the north elevation, now in the cathedral\rquote s Trophy Room (SP105; see WRE/5, Fig.1). \par \par \b Reverse:\b0\par \par Four pencil sketches:\par \par (v) Upper left. A study by Hawksmoor, with dimensions, for a revision to the columnar buttresses in the quarter-plan on the front of the sheet, scaled at about 6 ft to 1 inch. The buttress has chamfered walling at its inner end, in place of half-pilasters at right angles in (i).\par \par (vi) Upper centre. Sketch by Hawksmoor, sideways on: a square-headed window frame with festoons across the top, pendant festoons on the sides, and a narrow panel below the sill.\par \par (vii). Upper right. Sketch by Hawksmoor, sideways on: an alternative for (ii),with swept lower architraves and festoons in the upper architrave.\par \par (viii) Across lower half of sheet. Three related pencil studies showing the relationship of the windows in the peristyle of a 16-bay dome to one or two adjoining crossing arches. In the right-hand example, the window jambs align with the centres and piers of the arches (as in WRE/5/1/2); in the other two the jambs are mid-way between the centres and the piers. \cf0\b\f1\par \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.

WRE/3/3/5, WRE/4/1/11, WRE/5/2/2, WRE/5/2/3, WRE/6/2/7