Grosvenor Prints

Watching the excellent series Unbuilt Britain on BBC4 reminded us of how often unsuccessful architectural and engineering proposals are preserved in printed form. Some material covered in the series has already been highlighted on this blog (such as our printed plans for rebuilding London by Wren and Evelyn ) but here we draw attention to other unsuccessful and aborted projects: London Bridge has changed a lot since the 19th century, but it is worth remembering the spectacular design submitted by Thomas Telford when a competition to improve the bridge was held in 1799-1801. Telford's scheme was 'for a single-span cast-iron bridge of 600ft. But not enough was known about the technical factors involved and the whole project was shelved' ( The London Encyclopaedia ). We have both an overhead plan and a large perspective view of Telford's audacious design: ...Design for A Cast Iron Bridge Drawn and Aquatinted by Tho.s Malton. The Bridge Engraved by Will....

To coincide with Radio 3's Baroque Spring season and the series of programmes on Baroque in Britain on Radio 4, a list of prints highlighting some of the great names and achievements of this style and period: King Charles I played a key role in bringing continental artists to Europe. During his reign the likes of Rubens and Orazio Gentileschi spent time in London executing major commissions. This engraving was made from van Dyck's famous 'triple portrait' of Charles (now in the Royal Collection), itself executed to send to Italy as the basis for a marble bust of Charles by another great baroque artist, Bernini: Charles The First, King of Great Britain, &c. &c. &c. Antonius Vandyck Eques pinxit. Aug.t 12.th 1817. W. Sharp, Member of the Imperial & Royal Academy of Vienna, sculpsit. London: Pub.d 1.st Feb.y, 1815 for the Select Work of Celebrated Portraits and Illustrious Characters, after Pictures of the Great Masters of the various Schools...