Architecture & Antiquities

27x19 cm

PAIR OF STEEL ENGRAVINGS.

WEST FRONT VIEW (and) SOUTH FRONT VIEW
OF THE
BUILDING FOR THE INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION OF 1862.
Designed by Capt Fowke, R.E. - Contractors, Mess^rs. Kelk & Lucas.
Erected at Kensington, covering a space of 26 Acres. Height 260ft. Width 700ft. The Nave 1200ft. by 85ft. Height 100ft. the Domes will be Glass & Iron. Height of Domes 250ft. their base 160ft. Diameter (the Dome of St Pauls 108ft.) Cost £300,000.
Drawn by T. Boyes from the original design (by permission)
LONDON. ENGRAVED & PUBLISHED BY C.& E. LAYTON. 150 FLEET STREET.
The exhibition was held in South Kensington on the site now occupied by the Natural History Museum. Designed by Captain Francis Fowke (1823-1865) of the Royal Engineers and built by Lucas Brothers, Charles (1820-1895) & Thomas (1822-1902), and Sir John Kelk (1816-1886). Mainly of cast iron with a brick facade, with galleries on three sides of a rectangle, with two glass domes, at the time the largest domes ever built, on the east and west fronts, the building was intended to be permanent. After the closure of the exhibition Parliament denied the governments wish to purchase the building and the materials were sold and used for the construction of Alexandra Palace in North London.

A pair of fine steel engravings showing the intended building, printed on india paper laid on rag paper.

Some ocassional light marks and creasing to the rag paper but with generous margins (paper size 44x30cm.o/all) around the india paper, the engraved images remain clean.