Rowlandson [&] Pugin.

House of Commons.

11 x 9 inches

Aquatint in original colour etched by Thomas Rowlandson and Augustus Pugin after their own design and published in Rudolph Ackermann's 'Microcosm of London', 1808-10.

This delightful image offers us so many comparisons with life in the House of Commons today and goes to emphasise how much tradition plays a part in the governance of our realm. The Speaker presides over a debate between the government and the opposition. Unlike today the occupants of the chamber are exclusively male and exclusively white so some things at least have changed for the better!

As its title suggests, 'The Microcosm of London' was intended to offer a snapshot of London life, both architecturally and socially, during the Regency. When he was contemplating the project, Ackermann approached two of the most skilled artists of the day who excelled in their fields. Augustus Pugin (father of Augustus Pugin the famous Gothic Revival architect) was well placed to draw the architectural detail but he was not adept at figurative work. For this Ackermann approached the prodigiously talented artist and caricaturist, Thomas Rowlandson. They both worked on the drawings and the copper plates and the results are a very pleasing combination of architectural accuracy enlivened by amusing figurative detail.

£325