The Grammer School, Christ's Hospital c. 1816

Augustus Charles Pugin’s ‘The Grammer School, Christ's Hospital’ is made using watercolor and graphite on paper. The linear quality of the architecture suggests an initial rendering in graphite, with layers of watercolor wash applied to describe the vast interior space. Though seemingly traditional, the materials here raise interesting questions about the relationship between art, labor, and social class. Pugin's choice of watercolor, a medium often associated with amateur or topographical art, is telling. The architectural rendering documents the physical space of the school, but also implies a social infrastructure and division of labor, between the laboring students and the architecture that houses them. The sheer repetition and rigidity in the rows of students are meant to convey discipline and order. Considering these aspects, we see how the artist uses craft, material, and social context to offer a rich commentary on labor, power, and the structures that shape our world.