20. St Anne’s, Limehouse, London: by Nicholas Hawksmoor 1964

Curator: John Piper’s print, "20. St Anne’s, Limehouse, London," captures Nicholas Hawksmoor’s imposing church with such atmospheric weight. Editor: It has this brooding, almost gothic feel, doesn’t it? The heavy lines and muted tones give it a sense of age, even decay. Curator: Yes, and Piper was fascinated by buildings that had a sense of romantic decay, seeing them as almost living characters. The church, built in the early 18th century, was central to the social fabric of a rapidly growing port area. Editor: I love how he uses the scratchy lines to create textures; you can almost feel the rough stone and the unruly foliage. It's like a memory, filtered through emotion. Curator: Precisely. Piper was interested in evoking a sense of place, of history embedded within the architecture. He transforms St Anne's into something more than just bricks and mortar. Editor: It's a powerful statement on the enduring presence of the past. It makes you wonder about all the lives the church has witnessed.