Dimensions: support: 286 x 546 mm frame: 440 x 693 x 70 mm
Copyright: CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Photo: Tate
Editor: This is Samuel Scott's "A View of London Bridge before the Late Alterations." I’m struck by how…lived-in it feels. Almost like a photograph in its detail of daily life. What draws your eye? Curator: That's an interesting take. It reminds me of those grand canal scenes of Venice. But Scott, he's got a real London grit to him, doesn't he? Have you noticed how the light catches those buildings, the almost theatrical drama of the ships looming in the background? Editor: It's amazing how he captures the hustle. It is almost like he is doing a theater set. Curator: Exactly! And doesn't it make you wonder about the stories unfolding on that bridge, in those buildings? It's a stage, isn't it, for the theater of London life.
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http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/scott-a-view-of-london-bridge-before-the-late-alterations-n00313
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Scott's view of Old London Bridge was taken shortly before the demolition of its buildings in 1760. Several versions of the picture exist and it was also engraved, evidence of its popularity and people's nostalgia for the way the bridge used to look. One of London's great landmarks, inevitably it had undergone extensive alterations in its 650 year history. Due to fire and decay, buildings had been demolished and rebuilt. However, the features Scott depicts are all identifiable. On the left is the Great Stone Gateway; in the middle a group of houses, known as 'The Middle', with roof gardens; and on the far left 'The Piazza', a group of elegant colonnaded shops. Through the masts of the ship the Monument can be seen. Gallery label, August 2004
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