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View of the Wilderness at Kew

Architect Sir William Chambers British, born Sweden
1763
Not on view
The magnificent Chinese Pagoda of Kew Gardens, designed in 1757 by William Chambers, has always attracted much attention. In the mid-eighteenth century, the pagoda fueled a rage for such buildings throughout Europe, and even today remains one of London's main tourist attractions. This sheet forms part of an album with delicately rendered watercolor drawings made by Marlow after Chambers's designs, later published as Plans, Elevations, Sections and Perspective Views of the Gardens and Buildings of Kew in Surrey, the Seat of Her Royal Highness, the Princess Dowager of Wales (London, 1763). In addition to this general view, there are three other detailed and architecturally precise drawings of the pagoda in the album, showing its design, construction, and decoration. At a time when a general vogue for chinoiserie was based on imaginative visions of the Orient rather than accurate information, Chambers, who visited China in the 1740s, was able to create stylistically accurate, authentic designs. His findings were published in Designs for Chinese Buildings (1757) and in Dissertation on Oriental Gardening (1772), his most influential work on garden architecture.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: View of the Wilderness at Kew
  • Artist: William Marlow (British, Southwark, London 1740/41–1813 Twickenham, London)
  • Architect: Sir William Chambers (British (born Sweden), Göteborg 1723–1796 London)
  • Date: 1763
  • Medium: Watercolor
  • Dimensions: Sheet: 11 1/16 x 17 13/16 in. (28.1 x 45.2 cm)
  • Classification: Drawings
  • Credit Line: Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1925
  • Object Number: 25.19.43
  • Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints

More Artwork

More Artwork
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Plans, Elevations, Sections, and Perspective Views of the Gardens and Buildings of Kew, Sir William Chambers British, born Sweden, Pen and ink, brush and wash, watercolor and gouache (bodycolor)
Plans, Elevations, Sections, and Perspective Views of the Gardens and Buildings of Kew
Sir William Chambers
1763
The door of a grotto, William Marlow British, Watercolor and graphite
The door of a grotto
William Marlow
ca. 1765–66
View of the Lake and the Island from the Lawn at Kew, William Marlow British, Watercolor
View of the Lake and the Island from the Lawn at Kew
William Marlow
Sir William Chambers
1763
View of the Lake Island from the Bridge at Kew
William Marlow
Sir William Chambers
1763
Lindisfarne Castle, Holy Island, Northumberland, Thomas Girtin British, Watercolor and bodycolor (gouache)
Lindisfarne Castle, Holy Island, Northumberland
Thomas Girtin
1796–97

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