- Museum number
- 1857,0520.61
- Description
-
Westminster Bridge, London, the Lord Mayor's procession; with many boats on the river
Pen and brown ink, with grey wash
- Production date
- 1746-1756 (circa)
- Dimensions
-
Height: 307 millimetres
-
Width: 517 millimetres
- $Inscriptions
-
- Curator's comments
- A similar, but smaller version is in the Royal Collection (Parker 117; Constable-Links 750). As Constable noted the bridge in the BM drawing differs from the Windsor one in having all its turrets complete. Mrs Finberg suggested a date c.1747 but Constable was inclined to date this later. Vittorio Moschini illustrates the Windsor drawing as being the BM version ('Canaletto', Milan, 1954, fig. 242).
Watermark: Strasburg lily.
Lit: H.F. Finberg, Canaletto in England', "Walpole Society", 9, 1920-1, p. 73, pl. XVI; D. Hadeln, 'The Drawings of Antonio Canal called Canaletto', London, 1929, p.12; K.T. Parker, 'The Drawings of Antonio Canaletto in the Collection of His Majesty the King at Windsor Castle', Oxford and London, 1948, under no. 117; Exhib. cat., London, BM, 'Canaletto and English Draughtsmen', 1953, no. 4; L. Howgego, in exhib. cat., London, Guildhall, 'Canaletto in England', 1959, no. 55; W.G. Constable (2nd. edition revised by J.G. Links, 1976), 'Canaletto', Oxford, 1962, II, under no. 750; C. Miller, in exhib. cat., London, Queen's Gallery, 'Canaletto, Paintings and Drawings', 1980, under no. 90; J. Rowlands (ed.), in exhib. cat., London, BM, 'Master Drawings and Watercolours in the British Museum', 1984, no. 37
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
-
1953, BM, 'Canaletto and English Draughtsmen', no. 4
1959, Guildhall, 'Canaletto in England', no. 55
1984, BM, 'Master Drawings and Watercolours in the British Museum', no. 37
2003 May-Nov, BM, London 1753, no. 2.38
- Acquisition date
- 1857
- Acquisition notes
- The drawing was purchased together with lot 827 in the McIntosh sale, which was a 'view of Exeter Cathedral in India ink'. This was registered as 1857,0520.62, but has not yet been found in the BM.
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1857,0520.61