Dream, draw, work: Architectural Drawings by Norman Shaw RA

Charming exhibition at the Royal Academy looking at the life and work of the architect Norman Shaw who designed the Victorian extension to the building as well as lots of other houses and public buildings.

There were exquisite drawings, many of them made as part of the contract for a piece of work. I had never realised that architects used colour coding in drawing for the different materials which would be used. As new printing techniques cam in it was possible to use his drawings in books and magazines and this spread his style through Europe.

I was intrigued by a house he designed for the children’s author Kate Greenaway which had a studio and tea room on the top floor! I also liked the series of pictures for a fireplace at Cragside from the early sketches of an idea, though the contract darwaing and finally the print version. There was also a photograph of the fireplace which was, frankly, hideous!

Most touching though was the cradle he made for the son of his friend and fellow architect, Alfred Waterhouse. It was a lovely arts and crafts piece with signs of the zodiac around it and pictures of birds on the canopy., The drawing for it were also on display. I was particularly interested at Waterhouse designed the building I work in.

 

 

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