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Object name(s):
Architectural drawing
Brief description:
Memorial album dedicated to Sir Matthew Digby Wyatt containing obituaries from contemporary newspapers and journals; drawings and designs by Digby Wyatt; and designs for a number of chromolithograph plates for Digby Wyatt's Great Exhibition catalogue, The Industrial Arts of the Nineteenth Century.
Collection:
Victoria and Albert Museum
Associated concept:
Albums
Associated concept:
Architectural drawings
Associated concept:
Memorials
Associated event name:
The Great Exhibition
Current reproduction location:
https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2021NB4716/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg
Location type:
Thumbnail
Dimension:
Height
Dimension measurement unit:
mm
Dimension value:
465
Dimension:
Width
Dimension measurement unit:
mm
Dimension value:
280
Material:
paper
Material:
ink
Material:
watercolour
Material:
leather
Object history note:
The album was compiled in memoriam of Sir Matthew Digby Wyatt who died in May 1877, presumably to be presented to his widow, Lady Mary Wyatt. The opening dedication is signed anonymously ‘Tavistock Place, July 24 1877’. Digby Wyatt maintained a house and office at 37, Tavistock Place, but given that the dedication refers to the album as a “labour of love” and asks ‘will that friend accept it?’, the compiler is unlikely to be one of Digby Wyatt’s staff.
Object name:
Architectural drawing
Object number:
E.17-2021
Physical description:
Memorial album dedicated to Sir Matthew Digby Wyatt containing obituaries from contemporary newspapers and journals; drawings and designs by Digby Wyatt; and designs for a number of chromolithograph plates for Digby Wyatt's Great Exhibition catalogue, The Industrial Arts of the Nineteenth Century.
Reproduction number:
2021NB4716
Reproduction number:
2021NB4717
Reproduction number:
2021NB4718
Reproduction number:
2021NB4719
Reproduction number:
2021NB4720
Reproduction number:
2021NB4721
Reproduction number:
2021NB4722
Reproduction number:
2021NB4723
Reproduction number:
2021NB4724
Reproduction number:
2021NB4725
Reproduction number:
2021NB4726
Reproduction number:
2021NB4727
Reproduction number:
2021NB4728
Reproduction number:
2021NB4729
Reproduction number:
2021NB4730
Reproduction number:
2021NB4731
Reproduction number:
2021NB4732
Reproduction number:
2021NB4733
Reproduction number:
2021NB4734
Reproduction number:
2021NB4735
Reproduction number:
2021NB4736
Reproduction number:
2021NB4742
Reproduction number:
2021NB4743
Reproduction number:
2021NB4744
Reproduction number:
2021NB4745
Reproduction number:
2021NB4746
Reproduction number:
2021NB4747
Reproduction number:
2021NB4748
Reproduction number:
2021NB4749
Reproduction number:
2021NB4750
Reproduction number:
2021NB4751
Reproduction number:
2021NB4752
Reproduction number:
2021NB4753
Reproduction number:
2021NB4754
Reproduction number:
2021NB4755
Reproduction number:
2021NB4756
Reproduction number:
2021NB4757
Reproduction number:
2021NB4758
Reproduction number:
2021NB4759
Responsible department/section:
PDP
Technique:
architectural drawing
Technique:
drawing
Technique:
Pen, pencil, watercolour on paper
Text reason:
Collections online record
Text:
Sir Matthew Digby Wyatt (1820-1877) was an eminent British architect and art historian. He was a member of the Wyatt family of architects and wrote and illustrated several books on architecture, design and manuscript illumination. He worked on several significant public and private commissions, most notably working with the civil engineer, Isambard Kingdom Brunel on the terminus of Paddington Station (1852-54) and Bristol Temple Meads Station (1865-78); Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge (1863-5); and with George Gilbert Scott, he designed the interior and Durbar Court of the India Office, Whitehall (1867-68). In 1866 Digby Wyatt received the RIBA’s Royal Gold Medal. Digby Wyatt was deeply involved in the Great Exhibition and its afterlife. In 1849 he was commissioned by the Council of the Society of Arts to complete a report on the Industrial Exposition in Paris and was later appointed Secretary to Executive Committee of the Royal Commission of the Great Exhibition of 1851. In addition to this role, he was the executant architect of the Crystal Palace, realising Sir Joseph Paxton’s design. Once the Great Exhibition opened, Digby Wyatt set about producing a catalogue of the ‘choicest specimens’ on display, culminating in the two volume illustrated publication, The Industrial Arts of the Nineteenth Century (1851-53). After the Great Exhibition closed, the Crystal Palace was relocated to Sydenham and Wyatt was the architect responsible for designing the ten architectural courts. The original designs by Wyatt, including the Byzantine Court, the Renaissance Court, and the German Medieval Vestibule, are held by the V&A (E.553 to 559-1911). Digby Wyatt was a key figure in the early history of the South Kensington Museum (now the V&A). He was considered by Henry Cole as an ‘agreeable companion’ (AAD, 26 June 1868), and served as one of the ‘Art Referees’ for the museum. This was a select group of men and women, including William Morris and Sir Frederic Leighton, who advised the museum on significant acquisitions. The album was compiled in memoriam of Digby Wyatt who died in May 1877, presumably to be presented to his widow, Lady Mary Wyatt. The opening dedication is signed anonymously ‘Tavistock Place, July 24 1877’. Digby Wyatt maintained a house and office at 37, Tavistock Place, but given that the dedication refers to the album as a “labour of love” and asks ‘will that friend accept it?’, the compiler is unlikely to be one of Digby Wyatt’s staff.
Text reason:
Summary description

Persistent shareable link for this record: https://museumdata.uk/objects/fb3bfefb-38a2-3779-9401-9373c036de41

Use licence for this record: CC BY-NC

Attribution for this record: https://museumdata.uk/objects/fb3bfefb-38a2-3779-9401-9373c036de41, Victoria and Albert Museum, CC BY-NC

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