The King’s Mews were built to a design of William Kent (c.1686–1748) and the main stable block was completed by 1732. The building stood on the site now occupied by the National Gallery and it was demolished in 1830, paving the way for the creation of Trafalgar Square.
1790 - 1791
An Exterior View of Henry VII’s Chapel, Westminster Abbey
TG0026
1790 - 1791
The Monument
TG0030
1792 - 1793
The East Front of St Paul’s Church, Covent Garden
TG0036
1790 - 1791
The Banqueting House, Whitehall
TG0039
1790 - 1791
The West Front of St Paul’s Cathedral
TG0043
1790 - 1791
Horse Guards Parade
TG0040
About this Work
This pen and ink study of the Royal Mews in Charing Cross adopts the same format and is roughly the same size as the five signed drawings by Girtin that were engraved by Charles Taylor (1756–1823) for his periodical The Temple of Taste (TG0026, TG0030, TG0036, TG0039 and TG0043). It is therefore likely that the drawing was either rejected by Taylor for the project or intended for a continuation of the series of prints that did not materialise. The attribution of the drawing to Girtin is far from clear-cut, however. The signed drawings are all in watercolour and there are no other pen and ink studies by Girtin from the period of his apprenticeship to Edward Dayes (1763–1804) to which one can turn to confirm the attribution of this sheet. The same problem applies to three pen and ink and wash studies that also appear to be unused designs for The Temple of Taste and that appeared at auction in 2016 (Exhibitions: Christie’s, 5 July 2016, lot 69). The simple frontal views of the Whitehall front of the Horse Guards (see TG0040 figure 1) Greenwich Hospital (see figure 1) and Northumberland House (see figure 2) match the format and subject of Taylor’s publication, but as with this work there is no compelling stylistic evidence to link them to the young Girtin.