Perspective View of Ham House from the South
attributed to John Slezer (d. 1717) and Jan Wyck (c. 1645-1700)
Category
Art / Drawings and watercolours
Date
circa 1672 - 1675
Materials
Coloured ink on paper
Measurements
396 mm (H); 511 mm (W)
Order this imageCollection
Ham House, Surrey
NT 1139973
Summary
Coloured ink architectural drawing on paper, Perspective View of Ham House from the South, attributed to John Slezer (d. 1717) and Jan Wyck (c. 1645-1700), circa 1672-1675.
Full description
The south side of the house is shown in elevation, the gardens in the foreground in one point perspective. The elevation varies from William Samwell's architectural drawing (see NT 1139972) in a number of ways: the hipped roofs to the Jacobean cross-wings and those to the outlying Caroline ranges are shown more steeply pitched; the basement windows to either end with square rather than elliptical openings; and the arch beneath the central stairs is missing. Of particular interest are the aviaries, indicated by hatched lines, to either side of the Jacobean canted windows on the ground floor. Roger North, who considered them unfashionable admitted that: 'The deformity (as how it is esteem'd) of compass windows, is so disguised either with furniture within, which reduceth all to a squre, or else by bird cages, and such conceits without ... that it appears to no offence.' The Wilderness in the foreground is shown planted with conifers. If not the 253 firs planted during the Commonwealth period, this may depict an unexecuted proposal. Compare too the oil painting attributed to Hendrick Danckerts (NT 1139878).
Makers and roles
attributed to John Slezer (d. 1717) and Jan Wyck (c. 1645-1700), artist