Albert Hall proposal

Institution:

Victoria and Albert Museum

Institutional Internal Reference Code:

A.10-1973

Title:

Model, Albert Hall Proposal

Date of creation:

1865

Extent and basic medium:

1 model, can be opened in 2 halves

Name of creator (s):

Designer: Fowke, Francis (Captain); Makers: South Kensington museum, Corps of Royal Engineers (?)

Administrative/ contextual/ biographical history:

The model shoes the proposed designs for the interior of the Hall of Arts and Sciences (Royal Albert Hall). Oval in shape it is in two parts with the roof cut away from one half revealing the interior details. In the centre there is an oval arena surrounded by tiers representing raked seats, a double row of boxes and an arched gallery. Above this the roof curves inwards and there are ‘stained glass’ windows (in watercolour) which portray chivalric figures and crests. The interior is painted in yellow, black, brown and white. Possibly made in the museum by members of the Corps of Royal engineers. This model was submitted by Sir Henry Cole and Richard Redgrave to Queen Victoria at Osborne House on 30th January 1865.

Conditions governing access:

In storage

Conditions governing reproduction:

Copyright: © Victoria and Albert Museum, London 2017. All Rights Reserved.

Materials, physical characteristics and technical requirements:

Cardboard, wood, plaster, paper, painted, Height: 34 cm, Length: 73 cm, Width: 57 cm.

Finding aid available:

V&A Search the Collections catalogue –
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/

Bibliographic note:

Leslie, Fiona. ‘Inside Outside: Changing Attitudes towards Architectural Models in the Museums at South Kensington’, Architectural History, 47, 2004, pp. 159-200.

Exhibition/display history:

Exhibited in the Display ‘Building the Royal Albert Hall’, V&A, 6 May 2017 – 7 January 2018.

Subject (Getty Art & Arch Thesaurus):

Theatre, architecture; model-making, models (representations);

Locations:

London, South Kensington, Osborne House, Albertopolis.

Names:

Francis Fawkes, Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, Henry Cole, Richard Redgrave, Prince of Wales.