Western section of the Tudor London panorama displayed in a black frame on a brick wall
Tudor London panorama showing Westminster, boats on the Thames and old St Paul’s Cathedral
Detail of old St Paul’s Cathedral and riverside buildings in the Tudor London panorama
Old Panorama of London 1616 by Visscher Old Panorama of London 1616 by Visscher £29.95 – £59.95Price range: £29.95 through £59.95
Central Tudor London panorama displayed in a black frame on a brick wall Panorama of London 1543 (2) £39.95

Panorama of London 1543 (1)

£39.95

Panorama of Tudor London after Anthonis van den Wyngaerde — Section 1

The western section of this historic London panorama looks across the Thames towards Westminster and the City. Westminster Abbey and the old royal palace occupy the left of the view, while old St Paul’s Cathedral rises above the crowded rooftops at the right.

Between those landmarks, large houses and gardens line the riverbank. Small boats cross the water, and the comparatively open foreground gives the buildings on the opposite shore room to stand out. Fields, trees and scattered settlements continue towards the distant horizon.

Old St Paul’s is a particularly striking detail. Its tall spire makes the Tudor skyline immediately different from the London of today. Westminster also appears before the present Houses of Parliament, with the older palace buildings gathered beside the river.

This is the first of three sections offered from the wider panorama. It works as an individual fine art print, bringing together the royal centre at Westminster, riverside houses and the western approach to the City. The traditional “1543” title refers to the scene depicted; the reproduced artwork is a later reproduction after Wyngaerde’s sixteenth-century drawing.

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The first section of this panorama places Westminster and the western City within a broad riverside landscape. The Abbey, royal palace buildings and old St Paul’s are seen across the Thames, with open ground in the foreground and countryside behind the northern skyline. Its interest lies in that relationship between substantial buildings and the spaces around them.

Map Details

  • Original panorama title: London, Westminster and Southwark as They Appeared in 1543
  • Original draughtsman: Anthonis van den Wyngaerde
  • Original studies: About 1544, according to the Government Art Collection; traditionally titled 1543
  • Version reproduced: A later reproduction of the Tudor panorama; the precise reproduction issue is not established
  • Section: 1 of three sections offered in this collection
  • Area shown: Westminster, the riverside towards the City and old St Paul’s Cathedral
  • Print size: 17″ × 29.5″

Westminster beside the river

At the left of the picture, Westminster’s large religious and royal buildings stand close to the water. The Abbey’s long body is distinct from the surrounding houses. The palace precinct belongs to an earlier Westminster, before the familiar nineteenth-century parliamentary buildings.

Moving towards the City, the waterfront alternates between buildings, gardens and open spaces. The viewpoint allows their fronts and roofs to be seen together, giving an impression of their size and arrangement that a conventional street plan cannot provide.

Old St Paul’s on the skyline

The great cathedral at the right is old St Paul’s, with its long nave and high spire. It dominates a district of smaller buildings and provides a clear visual anchor for this section. Its silhouette differs profoundly from the domed cathedral familiar today.

The river beneath the buildings contains small rowing boats and larger vessels. Across the foreground, trees and open ground contrast with the tightly packed roofs beyond the water. Distant paths and scattered buildings extend the scene beyond the principal landmarks.

A Tudor drawing through a later reproduction

Wyngaerde drew the original panorama in the sixteenth century. The Government Art Collection dates his studies to about 1544, although the traditional title gives 1543. This fine art print reproduces a later published version of that Tudor drawing; its precise publication date has not been established.

This section can be enjoyed on its own or alongside the two adjoining panorama sections. Supplied unframed.

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