walk/tour
Upper terrace, Somerset House, Strand, WC2R 1LA
what3words: rival.runs.dizzy
This walking tour explores the different ways power and wealth is exemplified in architecture around the Strand. Inspired by the methods of Giovanni Battista Piranesi and his depiction of 'power' in his works, we will be doing sketches throughout the tour, studying different types of architectural components and ornamentation to help us imagine and compose our own impactful landscapes.
Temple, Embankment
15, 26, 87, 88
The end point will be close by the starting point.
There will be seating around parts of the tour. We will also have breaks in between to develop sketches.
Walking tour
11:00–13:30
It is a walking tour, where we will do sketches, and in between find spots where people can sit and draw/collage.
How to book
Bookings will open at midday on 19 August. You won't be able to book a ticket before then.
Giovanni Battista Piranesi (1720-1778) is considered one of the greatest printmakers of the 18th century. He is particularly known for his imaginary prison prints, 'Carceri d'invenzione'.
Piranesi didn't imagine these prisons from scratch, he had first studied and made prints of the surviving architecture of Ancient Rome. He argued for its importance against the consensus that felt like in the new era of Enlightenment, it was inferior to Greek Antiquity.
His etchings of the Roman ruins tend to be exaggerated to show its vastness, beauty and longevity of the Roman Empire. Despite this, it also shows that there is an inevitable hubris to this type of power...
Piranesi was aware of how imposing and cruel the Roman Empire was to its subjects and this was reflected in his unnerving prison drawings. Although his Rome etches show the end of Roman rule his prison imagination shows the continuation oppression and subjugation from back then into the modern era.
The British Empire is the largest empire in history, the wealth acquired from it and trading helped shaped the country, especially London.
The Strand is a mile-long street that lays beside the River Thames, making it a place that attracted different aristocrats throughout history. During the height of the Transatlantic Slave Trade and subsequent colonialism – the Strand's proximity to one of the world's greatest ports resulted in it becoming a hub for the empire's administrative, legal and commercial functions.
Whilst the empire is gone its legacy remains, especially in the architecture and monuments around Strand.
In this drawing tour, we will visit different landmarks, study architecture through sketches and explore our own perceptions of power which can be displayed in our own imaginary landscapes, just like how Piranesi did in his artworks.
This is a drawing tour. I will provide clipboards and paper, but please bring your own drawing equipment. You can use any mediums you like, but we will do a lot of sketching whilst standing (some spots have benches available) so please bring whatever will be comfortable for you to carry and sketch from.
Towards the end of the tour we will have a longer time developing the sketches and making collages so do not worry too much about making it perfect during the tour. Also, this is for all skill levels in drawing, it's not about being the best or completely emulating Piranesi -he spent his lifetime doing drawings, and we have two hours- this will just be a fun exercise!
All this is subject to change if rains on the day of the tour.
The Golden Key Academy is a course training up insightful and engaging guides dedicated to explaining London and bringing its many stories to life. This tour is part of a wider collection of tours created by Golden Key Academy guides for the Open House Festival celebrating their conclusion of the eight month course.
Further information on the Golden Key Academy can be found here https://open-city.org.uk/golden-key-academy
If you would like to attend this tour, please ensure you have booked a ticket before turning up.
