The Tower of London

This painting is a rather unusual and unique depiction of the Tower of London, capturing London’s iconic fortress in the years before its late 19th century ‘re-Medievalisation’ by architects Anthony Salvin and John Taylor. As the site fell in military importance and instead began to be perceived as a site of historic importance, Salvin and Taylor were tasked with ‘restoring’ the fortress to its medieval look - as a result, they removed several modern additions to the site’s topography, and reinstalled a number of medieval features. Most noticeable in this painting is the lack of battlement, especially on the towers of the notorious Traitor’s Gate. The unornamented form in Pether’s painting is how they originally appeared in the Victorian era, before Salvin and Taylor’s work resulted in the battlements we see today.

Pether’s painting, therefore, provides a wonderful opportunity to step back in time and see London as it was in the early Victorian era. A Bearskin-wearing redcoat guard patrols the wharf as steamships filter up and down the Thames. A few crowds of people can be seen marveling at the architecture, whilst a worker in the lower right rolls a barrel away from the Tower. The amount of minute detail - although characteristic of Pether, a testament of his observational skills - is truly remarkable, from the mossy walls of the Traitor’s Gate to the washing line on its roof, to the delineation of each and every brick that builds the fortress. The work is a treat for the eyes, with something new to focus on or notice with every look.

A complementary piece, depicting the same scene but at night, is part of the Government Art Collection and resides in the Old Admiralty Building.

Henry Pether
Henry Pether was an English landscape painter born in 1800, famous for his depiction of moonlight scenes of 19th century Britain, Paris and Venice. His father Abraham and older brother Sebastian were also artists and known for their moonlight scenes and together the three of them were known as the 'Moonlight Pethers'. However, Henry's works tended to be more realistic, whilst those of his father and brother are often imaginary.

Pether was known for his paintings along the Thames, painting numerous scenes along the river between 1850 and 1865. He exhibited at the Royal Academy, British Institution and Royal Society of Artists. His works are among the collections of Tate, the City of London, Royal Museums Greenwich, Hastings Museum, the National Gallery of Victoria, and the Yale Centre for British Art.

Henry's talents were not limited to painting alone and he was described as a surveyor, engineer, artist and architect, applying for patents for lamps, architectural materials and tiles, the latter of these being exhibited at the Great Exhibition of 1851.

Pether passed away on 20th February 1880, a few days after his 80th birthday.