Paintings, Prints & Drawings — C. 1740
St Bartholomew's Fair, Smithfield
This unfinished view of Saint Bartholomew's Fair in Smithfield was painted shortly before the fair fell into decline. In 1735 its duration was cut from a fortnight to three or four days and further restrictions were made in 1737.
Clearly visible from left to right in this painting are: the tower of St. Bartholomew-the-Less, St. Paul's Cathedral and the tower of St. Sepulchre's. Two large theatre booths dominate the central ground and conceal Henry VIII's gateway.
There are three pictorial records of the fair; a fan, a painting attributed to van Heemskerk and a print entitled The Humours and Diversions of Bartholomew's Fair by William Dicey.
- Category:
- Paintings, Prints & Drawings
- Object ID:
- 90.44
- Object name:
- St Bartholomew's Fair, Smithfield
- Object type:
- Artist/Maker:
- British School, 18th century, British School
- Related people:
- —
- Related events:
- —
- Related places:
- Production date:
- c. 1740
- Material:
- oil, canvas, wood
- Measurements/duration:
- H 990 mm, W 1260 mm (framed), H 815 mm, W 1085 mm (unframed)
- Part of:
- —
- On display:
- —
- Record quality:
- 100%
- Part of this object:
- —
- Credit:
- —
- Copyright holder:
- digital image © London Museum
- Image credit:
- —
- Creative commons usage:
- —
- License this image:
To license this image for commercial use, please contact the London Museum Picture Library.