British Museum by night

This night view of the British Museum shows the entrance façade illuminated by electric street lamps.

Founded in 1753, the British Museum was the first national public museum in the world. During the 19th century, visitor numbers to the museum increased greatly and numerous high-profile acquisitions were made. In 1823, a new quadrangular building, designed by Robert Smirke, was built to house the ever-growing collections. Smirke's design, with its colonnade and pediment, was inspired by classical Greek architecture.

At this time, the museum still housed the British Library. The dome of the Library’s Reading Room can be seen looming in the darkness, behind the portico.

Ernest Dudley Heath was the son of Charles Heath, miniature painter to Queen Victoria. Essentially a painter of portraits and everyday scenes, he also illustrated. At the beginning of the 20th century, he was a lecturer in art at the University of London. He went on to become Principal of the Hampstead Garden Suburb School of Arts and Crafts and a lecturer in the Principles of Art Teaching at the Royal College of Art.