Remains of the Convent of St. Clare, 1797

Maker:

Stewart, James Lawson

ID:

61.98/15

Production date:

c. 1890

Location:

In Store

This watercolour depicts the remains of the convent of the Order of St Clare as imagined in 1797. The Abbey was founded by Edmund Crouchback, in 1293, for Spanish Clare nuns also known as the Minoresses. The convent was dissolved in 1539 and the buildings were used as an armoury for the Tower of London, and later, a workhouse.  < ...Read more

This watercolour depicts the remains of the convent of the Order of St Clare as imagined in 1797. The Abbey was founded by Edmund Crouchback, in 1293, for Spanish Clare nuns also known as the Minoresses. The convent was dissolved in 1539 and the buildings were used as an armoury for the Tower of London, and later, a workhouse.

The chapel became a parish church, known as St Clare without Aldgate and was rebuilt in 1706, known as Holy Trinity, Minories. In 1899, the church was closed down and united with the parish of St Botolph's Aldgate. This watercolour may relate to a drawing in the British Museum G,9.57.

Very little is known about James Lawson Stewart who exhibited watercolours in various London galleries between 1883-1889. He died in c. 1918 and towards the end of life was employed to copy prints of London; the accuracy of some of the locations should therefore be questioned.

The Museum was gifted a large selection of watercolours featuring locations which appeared in Dickens's works in 1934 and a set of cigarette cards was issued by R and J Hill Ltd in 1926 and 1934 entitled Historic Places from Dickens Classics which featured watercolours by Stewart. < Hide

Measurements

H 128 mm; W 167 mm (paper), H 196 mm; W 261 mm (paper support)

Materials

paper; watercolour

Last Updated

2024-03-14