Saloon at the Marine Pavillion (An Excursion to Brighthelmstone)

Saloon at the Marine Pavillion (An Excursion to Brighthelmstone)

Thomas Rowlandson

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

One of a set of eight aquatints devoted to a journey from London to Brighthelmstone (Brighton), together with attractions of the seaside resort, this print represents an ornate oval interior in the Prince of Wales's residence. Related text tells us that the building is, "admirably calculated for the summer residence of the royal personage for whom it was built; and whose munificence and affability endear him to all who are not biased by party, blinded by prejudice, or hostile to dignified merit. This pavilion, correctly designed, and elegantly executed, was begun and completed in five months.–The furniture is adapted with great taste to the stile [sic] of the building. This grand saloon is beautifully decorated with paintings by Rebecca, executed in his best manner. The tout ensemble of the building is, in short, perfect harmony. The whole was executed by Mr. Holland, under the immediate inspection and direction of Mr. Weltjie, whose attachment to his royal master was faithful and disinterested."

Drawings and Prints

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Saloon at the Marine Pavillion (An Excursion to Brighthelmstone)Saloon at the Marine Pavillion (An Excursion to Brighthelmstone)Saloon at the Marine Pavillion (An Excursion to Brighthelmstone)Saloon at the Marine Pavillion (An Excursion to Brighthelmstone)Saloon at the Marine Pavillion (An Excursion to Brighthelmstone)

The Department’s vast collection of works on paper comprises approximately 21,000 drawings, 1.2 million prints, and 12,000 illustrated books created in Europe and the Americas from about 1400 to the present day. Since its foundation in 1916, the Department has been committed to collecting a wide range of works on paper, which includes both pieces that are incredibly rare and lauded for their aesthetic appeal, as well as material that is more popular, functional, and ephemeral. The broad scope of the department’s collecting encourages questions of connoisseurship as well as those pertaining to function and context, and demonstrates the vital role that prints, drawings, and illustrated books have played throughout history.