Catalogue of a collection of early drawings and pictures of London: With some contemporary furniture

Transcriber’s Note:
Inconsistent hyphenation and spelling in the original document have been preserved. Obvious typographical errors have been corrected.
Burlington Fine Arts Club
LONDON PRIVATELY PRINTED FOR THE BURLINGTON FINE ARTS CLUB 1920
LONDON: PRINTED AT THE CHISWICK PRESS TOOKS COURT, CHANCERY LANE
Contributors whose names are marked thus are Members of the Club.
At this great time in the nation’s history, when changes moral and material are following each other with such speed that we “know not what a day may bring forth,” it seems all the more incumbent on us while we live in the present not to forget the past. Accordingly, the Committee felt that pictures and drawings of the London of our ancestors would have exceptional interest, and the present exhibition is the result.
The space at our command being limited, we can only show a tithe of the material still in existence, but, through the kindness of owners, many fine works are on our walls, with others which, although as regards craftsmanship they have only average merit, are valuable as showing noteworthy scenes and buildings of a former day. Among the number that have not been exhibited before we would mention the drawings from Windsor which His Majesty the King has been graciously pleased to lend, also those belonging to Sir Edward Coates—but a trifling instalment of his unique collection.
By way of preface a few words on old London views may not be thought superfluous. In manuscripts and early printed books pictures or illustrations which purported to represent London were now and then produced, but the artists did not attempt to imitate nature with precision, their feeling for decorative effect being paramount. Indeed, in R. Pynson’s edition of the “Cronycle of Englonde” (1510), what is probably the earliest engraved view which has any claim to represent London, shows no pretence of accuracy. With an effort of faith we may believe that we are looking at representations of old St. Paul’s, the Tower, London Bridge, Ludgate, and the church of the Black Friars, but the design is symbolic rather than imitative.