Back at Soane's

A great Museum

In a way of late I've come to realise that Sir John Soane does not, perhaps get the acknowledgement for his part in the creation of modern London that he deserves.


Earlier this week I paid (another) return visit to the central London home of the Sir John Soane Museum.


I also now realise that The Mason's Hall (quite close to what is now the Museum)  was designed by Soane and that The Bank of England wasn't - although various additions to it were.


Each time I visit the Museum I get some more information, either about Sir John, his career or his times.  Learning about the achievements he made is  as a result of information form the guides  who are on the whole pretty good.

The Dulwich Gallery - another of Sir John's projects

I wonder though if Soane was such a difficult father as the guy showing us Hogarth's A Rake's Progress said - he was obviously loyal to his late wife (and their dog) but I question  the perspective that Soane's wife bought the series of paintings is used as a slightly lazy shorthand to describe the dynamic between John Soane and his son or sons.

Masonic Hall by Sir John

If he was difficult it was perhaps as a result of how he felt his own rise was by hard work (he was son of a relatively humbler builder).


 George his younger son did have troubles but they were not too similar to Tom Rakewell -and his other son John (here's a picture of the two boys) predeceased him.

Pitzhanger Manor from a couple of years back - currently under refurbishment 

Soane was the man who designed the Dulwich Gallery and who had his family country home in Ealing (Pitzhanger Manor).

Another nice thing about the Museum is how they feature some modern works too - presently that's work by Marc Quinn - and is called 'Drawn from Life'