Bidspirit 拍卖 | Westminster Abbey Interior – The

Westminster Abbey Interior – The Choir Looking East – London, Late 19th Century – London Stereoscopic & Photographic Company, No. 79 - An original period stereoview / stereograph, numbered 79, depicting the Choir of Westminster Abbey, looking east. The original caption reads: “NO. 79, WESTMINSTER ABBEY, THE CHOIR, LOOKING EAST.” The mount is also printed: “BY THE LONDON STEREOSCOPIC & PHOTOGRAPHIC CO.” The stereograph presents a deep and highly symmetrical view through the Choir. Rows of elaborately carved choir stalls extend along either side, while soaring columns, pointed arches and Gothic vaulting draw the eye towards the eastern end of the Abbey. The long architectural perspective is particularly effective in the stereoscopic medium, producing a striking impression of depth when viewed through a stereoscope. Westminster Abbey: Westminster Abbey occupies a unique position in British Royal history. Since the Coronation of William the Conqueror in 1066, it has served as the traditional Coronation church of English and British monarchs. The Choir forms part of the Abbey's ceremonial interior, and the present photograph provides an evocative nineteenth-century record of this historically significant space. Beyond its architectural interest, the stereograph therefore documents one of the interiors most closely associated with Britain's religious and Royal history. London Stereoscopic & Photographic Company: The London Stereoscopic & Photographic Company was one of the pioneering and most important firms in the history of British stereoscopic photography. Founded during the 1850s, the firm adopted the name London Stereoscopic & Photographic Company in 1859 and became a major producer and distributor of stereographs depicting London, architecture, works of art, personalities and Royal subjects. Other views of the interior of Westminster Abbey by the company are represented in institutional collections. In the absence of conclusive institutional documentation for this specific No. 79, a cautious date of late 19th century, approximately c.1880–1900, is appropriate; the underlying photographic negative may be earlier. An attractive and uncommon architectural stereoview combining Westminster Abbey, British Royal history, Gothic architecture, Victorian photography and the London Stereoscopic & Photographic Company.