Alvin Langdon Coburn
St. Paul's from Ludgate Circus

Public Domain

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Artist Alvin Langdon Coburn (British, born United States, 1882–1966)British, born United States, 1882–1966

CultureBritish

Titles

St. Paul's from Ludgate Circus

Date1905

Place depictedLondon, England

MediumPhotogravure

DimensionsImage: 15 1/8 × 11 5/16 in. (38.4 × 28.7 cm)
Sheet: 16 × 11 15/16 in. (40.6 × 30.3 cm)
Mount: 18 1/4 × 13 3/8 in. (46.4 × 34 cm)

Credit LineGift of Mike and Mickey Marvins

Object number2012.621

Not on view

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Department

Photography

Special Collections

Marvins Family Collections

Object Type

PHOTOGRAPHS

DescriptionThough Alvin Langdon Coburn also photographed in the American West, he was known primarily for his city views and portraits of notable subjects made in New York and London in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His city views were often taken from elevated perspectives looking across the roofs and pinnacles of other buildings, some modern and others historical. When Coburn photographed it in 1905, St. Paul’s Cathedral had been a London landmark for centuries. One of Europe’s largest cathedrals, it was built on the highest point in London between 1675 and 1711 by the great architect Christopher Wren. As in many of his city views, Coburn juxtaposed signs of industry and modernity with historical landmarks such as St. Paul’s Cathedral.
ProvenanceProbably [Cronin Gallery, Houston]; purchased by Michael Marvins and Michele Marvins, Houston, around 1975-1980; given to MFAH, 2012.
Exhibition History“A Photographer’s Collection: Gifts from Michael and Michele Marvins,” The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, April 4–July 5, 2015.
Inscriptions, Signatures and Marks

bottom right on mount below image in pencil: Alvin Langdon Coburn / 1911

Cataloguing data may change with further research.

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