Thomas Hosmer Shepherd, Custom House – early 19th-century architectural drawing

Thomas Hosmer Shepherd Custom House

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An original early 19th-century graphite drawing, Thomas Hosmer Shepherd, Custom House.

A fine sheet of architectural sketches by topographical draughtsman Thomas Hosmer Shepherd (1793–1864). Titled 'Custom House' on the backing paper, it is unclear whether this is a sketch of Custom House on the Thames in London, a building that has been rebuilt multiple times in its history.

With the first recorded building at Wool Quay in 1382, the building had been rebuilt no less than four times, having three times burnt down, and most latterly having partially collapsed due to structural instability. In 1825 the Office of Works and their surveyor Robert Smirke was commissioned to put things right, and it is Smirke's new river-facing façade that remains today.

Thomas Hosmer Shepherd (1793–1864) was a topographical artist well known for his architectural paintings. He built his reputation on his depictions of fashionable cities—principally London, and then later Edinburgh, Bath and Bristol. He produced a number of views of the London Custom House which were reproduced as prints, as well the Custom House at Liverpool and a drawing of the Custom House at Leith, Edinburgh (National Galleries of Scotland no. D 5659.38).

In graphite heightened with white bodycolour.

On buff wove paper with watermark BE&S (Bally, Ellen and Steart, of the De Montalt Mill, Combe Down, Bath). Laid down on backing paper.

Thomas Hosmer Shepherd (1793–1864)

Thomas Hosmer Shepherd (1793–1864) was, according to his biographer J.F.C Phillips, 'the best-known topographical artist of his day'. His elder brother was watercolourist George Sidney Shepherd, with whom he collaborated in 1813 on street views for Ackermann’s ‘Repository of the Arts’.

In 1826 his real break came when Jones & Co. commissioned a series of views of London’s newest buildings. Working for Jones & Co. between 1826 and 1831 he produced some 450 plates and built his reputation on depictions of modern, fashionable cities, including Edinburgh, Bath and Bristol as well as London.

He also worked for Frederick Crace, who employed him to paint old London buildings prior to their demolition. Much of the work surviving is in the Crace collection at the British Museum.