Leaf from Aedes Walpolinae mounted with (a): Elevation of Back Facade of the Kings House, Richmond, Surrey and (b): Perspective View of the Entrance Front of the Kings House, Richmond, Surrey

Art Historical Context

This elegant sheet from the Metropolitan Museum’s collection features two architectural views of the King’s House in Richmond, Surrey, rendered in precise pen and black ink with delicate gray washes. Created after 1727 by draftsman Augustus Heckel in collaboration with Henry Herbert, the 9th Earl of Pembroke, the drawings present both an elevation of the rear façade and a perspective of the entrance front. The medium allows subtle modeling of light and shadow, giving the designs a convincing sense of depth and volume typical of early Georgian architectural presentation drawings. The King’s House, a royal residence with deep Tudor roots that was remodeled in the eighteenth century, stood as an important site of courtly and political life along the Thames. These carefully measured views, later mounted into the influential publication Aedes Walpolianae, document the building’s dignified proportions and classical detailing at a moment when British architecture was embracing Palladian ideals. The sheet’s generous scale—nearly 29 inches tall—invites close study of every cornice, window, and rusticated wall. Preserved today through the Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, the drawing offers visitors a rare glimpse into the collaborative world of aristocratic patrons, skilled draftsmen, and the printed record of Britain’s architectural heritage.

About the Artist

Augustus Heckel|Henry Herbert, 9th Earl of Pembroke (German|British) · 1690 |1689 –1770 |1751

German (active Britain), Augsburg 1690–1770 Richmond|British, ca. 1689/93–1751