Study for Board Room of the Admiralty, from Microcosm of London c. 1808

Augustus Charles Pugin made this graphite study of the Board Room of the Admiralty as part of his broader project, *Microcosm of London*. It’s interesting to consider this sketch in relation to the finished engraving. The drawing is fairly spare and utilitarian, focusing on architectural accuracy. Pugin was trained as an architectural draftsman, and he drew many of the buildings that appear in the *Microcosm*. His clean lines helped to establish a sense of visual precision, and perhaps even the legitimacy, that London was attempting to project at this time. The later engraving is more elaborate, with more people added, and more going on. We can learn more about the realities of life in London at this time through sources like newspapers, city records, and personal letters. By understanding London’s socio-economic context, we are better prepared to understand Pugin’s artistic choices.