Palace of Westminster in Londen 1870 - 1881

Francis Godolphin Osbourne Stuart made this albumen print of the Palace of Westminster in London sometime around 1900. The Palace, rebuilt in the mid-19th century after a fire, looms large here. It shows the Victorian Gothic Revival style that came to symbolize British power and tradition, yet it also reflected a specific moment of anxiety around modernization. Looking closely, we see the great clock tower, which has been renamed Elizabeth Tower, and other details of the architecture such as the decoration and the windows. Stuart's photograph coincided with a period of intense social and political reform in Britain. It invites us to consider how institutions like Parliament presented themselves visually during these moments of change. Was the choice to mirror the architecture of the middle ages a deliberate act? By examining historical archives and accounts from the time, we might better understand how the Palace of Westminster and images like this one played a role in shaping the public's perception of its government.