The London Skyline 1616 v 2016: Visscher’s Engraving Updated And Interactive

Visscher Whole Panorama

 

In 1616, fifty years before the Great Fire destroyed large parts of central London, Dutchman Claes Jansz Visscher produced an engraving of the city. Now Robin Reynolds has updated the view to the present day.

 

Visscher Redrawn 1280px

 

Things have changed. Gone are the decapitated heads on spikes over the southern gatehouse (the gruesome is now marked by a Portland stone spike sculpture in the shadow of The Shard), the original St Paul’s Cathedral, smouldering chimneys, shops along the old London Bridge and a low-rise vista. In comes height, Shakespeare’s Globe, a River Thames devoid of anything but a tourist boat, sheer-sided buildings and a lack of spires.

 

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Via: Visscher Redrawn, The Guildhall Art Gallery

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