Sir John Soane’s — a little gem of a museum
If you are wondering what to do with the free time that you have on your hands next weekend and you have no chance of getting out of London precisely then, you have many great things that you might be doing — from browsing carpets in the famed stores around Camden Lock, praying for good weather so that you can hike in some of the capital’s wonderful nature reserves and public parks, or you can bet on alternative entertainment — something that you might not have thought about up until then.
As you very well know, London is a one of the biggest tourist destinations not only in Europe but in the world as a whole. The capital of England is visited by tens of millions of people from every corner of the globe. They come here for a variety of reasons — the types and quantity of tourist attractions on the territory of the city are truly staggering. So, if you are looking for something that would be fun and interesting to do in London, even if you have lived here your whole life, it would not be such a hassle to accomplish your goal.
There is not even a need to go for the biggest landmarks and attractions, such as Westminster Abbey or the British Museum. After all, you are looking for a way to invest your free time into something fun to do, instead of piling stress on your shoulders due to the crowds. So our offer today is one of the lesser known, smaller but in no way inferior museums that are to be found in London. We are talking about of course Sir John Soane’s Museum. Prepare yourself for a journey through history and space, because entering through the door of John Soane’s Museum is like falling down the rabbit’s hole.
The Patron — Sir John Soane
First things first, let’s start off with the person who donated his house and invaluable private collection in order to create one of the best small museums in London at the present moment. Sir John Soane (born John Soan; 10 September 1753–20 January 1837) was one of the most imminent professional architects in the 18th and the first half of the 19th centuries. He was born to a bricklayer and through his talent, hard work and dedication managed to become the best in his profession. He was even a professor of architecture in the Royal Academy as well as the official architect of the Office Works. Throughout his career Sir John Soane (who was knighted in 1831) was responsible for the design and construction of such vital buildings as:
· The Bank of England
· The Dulwich Picture Gallery
· The Royal Hospital Chelsea
· The Freemason’s Hall, London
· The New Law Courts
He was noted as a true master of the Neo-classical style of architecture, which was very much in fashion during his lifetime and career.
In 1792 John Soane bought the house that was to become a museum bearing his name — 12 Lincoln’s Inn Fields. Sometime later he purchased the neighboring house as well, making the original building his private library and cabinet where he entertained potential clients.
Sir John Sloane started building his collection of antiques, architectural elements and works of art in the beginning of the 19th century and did not seize until his death. Thanks to his success as an architect he could afford adding more and more pieces, until it grew worthy of the National Museum. Among the most precious items that are part of the collection were the sarcophagus of Seti I, father of the famous Egyptian pharaoh Ramses II, a precious miniature copy of the famous sculpture of Diana of Ephesus and paintings by Canaletto, J. M. W. Turner and many more. The museum was officially created in 1833, when sir John Soane obtained an Act of Parliament to bequeath the house and its content to the Nation.
Why it is so unique
Sir John Soane’s Museum is so unique because you are left with the impression that there is no particular order in which the items on display are arranged. Labels are very discreet, and sometimes you have to specifically look in order to notice them. Furthermore there is no information desk or a café anywhere in the museum, and only 70 people are allowed at a time to enter. All of this, combined with the play of light and the well preserved but unaltered interior creates the impression that you are in a private home of an avid, albeit a bit chaotic collector — and that is actually the case, when you come to think of it. Oh, yes, admission is free too!
The collection is divided into several distinct categories:
1) Antiques, medieval and non-western objects
In addition to the aforementioned Seti I sarcophagus, Soane collected Roman and Greek bronzes, including such that were found in the buried city of Pompeii, cinerary urns, fragments of Roman mosaics, Greek vases, as well as architectural elements from the Old Palace of Westminster and other buildings from medieval Britain. There is an extensive collection of Chinese ceramics as well.
2) Sculpture
In this category you will find tons of marvelous works of sculpture, including a magnificent bust of Soane himself, carved by no other but Francis Leggatt Chantrey, the above mentioned miniature of Diana of Ephestus, and plastercasts of famous ancient works of art such as Aphrodite of Cnidus, Hercules Hesperides and Apollo Belvedere among others.
1) Paintings and drawings
In addition to Soane’s own architectural drawings and models — more than 30 000 is their estimated number, the Sir John Soane’s museum houses works by such varied and important artists as Canaletto, Hogarth, J. M. W. Turner (who was a personal friend of Soane’s), Italian masters as Augustus Wall Callcott and Giovanni Battista Piranesi and many others.
As you can see, Soane was a connoisseur of art in all its shapes, forms and periods and he dedicated his life to it. What is best, we can now all enjoy the fruits of his efforts thanks to his museum.
