Page 2 of sketchbook 4
Edward Ashworth watercolour, page 2 of sketchbook 4, 1814-1896, Crystal Palace Dinosaurs, London.
The Crystal Palace Dinosaurs, (also known as "The Dinosaur Court"), were commissioned to mark the transition of the Crystal Palace from its former location in Hyde Park to Bromley's Crystal Palace park. They were designed and sculpted by Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins (1807-1894), who consulted Sir Richard Owen, (1804-1892), the then superintendent of the Natural History department of the British Museum, for advice on his designs. The commission, resulting in fifteen example of extinct genera across a wide range of geological eras, (only three of which truly might be termed "dinosaurs"), marked the first representation of extinct animals. They were unveiled in 1854.
The sculptures were arranged across three islands, which were intended to represent three different geological eras. The small written inscription on this piece, "Iguanodon, [Kent?]," suggests this watercolour depicted the Mesozoic island. To mark the models unveiling, Hawkins famously hosted a banquet on New Year's Eve inside the Iguanodon model.
Related Collections
Image Details
| Date | 1814-1896 |
|---|---|
| Year | 1896 |
| Place | London |
| County | Greater London |
| Medium | Watercolour |
| Format | Book |
| Subject | Views |
| Size | 290x220mm |
| Creator | Ashworth, Edward |
| Publisher | Edward Ashworth |
| Prints and Drawing Number |