Lincoln's-Inn Chappel, Being Erected at the Expence of the Hon.ble..

1751. Eighteenth-Century Engraving of the Chapel of Lincoln's Inn Vertue, George [1684-1756]. Lincoln's-Inn Chappel, Being Erected at the Expence of the Hon.ble Gentlemen of this Inn by a Plan of Mr. Inigo Jones [London]: S.n., [1751]. 9-1/2" x 15-1/2" (24 x 39 cm) copperplate engraving, handsomely matted and glazed, margins trimmed closely, image mounted on board. Light toning to margins, negligible horizontal fold line, tiny fold line to lower right-hand corner, image fresh. $250. * This elegant 18th-century engraving constitutes the lower section of a scarce two-part sheet originally issued to illustrate the architectural grandeur of Lincoln's Inn. This section captures a striking perspective of the chapel's open undercroft (or ambulatory) and the formal stairs leading to the upper chapel. The left portion of the plate features an elaborate, large decorative cartouche detailing the rich history and construction of the chapel. Designed by the master of English classicism, Inigo Jones, and completed in the 1620s, the chapel is uniquely elevated on an open, vaulted cloister-a space that historically served as a meeting place for lawyers and a setting for legal consultations. The engraver, George Vertue, was one of the most prominent English engravers and antiquarians of his era, serving as the official engraver to the Society of Antiquaries. Vertue's meticulous lifelong research and detailed notebooks on British art became the primary foundation for Horace Walpole's seminal Anecdotes of Painting in England (1761-1771). A beautifully preserved architectural and legal perspective with impeccable institutional pedigree. Sir John Soane's Museum Concise Catalogue of Drawings (online version), Drawer 59, Set 1.