Student Artwork Guide
Copyright This work is in the public domain. Thomas Allom died in 1872; copyright lasts 70 years after the artist’s death, so it ended in 1942.
In context
Scale force — Thomas Allom
Row above: the years. Row below: how old the artist was at the start and at the end of each span — 0 at birth, 68 at death.
Shaded: the lifetime of Thomas Allom (1804–1872) every dated painting, decade by decade
This record has no exact year on file — using the artist's lifetime and the work's style, what decade would you guess?
Pick one work above: name two things it shares with this one, and one thing that's different.
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Measured from the image
Main colour
Sap Green #645d47
Catalogued palette
These colours inside the artist’s whole palette Find other paintings by colour
The ten leading countries
Find the three darkest countries on the map. Is the museum that keeps this painting in any of them? Write down one reason people far away might look at it.
Together these works take 77.6% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 83 works by this artist, of which 27 were looked at at least once. This painting has not been looked at yet in that time — it closes the list without a rank. The same counts, month by month
Bars measure attention, not quality. Pick the work at the top and this one: name one thing that might make a painting famous beyond how well it is painted.
Artist and museum
Born in Lambeth, United Kingdom
Born: Lambeth, United Kingdom (1804)
Died: 1872
Thomas Allom was a multifaceted figure of the 19th century, recognized as an English architect, artist, and particularly renowned for his topographical illustrations. His career spanned architectural design, collaboration on significant national projects, and extensive travel documentation through art. He holds the distinction of being a founding member of what would evolve into the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), underscoring his contribution to the professionalization of architecture.
Apprenticeship: In 1819, Allom began his career as an apprentice to architect Francis Goodwin. This period provided him with foundational architectural knowledge and practical experience until 1826.
Royal Academy Studies: Following his apprenticeship, he pursued formal training at the Royal Academy School, honing his artistic skills alongside his architectural studies.
Early Designs: His early designs for churches, exhibited in 1824 and 1827, garnered considerable attention, signaling a promising career trajectory.
Hull Partnership (1834-1843): Allom formed a partnership with Henry Francis Lockwood in Hull, resulting in the design of several notable neo-classical buildings.
Key Architectural Works: This period saw the creation of significant structures including:
Hull Trinity House (1839)
Extensions to Hull Royal Infirmary (1840)
Great Thornton Street Church (1843)
Liverpool Workhouse Expansion: The partnership also extended to the expansion of the Brownlow Hill workhouse in Liverpool (1842-1843).
London Designs: Later in his career, Allom designed various buildings in London, such as a workhouse in Marloes Road, Kensington (1847), the Church of Christ in Highbury (1850), and St. Peter's Church in Notting Hill (1856).
Extensive Travel: From the 1820s onwards, Allom embarked on extensive travels throughout the UK, mainland Europe, Turkey, Syria, and Palestine.
Constantinople and Asia Minor (1838): His journey to Istanbul in 1834 resulted in hundreds of drawings that were compiled into "Constantinople and the Scenery of the Seven Churches of Asia Minor," published in 1838. This work is considered a landmark achievement in topographical illustration, providing detailed visual documentation of these regions.
China Illustrated (1845): "China Illustrated," published in 1845, showcased his observations and artistic renderings of China, further solidifying his reputation as a significant travel artist.
Other Illustrations: He also contributed illustrations to various publications including "Family Secrets" by Mrs. Ellis (1841) and “A Topographical History of Surrey” by E.W. Brayley (1850).
Thomas Allom’s legacy rests on his dual contributions as an architect and a topographical illustrator. While his architectural works, though significant, are often overshadowed by his illustrations, they demonstrate his versatility and skill in design. His detailed depictions of Constantinople, Asia Minor, and China provided invaluable visual records for a period when travel to these regions was challenging and documentation scarce. His work significantly influenced the development of topographical art and contributed to a broader public understanding of distant lands during the Victorian era. He is remembered as a skilled artist who captured the essence of places and cultures through his meticulous drawings and engravings, leaving behind a rich visual archive for posterity.
artsdot.com/en/art/download/thomas-allom-scale-force-A26NJR-en/
Look closely
Scale force — Thomas Allom
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A Stats page exists for "Scale force". It charts the monthly visits of the artwork and of the artist's other works, with country and language breakdowns.
"Scale force" by Thomas Allom shows a monochromatic color intensity.
sap green (#645d47) is the leading color of "Scale force" by Thomas Allom.