Copyright © Richard Harpum
This painting shows the iconic Elizabeth Tower which houses the famous Big Ben - the name of the giant bell at the top of the tower, which is 96 metres (315 feet) high. It stands at the north end of the Houses of Parliament, also know as the Palace of Westminster, the seat of the UK government. The tower was completed in 1859 and the Great Clock started on 31 May 31st with the Great Bell's strikes heard for the first time on July 11th.
I visit London a few times every year and on this occasion was fortunate enough to capture the city in bright sunlight after about 4” of snow had fallen. Passing in front of the building is a red London double-decker bus. And my favourite dog, Oscar, makes another appearance.
The buildings have changed dramatically over the course of nearly a thousand years of history. Transformed from a royal residence to the home of a modern democracy, the current tower is one of the most recognised buildings in the world. Owing its stunning Gothic architecture to the 19th-century architect Sir Charles Barry, the Palace was built between the late 1830s and the early 1860s. Now part of an UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Palace contains a fascinating mixture of both ancient and modern buildings, and houses a vast collection of furnishings, archives and works of art.
I used this painting for one of my own Christmas cards.
* Prices in US Dollars and Euros are those used by the artist but may vary depending upon the prevailing exchange rates and the method of payment.
** A Studio Proof canvas print is a giclée print on canvas that is hand-embellished by the artist using the same medium as the original painting (usually acrylic), signed, numbered and then coated in 3 layers of UV-resistant varnish. It is then mounted on stretchers ready for framing.
*** Giclée printing is an advanced form of ink jet printing that applies a wide range of coloured inks that are designed to be light-fast for at least 75 years.
Copyright © Richard Harpum; All Rights Reserved
E-mail: artist@richardharpum.com
Tel: +44 (0) 7710 009500