Tag: London

Thames Barrier

The Thames Barrier was installed in the 1980s to protect London from extreme floods from the North Sea. It’s design make it probabyl to most stylish flood protection structure ever and reflects the era of it’s planning, the 1970s. The Thames Barrier has been closed 184 times since it became operational in 1982. Of these closures, 97 were to protect against tidal flooding and 87 were to protect against combined tidal/fluvial flooding. (source: wikipedia)

To see what French artist Gustave Doré imagines London without the Thames Barrier, go here.

UK; 20. Century; Engineering; City: London

The Destruction of “The Destruction of Pompeii and Herculaneum”

John Martin’s oil painting, acquired by Tate Gallery London in 1869, imagines the extent of the disaster that famously beset the sister cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum when the volcano Mount Vesuvius erupted on 24 August AD 79.
The painting was first exhibited in 1822. In 1928 the painting was in basement storage when the Tate was severly affected by the Thames flood. The picture was badly damaged and effectively written off but was extensively restored in 2011. (Text quoted from Tate Gallery Website)

Thanks to Theresa Deichert for the tip!

UK; 19. Century; 21. Century; Christian; Painting; City: London

Gustave Doré: The New Zealander

Last image from Gustave Doré‘s Book “London – A Pilgrimage” (1872). Detailed Information.

France; 19. Century; Christian; Illustration; City: London