The Chinese Pavilions were built in 1751. Print after a drawing by Samuel Wale VAUXHALL GARDENS THREE For the following directly quoted information I am indebted to David Coke, whose knowledge of Vauxhall Gardens has been unrivalled since 1978, when he presented an exhibition entitled The Muse's Bower, devoted to the history of the pleasure park between 1728 and 1786. David was the curator of Pallant House who had the enterprise, or temerity, to put on the first Monamy exhibition, in 1983. See his website: here. "The Monamys in the gardens are recorded in the list of paintings in the London guidebook called "The Ambulator" of 1774. At that time, they appear to have been very strategically placed, and were clearly considered important. The "Sea Engagement with the Algerine Pirates" and "Black-Eyed Susan" were in the last boxes at either end of the Chinese Pavilions, and the "Taking of Porto Bello" and the "Capture of the S Joseph" were at either end of the straight run of boxes on the south side of the Grove, looking on to the Italian (or Grand South) Walk. All indications must be that all four were of a similar size to the Hayman pictures; at least nobody comments on any difference in size." See here. Hayman's paintings are about 55 x 95, as noted on the previous page. Below is another view of Vauxhall Gardens "shewing the Grand Walk at the entrance of the Gardens & the Orchestra with the Musick Playing: London Printed for Robt Sayer at the Golden Buck Fleet Street." This print is perhaps datable to about 1750, or possibly somewhat earlier. For an impression of the alterations that took place between about 1740 and 1760, click on picture. The turbanned Turkish visitor, complete with companion and guide at the centre of the picture, reappears in a later print, and seems to have put on a little weight in the intervening years. The Ambulator comments on the paintings, beginning with "our entrance to the garden. The first is on the left hand, under a Gothic piazza and colonnade, formed by a range of pillars, which stretch all along the front of the great room. It represents two Mahometans gazing in astonishment at the beauties of the place." It almost looks as though this print reproduces the first painting, "on the left hand", at the entrance. Two unastonished Mahometans in Constantinople vauxhall gardens one: Black-Ey'd Susan & Seven Algerines vauxhall gardens two: San Joseph & Porto Bello vauxhall gardens four: picture display vauxhall gardens: more on the display more vauxhall fun & games artistic range       artistic range monamy website index Vauxhall on China: see here based on print by Johann Sebastian Müller Prints Index prints: introduction ten prints by canot after monamy canot's eleventh print: shipwrack four prints in vauxhall gardens the princesa: print and oils small print set after monamy & van de velde two more prints after monamy mezzotints after monamy small print set after swaine monamy pinxt swaine delint large prints after swaine: monamy manner other prints after swaine later prints after swaine prints after baston kirkall mezzotints after "van de velde" other prints after van de velde prints after other painters etchings       drawings 1, 2, 3 Tivoli, Copenhagen, Today top © Charles Harrison Wallace 2001, 2003 all rights reserved