Relocation of Temple Bar

In Relocation of Temple Bar, Pablo Bronstein has created a scene that combines architectural and landscape forms in delicate ink, producing a work that could be an aged document. Bronstein’s use of a muted palette harkens back to the sepia tonalities of classical painting, and his level of detail is reminiscent of the work of Canaletto. However, despite this aesthetic quality, the work actually depicts an overlap between historical and current events, the creation of an imaginary scene. Temple Bar was one of London’s seven medieval gates and was located at the juncture of Fleet Street and The Strand, but the building depicted is Christopher Wren’s design which replaced the original after The Great Fire. To accommodate increasing traffic, in 1878 the monument was dismantled for preservation. Its 2,700 stones were purchased by Sir Henry Meux in 1880 and the gate was duly reconstructed at his Theobald Park house. In 2003, the building was reacquired by the City of London, and now stands at Paternoster Square. In commenting on the rich history of this architectural form, Bronstein imbues the Relocation of Temple Bar with the epic heroicism of legend alongside a connection to everyday life, commenting on the prominent position of architectural forms within our society within an exquisitely ornate painted frame.