In 2017 I was commissioned by Dr. Gerard Wegemer, founder of the Center for Thomas More Studies based at the University of Dallas, Texas, to create two detailed illustrations for display on the Center's website and for inclusion in their publication The Essential Works of Thomas More (2018).
Part 1: Map of Thomas More's London
![16th Century c16th Drawing historic history London map thomas more tudor](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/f08283105156969.5f730be0d3570.jpg)
The first part of the commission involved the creation of this detailed historical view of London during Thomas More's lifetime (1478-1535), loosely based on the appearance of the city and its streets and buildings in the 16th century (click to enlarge).
![16th Century c16th Drawing historic history London map thomas more tudor](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/80442b105156969.5f730be0d1ca2.jpg)
A view of London from Georg Braun and Frans Hogenberg's Civitates Orbis Terrarum (Cities of The World) of 1617, which inspired my map's style, composition and colour scheme.
![16th Century c16th Drawing historic history London map thomas more tudor](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/5cedb6105156969.5f730be0d1754.jpg)
Detail of Covent Garden, Drury Lane, Lincoln's Inn and Strand.
![16th Century c16th Drawing historic history London map thomas more tudor](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/995104105156969.5f730be0ce5be.jpg)
Detail of Holborn, Smithfield, Fleet Street and the Fleet river.
![16th Century c16th Drawing historic history London map thomas more tudor](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/3c333d105156969.5f730be0d0277.jpg)
Detail of St. Paul's Cathedral, Blackfriars and Cheapside.
![16th Century c16th Drawing historic history London map thomas more tudor](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/94e552105156969.5f730be0cdc4c.jpg)
Detail of Bishopsgate, Houndsditch and Aldgate.
![16th Century c16th Drawing historic history London map thomas more tudor](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/6d49fa105156969.5f730be0cbee9.jpg)
Detail of the Tower of London and the River Thames.
![16th Century c16th Drawing historic history London map thomas more tudor](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/9d6b64105156969.5f730be0cc406.jpg)
Detail of Southwark and Bankside.
![16th Century c16th Drawing historic history London map thomas more tudor](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/def887105156969.5f730be0ccd45.jpg)
Detail of Westminster, Whitehall and Lambeth.
![16th Century c16th Drawing historic history London map thomas more tudor](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/a29d42105156969.5f730be0d3049.jpg)
My original concept sketch (click to enlarge).
![16th Century c16th Drawing historic history London map thomas more tudor](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/92e987105156969.5f730be0cfa02.jpg)
Detail of my original concept sketch.
![16th Century c16th Drawing historic history London map thomas more tudor](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/560dbc105156969.5f730be0d08fb.jpg)
Ink version of More's London map in progress, November 2017.
![16th Century c16th Drawing historic history London map thomas more tudor](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/2a51cb105156969.5f730be0cec16.jpg)
Completed ink version of More's London map (click to enlarge). Colour and text was subsequently added using Photoshop.
Part 2: Beaufort House, Thomas More's Chelsea Mansion
![16th Century c16th Drawing historic history London map thomas more tudor](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/1688ae105156969.5f730be0d11f1.jpg)
My detailed illustration of Beaufort House, Thomas More's mansion at Chelsea between 1520 and 1535, as it would have appeared in his lifetime.
The house was demolished in 1740 (a full history of the site can be read here: https://www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-london/vol4/pt2/pp18-27). Modern-day Beaufort Street now runs north-south directly through the middle of the site, following the line of the mansion's main driveway; Chelsea Old Church, shown at the bottom-right corner of the drawing, still exists beside the river today.
![16th Century c16th Drawing historic history London map thomas more tudor](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/a7406e105156969.5f73147c291db.jpg)
A view of Beaufort House engraved by Johannes Kip in 1708, one of several historic views of the house and grounds I used as reference for my illustration. (Source: https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/vmgallery/general/medium.asp?gallery=vm_history&img=history/thumb/vm_hs_0003.jpg&size=medium)
![16th Century c16th Drawing historic history London map thomas more tudor](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/7be295105156969.5f730be0cd5d6.jpg)
Work in progress, April 2018.
![16th Century c16th Drawing historic history London map thomas more tudor](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/19eb07105156969.5f730be0cf540.jpg)
Detail of the house, driveway, surrounding walled gardens and stable yard.
![16th Century c16th Drawing historic history London map thomas more tudor](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/bc4403105156969.5f730be0d3e27.jpg)
Detail of the gardens and grounds to the north of the house.
![16th Century c16th Drawing historic history London map thomas more tudor](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/fac28d105156969.5f730be0d27bb.jpg)
Detail of the driveway entrance, river bank (modern-day Cheyne Walk) and pier.
![16th Century c16th Drawing historic history London map thomas more tudor](https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/max_1200/03fe35105156969.5f730be0d4346.jpg)
Further detail of the river bank and Chelsea Old Church.