Royal Observatory Greenwich Drawings and Paintings : View from the east window of the ining room, Royal Observatory, Greenwich

Royal Observatory Greenwich Drawings and Paintings

<p style='text-align: justify;'>Watercolour painting by Christabel Airy, daughter of Astronomer Royal, George Airy. The drawing is dated 29 May 1856 with a note that it was finished by C. Airy in 1860. It shows a view from the east window of the dining room in Flamsteed House, looking across the roof of the covered passage and the Front Court towards the Observatory buildings. </p><p style='text-align: justify;'> The covered passage provided direct sheltered access from Flamsteed House to the Observatory. It was added by Airy in 1840. A drawing of this by Christabel's aunt, Elizabeth Smith, drawn soon after it was built, is at <a href='/view/'> (RGO 116/3/12)</a>. </p><p style='text-align: justify;'> On the back of this painting by Christabel is a pencil sketch of a house and trees, perhaps representing the Airy's second home at Playford, East Anglia. A view of Playford [<a target='_blank' class='externalLink' href='http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/145982.html'><img title="Link to RMG" alt='RMG icon' class='nmm_icon' src='/images/general/nmm_small.png'/></a>] by Christabel's mother, Richarda Airy, is held in the collections of the National Maritime Museum.</p>