DREAM, DRAW, WORK

Royal Academy of Arts

Tennant Gallery and Architecture Space

In the late nineteenth century, the drawings by renowned British architect Norman Shaw were considered amongst the most brilliant and influential of their time.

Shaw designed great country houses like Cragside in Northumberland (now National Trust), rebuilt the area around London’s Piccadilly Circus and created gracious renovations like the addition to the Royal Academy of the restaurant and new galleries.

With a fascinating array of drawings surviving from Shaw’s office in the Royal Academy’s own collections – from working drawings to dazzling perspectives – this exhibition explores the materials, draughtsmanship and design practices of Shaw and his small but brilliant staff.