Egyptian Hall

The Egyptian Hall in Piccadilly, London was originally commissioned by William Bullock as a museum to house his collection (which included curiosities brought back from the South Seas by Captain Cook). It was one of the first buildings in England to be influenced by the Egyptian style, inspired by the growth of awareness in Europe of the various temples on the Nile, the Pyramids and the Sphinx. The plans for the hall were drawn up by architect Peter Frederick Robinson. [ [http://www.georgianindex.net/Bullocks/Egyptian_Hall.html The Egyptian Hall ] ] Bullock used the hall to put on various spectaculars, from which he made money from ticket sales. The Hall was Completed in 1812 at a cost of £16,000. The museum was variously referred to as the London Museum, the Egyptian Hall or Museum, or Bullock's Museum.

The Hall was a considerable success, during the exhibition of Napoleonic era relics in 1816 (which included Napoleon's carriage taken at Waterloo) Bullock made £35,000. In 1819, Bullock sold his collection and converted the museum into an exhibition hall. Subsequently the Hall became a major venue for the exhibiting of works of art. In 1820, Benjamin Robert Haydon rented the Hall to show his painting, "Christ's Entry into Jerusalem". In 1821, the Egyptian Hall was the venue for Belzoni's exhibition of the tomb of Seti I in 1821. Bookseller George Lackington, became owner of the Hall in 1825 and went on to use the facilities to show panoramas, art exhibits, and entertainment productions.

The Hall became especially associated with watercolours. The Old Water-Colour Society exhibited there in 1821–22 and it was hired by Charles Heath to display the watercolours commissioned by from Joseph Mallord William Turner forming "Picturesque Views in England and Wales". Turner exhibited at the Hall for a number of years and it was also used as a venue for exhibitions by the Society of Painters in Water Colours.

In the "Dudley Gallery" at the Egyptian Hall, the valuable collection of pictures belonging to the Earl of Dudley was deposited during the erection of his own gallery at Dudley House in Park Lane. The room gave its name to the Dudley Gallery Art Society (also known as The Old Dudley Art Society) when they were founded in 1861 and used it for their exhibitions. It was the venue chosen for their first exhibitions by the influential New English Art Club.

By the end of the 19th century, the Hall was also associated with magic and spiritualism as a number of performers and lecturers had hired it for shows. It was also the venue chosen for the showing of some of the first ever films (or animated photographs) to be shown, including those of Albert Smith relating his ascent of Mont Blanc. Later, when the hall came under the control of the Maskelyne family, a more settled policy was adopted and it soon became known as England's Home of Mystery. Many illusions were staged including the exposition of fraudulent spiritualistic manifestations then being practised by charlatans.

In 1905 the building was demolished to make room for blocks of flats and offices at 170–173 Piccadilly. Muirhead Bone captured its demise in his work "The Dissolution of Egyptian Hall". The Maskelynes relocated to the St. George's Hall in Langharn Place, which became known as Maskelyne's Theatre.

ee also

*Ancient Mexico
*Egyptian Revival architecture

References

External links

* [http://www.magicexhibit.org/images/photo_H02-03.jpgExternal photograph]
* [http://www.georgianindex.net/Bullocks/Egyptian_Hall.html History and internal and external images]
* [http://www.arthurlloyd.co.uk/EgyptianHallPiccadilly.htm History of the Egyptian Hall]