Sir Charles Barry

Sir Charles Barry (1795-1860), Architect.

The leading architect of his generation, Charles Barry worked mostly in a classical or Italianate style but his major achievement was the Gothic-style Houses of Parliament which he designed together with Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin. In this portrait Barry is shown with a pair of compasses in his hand, resting his elbow on some partly unrolled architectural plans which lie on top of a Gothic-style cupboard. The plans show the Victoria Tower of the new Houses of Parliament, which can be seen under construction in the background.