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This lecture, given by Angus Patterson and Max Donnelly, marks the exhibition, ‘Makers of Modern Gothic: A.W.N. Pugin and John Hardman Jr’ in the V&A’s Julie and Robert Breckman Galleries (3rd March – 26th October 2025). The display features two recent major acquisitions by the museum of Pugin drawings, passed down through the families of Birmingham metalworker, John Hardman Jr, and the London builder, George Myers, that highlight Pugin’s close collaborations with them.
Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin (1812–1852) pioneered the nineteenth-century Gothic Revival that still shapes our towns and villages. He claimed, ‘I strive to revive not invent’ but he was happy to harness modern industry in order to turn back the clock. His outpouring of creativity in his short life turned the Gothic Revival into a national style. The most iconic image of the British state, the Elizabeth Tower that houses Big Ben, is a Pugin creation.
Angus Patterson is Senior Curator of Metalwork and Max Donnelly is Curator of Furniture at the Victoria and Albert Museum. Both were part of the curatorial team that created ‘Makers of Modern Gothic’.
Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin (1812–1852) pioneered the nineteenth-century Gothic Revival that still shapes our towns and villages. He claimed, ‘I strive to revive not invent’ but he was happy to harness modern industry in order to turn back the clock. His outpouring of creativity in his short life turned the Gothic Revival into a national style. The most iconic image of the British state, the Elizabeth Tower that houses Big Ben, is a Pugin creation.
Angus Patterson is Senior Curator of Metalwork and Max Donnelly is Curator of Furniture at the Victoria and Albert Museum. Both were part of the curatorial team that created ‘Makers of Modern Gothic’.
