LODDIGES LEGACY
Private Commission | May 2023
Composition and painting by
Claire Ward-Thornton, Art Hoppers
195 Mare Street
Hackney, London
Commissioned by 195 Mare Street
One of Hackney’s oldest buildings!
Hoardings, 24m2
In May 2023, the owners of this beautiful heritage building – 195 Mare Street, Hackney – invited us to paint a mural on their street facing hoardings which enclosed the property.
Built in 1697 as a grand country house, 195 Mare Street is one of Hackney’s oldest buildings. It’s seen many inhabitants and served different purposes over the years including home to the Elizabeth Fry Refuge from 1860-1913 and later in the twentieth century the New Lansdowne Working Men’s Club. Now a local family to Hackney will restore the property as a family home and community arts venue.
The mural design for the hoardings was informed by the legacy of Hackney based family Loddiges, horticultural experts of the 18th – 19th century. Their catalogue ‘The Botanical Cabinet’ described plants from around the world and how to care for them. The site of Loddiges Hothouse in Hackney was nearby the property and a fern inspired wallpaper, discovered hidden under the layers of past lives within the house set the interest in this particular plant.
The painted ferns were taken directly from ‘The Botanical Cabinet’ and a tribute to George Cooke who engraved the plates ready for print. The prints were individually hand-painted to add colour to his linear illustrations. There is a large collection of these catalogues which are highly sought after.
“We commissioned Art Hoppers to hand paint a construction hoarding with a botanical painting inspired by an old plant catalogue. The result was fantastic! Beautifully executed and great use of colour. It transformed the site and brings pleasure to everyone who passes by.”
195 Mare Street
