Description
A watercolour depicting the Gothic Dining Room at Carlton House, featuring marvellous gothic panelling and finial vaults and carving. Windows are framed by red curtains to the left, a large long table with red covered chairs is arranged in the middle of the room. Coats of arms are displayed on wall panels. On the floor, green carpet.
Because of the sloping site on which Carlton House stood, the south or garden front was built on three floors, whereas the north or entrance front had only two. The basement or lower ground floor on the garden front consisted of a suite of eight interconnecting rooms; the interiors of the rooms at the eastern and western extremities - the Dining Room and the Conservatory - were entirely Gothic in style. The Conservatory had been built to the designs of Thomas Hopper c.1807-09 in an extravagant neo-Perpendicular style, modelled in part on Henry VII's Chapel at Westminster Abbey. The Dining Room, which was the last major addition to the house, was built in 1814 to the designs of John Nash using an eccentric mix of Gothic forms which included eight angled, pierced and crocketed ceiling brackets suspending chandeliers, an elaborate scheme of heraldry, and a series of brackets, shelves and tables for the display of plate. This last element was the feature that distinguished the room in the eyes of visitors, overwhelmed by the richness and profusion of George IV's collection of silver gilt. As shown by Wild, the table was thickly laid with plate including a massive parade of candelabra; the buffet was arranged in tiers at the far end, flanked by pedestals which may have been designed to hold candelabra; and further displays were placed on brackets round the room, set against the polished and partly gilded wainscot panelling. The sparkling effect would have been greatly enhanced by the multiple reflections from the large expanses of inset mirror glass.
This is one of a series of views of the interiors of the royal palaces made at the instigation of William Henry Pyne between 1816 and 1819. The views were published by subscription, under the title History of the Royal Residences. A set of the views, some original watercolours, other heavily-coloured prints, were acquired by George, Prince Regent, for his library at Carlton House.
Catalogue entry from Royal Treasures, A Golden Jubilee Celebration, London 2002
Alternate title: 'The Gothic Dining Room, Carlton House.'
Descriptive Medium: 'Watercolour with touches of bodycolour and gum arabic over etched outlines', 'bodycolour, gum arabic', 'etching, watercolour painting'
Image Licence
All Rights Reserved
Image Credit
© Royal Collection Trust
Location
Carlton House, London, England
Country
England
Medium
Print
Tags
Category
Buildings & Architecture
