The Home Beautiful: The James Wyatt Armchair, 1805

Oak Armchair
C. 1805
The Victoria & Albert Museum

There’s something wholly English about this open armchair of oak, with cluster-column legs. Crafted in the Gothic Revival style, it is decorated with a turned ring at half height, and square armrests which enclose gothic tracery carving . The back is pierced and divided by cluster-columns into three arcades with tracery carving, The top rail forms a pediment which surrounds further tracery motifs.

The chair is said to be the work of the architect James Wyatt (1746-1813) who may have made it for one of the interiors that the Prince Regent, later George IV, commissioned for Carlton House in London. Records show that the Gothic Library at Carlton House, was supplied with a set of oak seat furniture in 1808. This chair may belong to that set.

Curiously, the chair bears the inventory mark of Windsor Castle. The mark was added about 1835, indicating that this chair eventually ended up at Windsor around the time of William IV. Eight matching side chairs are still in the Royal Collection at Windsor Castle. Why or how this one escaped is something of a mystery.

Painting of the Day: Cardplayers in a Sunlit Room, 1658

Cardplayers in a Sunlit Room
Pieter de Hooch, 1658
Acquired by King George IV
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Pieter de Hooch (Rotterdam 1629-Amsterdam 1684), the great Dutch master produced this painting in 1658. Typical of Dutch painting of the era, and also demonstrative of de Hooch’s body of work, the finely rendered composition gives us a glimpse at an interior scene frozen in time.

The piece was acquired by King George IV (1762-1830) in 1825. The painting is notable because it’s illustrative of that brief moment in time when de Hooch and Vermeer were working simultaneously on similar subjects. While similar in approach and style, the two artists—when comparing respective works of this same year—clearly tackled their pieces with different spirits.

De Hooch’s masterful exploration of the quality of light is evident here. The fall of the filtered light on the detailed floor almost gives the composition a sense of being a landscape. This comparison is reinforced by the presence of a landscape on the wall.

This is one of two de Hooch paintings which were recorded in the inventory of King George IV’s personal residence, Carlton House. 

Precious Time: The Apollo Clock, Late Seventeenth Century



Clock
French
Late Seventeenth
Century
The Royal Collection



King George IV—even as a young prince and Prince Regent—had an insatiable desire to collect objects, especially those related to King Louis XIV of France and Versailles. His lust took Charles Foster Kane-like proportions, so much so that he often never even displayed the items which he collected, but kept them in storage after spending thousands of pounds on them. Was he a Royal hoarder or just passionate? We’ll never know. However, looking at his huge assemblage of items, we do know that he had very good taste.

George IV had such a desire to collect that he was known, as one does, to send his staff members out shopping for him. A favorite was His Majesty’s pastry chef, François Benois who often shopped for the Prince Regent/King. On one of his shopping expeditions in Paris, Benois came upon this important tall-case clock which had belonged to King Louis XIV as evidenced by Louis’ emblem, the mask of Apollo, which is nestled into the elaborate cresting of the case. Of course, Benois knew he had to return with this rather enormous timepiece and took great pains in doing so.

Upon arrival at Carlton House, this late Seventeenth Century clock—which George IV was said to greatly admire—was packed away in storage, never being displayed. Unlike Louis XIV, George IV had space issues in his residences. Presumably Louis never ran out of room at Versailles, but Carlton House wasn’t without its limits. Why George IV didn’t use this clock at the Brighton Pavillion, we’ll never know. However, it’s long life in storage has preserved it quite well so that future generations will be able to enjoy its magnificence. 

Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
via The Royal Collection Trust
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
via The Royal Collection Trust
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

The Home Beautiful: Vase Hollandois Nouvelle Forme

The Vases Hollandois
French, 1761
Purchased for King George IV for Carlton House
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection 
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

A creation of the Sèvres Porcelain Factory, dating to 1761, this pair of soft-paste porcelain vases boast a petit verd ground and gilded decoration.

The pair were urchased in Paris for George IV by François Benois at a cost of £80. They were meant to be used in the now long-demolished Carlton House, George IV’s monumentally elegant palace.

When the contents of Carlton House were removed before it was pulled down, all of its contents were inventoried. According to the Royal Collection, the pair was described in the ledgers thusly:

No 10. Two Flower Vases in 4 Parts, Painted Figures & Flowers, Turquoise Blue Ground & Gold Remarks: Delivered to Mr Watier April 24th 1829 to be placed in the Store Room at St James’s Cost £80’. 

After languishing in storage for many years, Queen Victoria had the pair moved to Buckingham Palace where they remain to this day.

Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection

Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection

Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection

Her Majesty's Furniture: The James Wyatt Armchair, 1805

Oak Armchair
C. 1805
The Victoria & Albert Museum

There’s something wholly English about this open armchair of oak, with cluster-column legs. Crafted in the Gothic Revival style, it is decorated with a turned ring at half height, and square armrests which enclose gothic tracery carving . The back is pierced and divided by cluster-columns into three arcades with tracery carving, The top rail forms a pediment which surrounds further tracery motifs.

The chair is said to be the work of the architect James Wyatt (1746-1813) who may have made it for one of the interiors that the Prince Regent, later George IV, commissioned for Carlton House in London. Records show that the Gothic Library at Carlton House, was supplied with a set of oak seat furniture in 1808. This chair may belong to that set.

Curiously, the chair bears the inventory mark of Windsor Castle. The mark was added about 1835, indicating that this chair eventually ended up at Windsor around the time of William IV. Eight matching side chairs are still in the Royal Collection at Windsor Castle. Why or how this one escaped is something of a mystery.

Precious Time: The Jean-Pierre Latz Clock, 1735-1740

Rococo Clock
Jean-Pierre Latz
1735-1740
French
The Royal Collection

King George IV collected a variety of different objects, but he was always quite passionate about those which had some connection to France. In 1816, while still Prince Regent, George purchased this clock which was said to have been from the collection of the Palace of Versailles. The clock, designed by Jean-Pierre Latz between 1735 and 1740 in a distinct Rococo style, was actually quite out of fashion by 1816 as Neoclassicism was on the rise.


Regardless of its out-moded (for the time) design, the association with Versailles was too enticing to the Prince Regent. He displayed the clock as the centerpiece of The Grand Staircase.

Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Images Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Painting of the Day: The Blue Velvet Closet at Carlton House, 1818

Carlton House:
The Blue Velvet Closet
Charles Wilde, 1818
Commissioned by King George IV
The Royal Collection

As we’ve learned previously, King George IV made redecorating Carlton House one of his favorite pet projects. He fretted over the designs of the house, making sure that his residence was properly befitting his station. We know that George IV had a penchant for French design. So, it’s no surprise that many of the motifs in the décor incorporated gilt fleur de lis.


Such is the case with “The Blue Velvet Closet.” Prior to 1818, this room actually was a small dressing room which adjoined an opulent bedchamber. George IV had the wall between the two rooms removed, moved the chimney piece to the farthest end of the room and created a large space to house his collection of Dutch art. As a backdrop for his cherished collection, he chose rich blue velvet adorned with a gold pattern of fleur de lis.

As was often the case with the Royal Family whenever a redecoration project was completed, they had the room recorded by painters who could ensure that the hard work of overhauling private suites would always be recognized. In this instance, Charles Wild was recruited for the job and did an excellent job showing the beauty of one of King George IV’s favorite rooms. 

Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Painting of the Day: Cardplayers in a Sunlit Room, 1658

Cardplayers in a Sunlit Room
Pieter de Hooch, 1658
Acquired by King George IV
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Pieter de Hooch (Rotterdam 1629-Amsterdam 1684), the great Dutch master produced this painting in 1658. Typical of Dutch painting of the era, and also demonstrative of de Hooch’s body of work, the finely rendered composition gives us a glimpse at an interior scene frozen in time.

The piece was acquired by King George IV (1762-1830) in 1825. The painting is notable because it’s illustrative of that brief moment in time when de Hooch and Vermeer were working simultaneously on similar subjects. While similar in approach and style, the two artists—when comparing respective works of this same year—clearly tackled their pieces with different spirits.

De Hooch’s masterful exploration of the quality of light is evident here. The fall of the filtered light on the detailed floor almost gives the composition a sense of being a landscape. This comparison is reinforced by the presence of a landscape on the wall.

This is one of two de Hooch paintings which were recorded in the inventory of King George IV’s personal residence, Carlton House. 

The Home Beautiful: Vase Hollandois Nouvelle Forme

The Vases Hollandois
French, 1761
Purchased for King George IV for Carlton House
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

A creation of the Sèvres Porcelain Factory, dating to 1761, this pair of soft-paste porcelain vases boast a petit verd ground and gilded decoration.

The pair were urchased in Paris for George IV by François Benois at a cost of £80. They were meant to be used in the now long-demolished Carlton House, George IV’s monumentally elegant palace.

When the contents of Carlton House were removed before it was pulled down, all of its contents were inventoried. According to the Royal Collection, the pair was described in the ledgers thusly:

No 10. Two Flower Vases in 4 Parts, Painted Figures & Flowers, Turquoise Blue Ground & Gold Remarks: Delivered to Mr Watier April 24th 1829 to be placed in the Store Room at St James’s Cost £80’. 

After languishing in storage for many years, Queen Victoria had the pair moved to Buckingham Palace where they remain to this day.

Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection

Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection

Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection

Her Majesty's Furniture: The Marsh and Tatham Reading Chairs

One of a Pair of Chairs Made for Carlton House, 1805
Commissioned by King George IV
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

These handsome chairs from the Royal Collection have been attributed to the furniture makers Marsh & Tatham. The pair was made in 1805 for the library at Carlton House during King George IV’s long redecoration project. The pair can be seen in watercolor depictions of the room.

The pair of reading chairs are constructed of ebonized wood and ivory and are upholstered in deep red leather. The back of the chair has been created in a horseshoe design which is formed by the horizontal arms.

Her Majesty's Furniture: The James Wyatt Armchair, 1805

Oak Armchair
C. 1805
The Victoria & Albert Museum

There’s something wholly English about this open armchair of oak, with cluster-column legs. Crafted in the Gothic Revival style, it is decorated with a turned ring at half height, and square armrests which enclose gothic tracery carving . The back is pierced and divided by cluster-columns into three arcades with tracery carving, The top rail forms a pediment which surrounds further tracery motifs.

The chair is said to be the work of the architect James Wyatt (1746-1813) who may have made it for one of the interiors that the Prince Regent, later George IV, commissioned for Carlton House in London. Records show that the Gothic Library at Carlton House, was supplied with a set of oak seat furniture in 1808. This chair may belong to that set.

Curiously, the chair bears the inventory mark of Windsor Castle. The mark was added about 1835, indicating that this chair eventually ended up at Windsor around the time of William IV. Eight matching side chairs are still in the Royal Collection at Windsor Castle. Why or how this one escaped is something of a mystery.

Precious Time: The Apollo Clock, Late Seventeenth Century



Clock
French
Late Seventeenth
Century
The Royal Collection



King George IV—even as a young prince and Prince Regent—had an insatiable desire to collect objects, especially those related to King Louis XIV of France and Versailles. His lust took Charles Foster Kane-like proportions, so much so that he often never even displayed the items which he collected, but kept them in storage after spending thousands of pounds on them. Was he a Royal hoarder or just passionate? We’ll never know. However, looking at his huge assemblage of items, we do know that he had very good taste.

George IV had such a desire to collect that he was known, as one does, to send his staff members out shopping for him. A favorite was His Majesty’s pastry chef, François Benois who often shopped for the Prince Regent/King. On one of his shopping expeditions in Paris, Benois came upon this important tall-case clock which had belonged to King Louis XIV as evidenced by Louis’ emblem, the mask of Apollo, which is nestled into the elaborate cresting of the case. Of course, Benois knew he had to return with this rather enormous timepiece and took great pains in doing so.

Upon arrival at Carlton House, this late Seventeenth Century clock—which George IV was said to greatly admire—was packed away in storage, never being displayed. Unlike Louis XIV, George IV had space issues in his residences. Presumably Louis never ran out of room at Versailles, but Carlton House wasn’t without its limits. Why George IV didn’t use this clock at the Brighton Pavillion, we’ll never know. However, it’s long life in storage has preserved it quite well so that future generations will be able to enjoy its magnificence.

Her Majesty’s Furniture: A Bergère from the Collection of King George IV

Bergère
Morel & Hughes, 1812
The Royal Collection

This magnificent bergère (an enclosed, upholstered French chair) is one of a pair which belonged to King George IV. Made in 1812 by the fashionable London firm of Morel & Hughes for George IV’s Carlton House, the pair reflects the fascination with Greek-inspired designs which prevailed at the time.


George IV, especially while Prince Regent, very much appreciated design and tried to stay abreast of “modern” trends. He took great pride in his collections and reveled in showing off his opulent homes.

Precious Time: The Jean-Pierre Latz Clock, 1735-1740

Rococo Clock
Jean-Pierre Latz
1735-1740
French
The Royal Collection

King George IV collected a variety of different objects, but he was always quite passionate about those which had some connection to France. In 1816, while still Prince Regent, George purchased this clock which was said to have been from the collection of the Palace of Versailles. The clock, designed by Jean-Pierre Latz between 1735 and 1740 in a distinct Rococo style, was actually quite out of fashion by 1816 as Neoclassicism was on the rise.


Regardless of its out-moded (for the time) design, the association with Versailles was too enticing to the Prince Regent. He displayed the clock as the centerpiece of The Grand Staircase at Carlton House.