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Path: Photos > Photos > Basingstoke and Around > Petworth House
Tags: UK  2023  News  Museum  StatelyHome

Petworth House

 

(vero;2023-August-19)

Petworth House and Park are a National Trust property located in West Sussex, an easy day trip from Basingstoke. The house itself opens at 10:30 but the deer park (and the northern car park) are open from 08:00, so we came early to have a stroll through the park before visiting the house and its museum. The entrance fee to the house, the gardens and the park was 17£ for non-members when we visited in 2023, the northern car park was 3£ (free for members). Click here for up-to-date visitor information.

There are over 300 paintings at Petworth, including twenty by Turner, seventeen by Van Dyck, sixteen by Lely, sixteen by Reynolds, three by Blake, three by Gainsborough, six by Teniers and eight rare works by Elsheimer. We have created two galleries

We also have a blog entry with more information and an outline of the history of this grand house…

Inside: the Museum Collection
Somerset Room: this is the first one of the state rooms you enter after the Oak Hall.
Somerset Room: the Adoration of the Magi. Painted ca. 1515 and attributed to Hieronymus Bosch (c.1450-1516). Somerset Room: detail of the Adoration of the Magi (see previous photo). Painted ca. 1515 and attributed to Hieronymus Bosch (c.1450-1516). Somerset Room: detail of The Brussels Picture Gallery of the Archduke Leopold Wilhelm of Austria (1614-1662). Painted 1651 by David Teniers the younger (1610-1690). Somerset Room: detail of a ceramic vase from the collection assembled by Elizabeth Percy, 6th Duchess of Somerset. Somerset Room: another view of the room. Somerset Room: an Imaginary Church or Cathedral Interior. Painted in 1621 by Hendrick van Steenwyck the younger (c.1580-1649). Somerset Room: unknown Man in a Black Plumed Hat. Painted around 1515-1520 by Titian (1488/90-1576). The Square Dining Room, its walls covered by family portraits featuring seven generations. Marble Hall: statue of a Roman, dated ca. 1st-3rd century AD. The Marble Hall. The door to the right leads to the Square Dining Room, the one on the left leads to the Little Dining Room and the Carved Room. It used to be the main entrance and was known as the Hall of State. It has changed little since it was completed in 1692 and has nice views across the deer park. The Beauty Room: so-called for the portraits of the "Beauties" displayed on its walls. The door to the left leads to the Marble Hall and the one to the right to the Grand Staircase. The portraits in this room feature women who were part of the close circle of cousins and friends of the 6th Duke and Duchess of Somerset, all ladies of Queen Anne's court. Some of these portraits, which were painted by Swedish artist Michael Dahl (1659-1743) in the late 1690s, were originally full-length but the 3rd Earl of Egremont ordered that six of the paintings be cut to three-quarter length so that he could gain space for some new art works celebrating the Battle of Waterloo. Fortunately, the Earl's workers chose not to discard the cut pieces of canvas and instead roughly reattached and tacked them behind the paintings so that two of them could be restored to their full length in 2019 with more to follow. Rachel Russell (restored to her full length), Duchess of Devonshire (1674-1725). Painted c.1695-1699 by Michael Dahl (1659-1743). Grand Staircase: mural as trompe-l'oeil (oil on plaster) painted 1718-1720 by Louis Laguerre (1663-1721). There is a bust of Flora surrounded by flowers over the fake fireplace. The Grand Staircase was created by the 6th Duke of Somerset after the original room was devastated by a fire in 1714. The (quite uncomfortable looking) chairs on the left are so-called Sgabelli, a stool in Italian Renaissance style dating from the 1630s. Down the Grand Staircase with an opening leading to the Beauty Room. The painting on the left pictures Prometheus deceiving Jupiter over sacrificial offerings. Oil on plaster, painted 1718-1720 by Louis Laguerre (1663-1721). The monumental Kangxi blue and white jars are part of the collection assembled by Elizabeth Percy, 6th Duchess of Somerset. Grand Staircase: detail of a Chinese cabinet located in the hall down the Grand Staircase under the mural of Prometheus (see previous photo). Grand Staircase: mural on the ceiling representing the Creation of Pandora. Oil on plaster, painted 1718-1720 by Louis Laguerre (1663-1721). Grand Staircase: left of the trompe-l'oeil door on the landing is a representation of Architecture (impersonated by Venus) with Petworth House in the background. On the right is a representation of Music (impersonated by Apollo). Both murals are framed by two Caryatids. Oil on plaster, painted 1718-1720 by Louis Laguerre (1663-1721). Grand Staircase: detail of one of the murals in the grand staircase (oil on plaster) painted 1718-1720 by Louis Laguerre (1663-1721) Little Dining Room: Fulvia Pico della Mirandole, Comtesse de Randan (d.1607). French School, painted ca.1550. Little Dining Room: portrait of Emperor Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor and King of Spain (1500-1558). Flemish school, painted ca. 1516-1520. Little Dining Room with a door leading to the Marble Hall. The paintings of Charles V (see pic 21) and Fulvia (see pic 20) are below the big painting hanging over the fireplace. Little Dining Room. The door to the left leads to the Carved Room. Carved Room: its walls are adorned with limewood carvings by Grinling Gibbons. The middle space of the wall is taken by the painting of Henry VIII hanging over the fireplace (studio of Hans Holbein). To its left is a standing portrait of Charles Seymour, 6th Duke of Somerset (1662-1748) and next to it, the one of his wife Elizabeth Percy, Duchess of Somerset (1667-1722) and her son, Algernon Seymour. Both painted ca. 1690 by John Closterman (1660-1711). Below each portrait of the Somersets are two paintings of Petworth by Turner. Carved Room: its walls are adorned with limewood carvings by Grinling Gibbons. The middle space of the wall is taken by the painting of Henry VIII hanging over the fireplace (studio of Hans Holbein). To its right is the standing portrait of Frances Prynne, Lady Seymour of Trowbridge (d.1626) and next to it, the one of her husband Francis Seymour, 1st Baron Seymour of Trowbridge (c.1590-1664). Both painted by William Larkin (c.1585-1619). Below each portrait of the Seymours are two paintings of Petworth by Turner. Carved Room: portrait of Francis Seymour, 1st Baron Seymour of Trowbridge (c.1590-1664). Painted in the style of William Larkin (c.1585-1619). Carved Room: portrait of Frances Prynne, Lady Seymour of Trowbridge (d.1626). Painted ca. 1615 by William Larkin (c.1585-1619). Carved Room: portrait of Henry VIII (1491-1547). Painted ca 1543-1547, studio of Hans Holbein the younger (1497/8-1543). Carved Room: detail of the carved decoration by Grinling Gibbons. Carved Room: detail of the carved decoration by Grinling Gibbons. Carved Room: detail of the carved decoration by Grinling Gibbons. The pea-pod as pictured here is a signature of Gibbons. The pod was fully open when he had been fully paid for his work, closed when he had not been paid. In this case, some money seems to have been outstanding… View of the North Gallery with its wealth of paintings and sculptures. North Gallery: Catherine 'Kitty' Fisher, later Mrs Norris (d.1767). Painted 1759 by Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723-1792). A prominent British courtesan, she was one of the first celebrities who gained fame not for being an artist or a member of the aristocracy, but simply for being beautiful and promoted by the renowned artists who painted her and the features written about her in the media of the time. She died young, aged 25. North Gallery: the Card Players. Painted ca. 1535-1545 by Jan Massys (c.1509 -1575) North Gallery: detail of the Card Players (see previous photo). More paintings and sculptures in the North Gallery. North Gallery: Jessica (from William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, Act II, Scene V). Painted 1828 by Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775-1851). North Gallery: detail of the famous Molyneux Globe. This is the first English terrestrial globe and only surviving first edition. It was made in 1592 by the mathematician Emery Molyneux (d.1598). It was probably owned by Henry Percy (1564-1632), 9th Earl of Northumberland. Engravings by Jodocus Hondius (1563-1612), including ships and fantastical sea monsters. North Gallery: detail of the famous Molyneux Globe, dated 1592 by Emery Molyneux (d.1598). Materials used for the globe: paper, plaster, ink, pigment, sand. North Gallery: Gulliver presented to the Queen of Brobdignag (from Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels). Painted 1835 by Charles Robert Leslie (1794-1859). North Gallery: the Leconfield Chaucer. Page of a manuscript of the Canterbury Tales dated 1420-1440. The dialect and spelling include a significant number of West Midland and North Midland forms. North Gallery: statue of a British Pugilist, sculpted 1828 by John Charles Felix Rossi (1762-1839). North Gallery: Celadon and Amelia frightened by a storm. Sculpted 1821 by John Charles Felix Rossi (1762-1839).


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Outside: the House and the Park
The house seen from the park. CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Detail of the facade facing the park. The first room you enter after the shop and reception is the Oak Hall with a staircase leading to the upper floor (not open to the public). This has been the guest entrance to the mansion since at least 1743. Oak Hall: portrait of Napoléon as First Consul by Thomas Phillips (1770-1845). Oak Hall: Victorian weighing chair, circa 1869.Weighing chairs like this one were commonly found in the halls and cloakrooms of country houses and gentlemen' clubs. They were used for weighing jockeys, or to ascertain if guests had enjoyed their stay. When visiting a country house you would expect to be well indulged (see the Historic Kitchens!), therefore leave carrying a little more weight than when you arrived… The Chapel is one of the oldest surviving parts of the house and dates from the 1300s. The Medieval Chapel was transformed in the late 1600s by Charles Seymour, the 6th Duke of Somerset who was married to Elizabeth Percy. Chapel: the family pew is above the door and surrounded by painted wooden festoon curtains with angels supporting ducal arms and a coronet in the centre. The Latin quotation under the pew is taken from King Solomon's prayer at the dedication of the temple and translates as: "Can God really dwell on earth? The heaven of heavens cannot contain him, much less the house which I have built". Chapel: stained-glass window. The stained-glass windows highlight the many alliances of the Percy family and date back to the 1600s. Chapel: the windows on this side have been walled-up when the adjacent North Gallery was built and the stained-glass had to go. However the motives of the original windows were saved and recreated as painting to preserve the decoration of the chapel. Servants' Quarters: view of the Historic Kitchens. The black sink at the end of the table is a bain-marie. Built in the mid-18th century, the Servants' Quarters have changed little since Victorian times. The building would once have accommodated around 40 live-in servants, who were needed to support the large estate. In the year 1829 alone these kitchens served nearly 30,000 guests. Historic Kitchens: the cast iron cupboard and the copper pots on it are for keeping the food warm before it is served. Historic Kitchens: all kitchen appliances have been supplied by C. Jeakes and Co, of 51 Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London. They date from the 1870s. Historic Kitchens: the multi-use cast iron kitchen range to roast, grill, broil. Scullery: boiler used to produce hot water which is then distributed to the rest of the kitchen appliances. Note the steam gauge up on the wall. Left to it is a hot water cistern. Scullery: close-up of the boiler. Scullery: C. Jeakes, supplier of her Majesty Queen Victoria. Servants' Quarters: the Still Room. That's where maids prepared tea trays and other light refreshments for the family and their guests. Facade of the chapel facing the Servants' Quarters. The extension to its right is the North Gallery. The upper lake in the Deer Park with views of the South Downs in the distance. The 700-acre Deer Park was transformed in the 1750s and early 1760s by the landscape architect Capability Brown and is home to ancient trees and fallow deer. Decorative feature of the upper lake.

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Go back to Blenheim Palace or go on to Polesden Lacey or go up to Basingstoke and Around

$updated from: Basingstoke and Around.htxt Mon 04 Mar 2024 16:04:46 trvl2 (By Vero and Thomas Lauer)$