Scientific American Supplement, No. 312, December 24, 1881Various
Science
Scientific American Supplement, No. 312, December 24, 1881
Various
Science -- Periodicals
Little Sutton was an old house, parts of which were in existence
before the time of Cromwell. It is situated in a picturesque old
garden, surrounded by ivy-clad walls and fine trees, one of the cedars
being extraordinarily large and perfect, its huge branches covering a
space of over 90 ft. in diameter. The greater part of the old house,
being uninhabitable through decay, was pulled down; the old parts are
shown in black on the plan, and the new hatched. It is faced with red
bricks, and red Corsehill stone dressings, and covered with tiles The
plan was arranged so as to preserve the old kitchen, billiard-room,
morning room, and conservatory. The hall, entered from a veranda in
connection with the entrance-porch, is surrounded by a dado, the
height of doors; the lower panels are filled with tiles made to design
by the School of Art at Bombay. The woodwork is painted a mottled blue
color, harmonizing with the general tone of the tiles, the whole being
something the color of _lapis lazuli_. The staircase is divided from
the hall by three arches, through which is seen the staircase-window,
representing, in stained glass, the Earth, Air, and Water. Under the
central arch is the fireplace, on the hood of which will eventually be
a bronze figure of Orpheus, on a ground of mosaic. The floor is of
marble mosaic, and round the border are the various beasts listening
to the music, the trees and river, etc. Above the dado, and on the
wooden panels of ceiling, will be the birds, etc. The woodwork of
dining-room is plain American walnut, the panels of dado being filled
with dark Japanese leather-paper. The panels and beams of ceiling are
of stained and dull varnished fir. The drawing room woodwork, and
furniture throughout, is painted a mottled greenish blue, after the
same manner as the hall. The decorations of this room, when complete,
are intended to illustrate Chaucer's "House of Fame." The
chimney-piece, of alabaster, is surmounted by a Caen-stone design, on
a rock of glass, showing the entrance to the castle, with the various
figures mentioned in the poem, carved in half-round relief, and the
gateway itself also richly and quaintly carved; the rock of glass
representing the ice on which the castle was supposed to be built,
and on it are cut the various famous names of the world's history. In
the frieze all round the room will be the figure of Fame and the
various groups of suppliants, and the pillars with the groups
upholding the renown of ancient cities and nations, etc., executed in
very low relief, and painted on a ground of blue and gold. The panels
of ceilings will have conventional designs and the heavenly bodies on
ground of gold and blue. The morning and other rooms have no
particular scheme of decoration prepared, and are simply painted and
papered in quiet tones.
[Illustration: ARTISTS' HOMES No. 12--LITTLE SUTTON, CHISWICK.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account