The interior decorations are attributed to Kent, who was assisted in
the plasterwork by the Italian, Artari. But the stone hall (Fig. 174)
follows Campbell’s drawing in the main, as may be seen by comparing
it with his sections in “Vitruvius Britannicus.” The ceiling is a
remarkable _tour de force_, and the cove, with its children disporting
themselves among the wreaths, is much admired. There is plenty of
movement and variety in it, but the figures are a little inclined to
obesity. The whole work perhaps suffers from being in too high relief,
but its vigour and freedom of design are incontestably admirable.
One of the principal rooms is called the marble dining-room, and
it was intended to be lined with marble throughout, but one side
only was carried out in this manner (Fig. 175). It includes a fine
chimney-piece, characteristic of the grander type then in vogue; on
either side of it are marble-lined recesses in which are placed marble
sideboards to correspond with their surroundings. The panel of the
chimney-piece contains a figure subject, a sacrifice to Bacchus, carved
by Rysbrach, and the decoration, both here and in the ceiling, consists
largely of grapes, a form of ornament highly appropriate to a room
devoted to entertainments in which deep drinking played an important
part. The woodwork throughout is exceedingly handsome; it is executed
for the most part in mahogany, a precious wood which had not previously
been used in great abundance. The doorway of the green state room is an
example of a rich treatment (Fig. 176), and Sir Robert’s dressing-room
one of a plainer handling (Fig. 177). The principal staircase has an
exceedingly massive mahogany balustrade (Fig. 178), and the walls are
decorated with figures and subjects in monochrome, by the hand of Kent
himself. Sir Robert is said by Walpole, in his “Anecdotes of Painting,”
to have purposely restricted the artist to this vehicle, having lively
misgivings as to Kent’s exploits in brighter and more varied pigments.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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