chinese wallpaper in national trust houses - nt.global.ssl ... · flowers, the liveliest i ever saw...
TRANSCRIPT
Chinese Wallpaper in National Trust Houses
Chinese Wallpaper in National Trust Housesby Emile de Bruijn, Andrew Bush and Helen Clifford
Contents
3 Chinese Wallpaper: Eastern Images in Western Interiors
13 The Catalogue
48 Bibliography and Acknowledgements
2 Chinese Wallpaper in National Trust Houses
3
ChineseWallpaperwasassimilatedintoasuccessionofwesternstylesofdecoration,frombaroqueandrococotoneoclassicalandVictorian.ItwasassociatedwiththegrandeurandcontinuityofChinesecivilisationwhileatthesametimeepitomisingtheperceivedfrivolityoffemininetaste.Itwas–andis–anextraordinarilysuccessfulandlong-lastingproduct.
A Trickle of Chinese PicturesChinesewallpaperseemstohavedevelopedoutofacombinationofthreefactors:theEuropeantasteforChinesepictures,thecapacityoftheEastIndiaCompaniestoshipgoodsacrosstheglobeandtheabilityoftheChinesepaintingworkshopstorespondtowesterndemand.ThebulkofthemerchandisebroughtfromChinatoEuropeconsistedoftea,rawsilkand,toalesserextent,porcelain1,butthiswasaccompaniedbyatrickleofChinesepicturesandprints,mainlybroughtbackintheprivateconsignmentsofEastIndiaCompanyemployees.Inthelate1660stheinventoriesfortheFrenchking’spalaceatVersaillesbegantolistChinesescreensdecoratedwithpaintingsonpaperandsilk.2InEnglandthediaristJohnEvelynnoticed‘Indian[...]Schreens&Hangings’inQueenMaryII’sapartmentinWhitehallPalacein1693–‘Indian’beingsynonymouswith‘Chinese’or‘Asian’intheimpreciseparlanceofthetime.3
InthelateseventeenthandearlyeighteenthcenturiesChinese,JapaneseandIndianobjectsandmaterialsbecamestandardcomponentsofgrandEuropeaninteriors.Lacquerscreenswereinsertedintowallpanelling,ascanstillbeseenatBurtonAgnesHall,EastYorkshire.4ThefirstknowncaseofChinesepaintingsbeingusedinwallpanellingwasatthechâteaudeWaleffe,inFaimesinpresent-
dayBelgium,shortlyafter17005,andby1722theCountessofCastlemaine’sparlouratWansteadHouse,Essex,was‘finelyadorn’dwithChinapaper,thefiguresofmen,women,birdsandflowers,theliveliestIeversawcomefromthatcountry.’6
Chinesepictureswerealsohungasself-contained,framedworksofart,asatHanburyHall,Worcestershire,where‘NineIndiapicturesinblackframes’wererecordedashanginginthe‘withdrawingroomnexttheparlour’in1721.7Thewithdrawingroomalsocontained‘aJapancornercupboard’anda‘Japannedteatable’anditseemstohavebeenaroomwheretheladyofthehousecouldserveteatohermoreintimateguests.
Winning SoftnessTheuseofChinesepicturesinladies’apartmentsatWansteadandHanburyisrepresentativeofthetendencytoassociateAsianobjectsanddecorationwithwomenandwithdomesticspacesusedpredominantlybywomen.Oftheitemsinthiscataloguewithknownlocationsabout40percentwereinbedrooms,about35percentindressingroomsandabout25percentindrawingrooms.OnlyoneoftheChinesewallpapersinthiscatalogueisknowntohavehunginalibrary.Itseemstohavebeenrare,atleastinBritain,forChinesewallpapertohavebeenusedinthe‘masculine’orformalareasofahouse.
Distinctfromthestateapartmentsandgreatroomsassociatedwiththemaleheadofthehousehold,‘feminine’areassuchasbedrooms,dressingroomsanddrawingroomsseemtohavebeenpoisedbetweentheprivateandthepublicsphere.8Fromtheearlyeighteenthcenturyonwardsthereappearstohavebeenatendencytolinkorientalism,femininityandsociability.9Thecelebrated‘bluestocking’Elizabeth
Chinese Wallpaper: Eastern Images in Western Interiors
Opposite OneofthepictureshungaswallpaperinthestudyatSaltram(cat.40).Manyoftheelementsinthisgardenscene–elegantwomen,picturesquerocks,balustradesandbamboofencing,plantsinpotsandbamboo–alsooccurinChinesewallpaperproper.
4 Chinese Wallpaper in National Trust Houses
Montagu(1718–1800),forinstance,heldherintellectualgatheringsinherdressingroomatherandherhusband’shouseat23(now31)HillStreet,Mayfair,London,whichwasdecoratedinorientaliststyleandwhichshecalledher‘ChineseRoom’.
Whencompletedinitsfirstincarnationinabout1752thisroomincludedChinesewallpaper,curtainsmadeof‘Chinesepicturesongauze’,Chinesepaintedsilkcushions,porcelainvesselsandfigurinesandawritingtableandacabinetonstandbythecabinetmakersWilliamandJohnLinnellincorporatinglacquer.10ElizabethMontagureferredtothisdecoration,withplayfulself-mockery,as‘theTempleofsomeIndiangod’,butapartfrombeinganexpressionofpersonaltasteitmayalsohaveservedasareassuringlyfemininecounter-balancetoherintellectualandliteraryinterests,whichatthattimewouldhavebeenseenasshockinglymasculine.11In1767,afterhavinghadtheroomredonebyRobertAdam(1728–92)–possiblyhisonlyschemeintheChinesemanner–ElizabethMontagumadethemale-femaledichotomyevenmoreexplicitwhenshewrote:‘Iassureyouthe
dressingroomisnowjustthefemaleofthegreatroom,forsweetattractivegrace,forwinningsoftness,forle je ne sais quoiitisincomparable.’12
Printed and Painted ThestrongdemandforsetsofpicturestobeusedaswalldecorationeventuallypromptedthedevelopmentofChinesewallpaperproper,thatistosaysetsofpaper(oroccasionallysilk,seecat.39)dropsspecificallymadetodecoratetheentirewallsurfaceofaroom.Theearliestsurvivingsecurelydatedexamplesarefromaround1750(cat.17).Chinesewallpaperwastypicallymadeupofthreelayersofpaper,consistingofsheetsofthinhandmadepapermadefrombastfibres–materialfromtheinnerbarkoftreessuchasthepapermulberryandbluesandalwoodtree–oftenbackedbyathickerpapermadeofbamboofibresandalladheredtogetherwithstarchpaste.Thepresenceofthislaminatedpaperstructure,usedtoprovidethelargesheetswithstructuralintegrity,canhelptodistinguishfragmentsofwallpaperfromindividualpictures,whichtendednottohavethisadditionallining
Above ThreetechniquesforproducingtheimageryonChinesewallpaper:(left)printedoutlineswithcolouraddedbyhand;(centre)printedoutlineswithadditionaldetailsandcolouraddedbyhand;(right)entirelyhand-painted.
Chinese Wallpaper: Eastern Images in Western Interiors 5
(e.g.cat.9).Thepaperwasusuallycoatedwithawhiteorcolouredgroundtowhichpowderedmicacouldbeaddedtogivetheappearanceofshimmeringsilk(cats.33and34).TheuseofsuchgroundsisrelativelyunusualinChinesepainting13,anditsprevalenceinwallpapermayreflectaresponsetothewesternmarket.
Theoutlinesofthedesignweretheneitherprinted–especiallyprevalentinearlier,mid-eighteenth-centurywallpapers–orpaintedbyhand.Wood-blockprintingisinevidenceinapproximately25percentofthewallpapersinthiscatalogue(cats.7,8,11,17,21,29,30,38and44).Theprintingoftenextendsbeyondtheoutlinestoincludevariousotherdetails(e.g.cat.38).Closeexaminationofrepeatedelementsonsomepaintedwallpaperssuggeststhattheywereproducedbythemeticuloustracingofmotifsfromacommonmodel(e.g.cat.6).Thepaintedoutlinesonotherwallpapersshowamorelooseandfluidindicationofthefinaldesign(e.g.cats.33–5).Insomewallpapersthepaintedorprintedoutlinesarecompletelyobscuredbytheopaquecoloursaddedbyhand.Pigmentswerepreparedandboundinanimalglue,andappliedusingavarietyofbrushes,includingtypeswithmultipleheadsusedtocreaterepresentationsofmassedleavesandgrasses(e.g.cat.4).
Gardens and LandscapesIncontrasttotheChineseporcelainproducedforexport,whichwasoftendecoratedwithwesternmotifs,ChinesewallpaperretaineditsindigenousChineseimagerytoaconsiderabledegree.OftheChinesewallpapersinBritainandIrelandidentifiedsofar(seemap)about60percentwasdecoratedwithfloweringtreesandplants,birds,insectsandrocks,representingidealisedevocationsofChinesegardens.Thiskindofsceneryappearedinabout1750andwasthereafterproducedmoreorlesscontinuouslyuntilthesecondhalfofthenineteenthcentury.Theearlierexamplestendtobemorepainterly,i.e.closerinstyletotraditionalChinesepainting,whereaslaterexamplesaremore
stylised,sometimeswithboldlycolouredbackgrounds.Themannerofdepictingbutterflies,too,generallybecomesmorestylisedinlaterwallpapers.
AmuchsmallergroupofChinesewallpapers,about15percentofthetotalandmainlyproducedduringthesecondhalfoftheeighteenthcentury,isdecoratedwithhumanfiguresshowninlandscapesettingsandengagedinagricultural,manufacturingandotheractivities.Thistypeofwallpapertendedtobemoreexpensive,presumablybecauseitwasmorelabour-andmaterial-intensivetoproduce.14ThepanoramiclandscapeimageryseemstohavebeenpartlyderivedfromtheChinesetraditionoflandscapehandscrolls,suchastheoneknownas‘ProsperousSuzhou’(Gusu fanhua tu),completedbyXuYang(activec.1750–76)in1759.15Thishandscrollandotherslikeitutilisedabird’s-eye-viewperspective,ahorizontalsweepandahighlevelofdetail–stylisticelementsthatarealsoevidentinfigurallandscapewallpapers.
Someoftheagriculturalandmanufacturingmotifsinfiguralwallpapers,moreover,arebasedonsetsofpicturescelebratingtheproductionofrice,silkandporcelain–includingtheYuzhi gengzhi tuor‘PicturesofTillingandWeaving’,producedbyJiaoBingzhen(activelate1680s–1722)fortheKangxiEmperor(1662–1722)in1696andtheTaoye tuor‘PicturesofPorcelainProduction’producedfortheQianlongEmperor(1711–99)in1743.ThesesetsofimagesexpressedtheofficialimperialviewofChinaasaharmoniouslyordered,happilyproductiverealm.16Theyweresubsequentlydisseminatedinprintedformandeventuallyalsofoundtheirwayontowallpapersmadeforthewesternmarket–togetherwithimagesofteaproduction,whichseemtohavecomefromothersources.Inspiteofadegreeofidealisation–inspiredbythepoliticalsignificanceoftheimagery–manyofthedetailsarerealistic.Thisisconfirmed,forinstance,bytheclearresemblancebetweenthebuildingsdepictedinmanyofthefiguralwallpapersandtheMing-andQing-periodarchitecturesurvivinginvillagesintheHuizhouareaofAnhuiprovinceandelsewhere.17
6 Chinese Wallpaper in National Trust Houses
Hybrids and CollagesAnotherrelativelysmallgroupofwallpapers,about10percentofthetotalnumber,wasdecoratedwithfiguresalongtheloweredgecombinedwithtreesandbambootoweringabove.Liketheuseofcolouredbackgrounds,thistypeofdecorationseemstohavebeenalaterelaboration,appearingfromthe1790sonwards.Thehybridityofthesceneryillustrateshowthedifferentelementsandmotifscouldbecombinedwithaconsiderabledegreeofflexibility.Othersurvivingwallpapersdisplayfurthervariations,suchasalandscapeseenthroughascreenoftrees(cat.36),alandscapewithextra-largebuildingsandfigures,orgardenscenerywithastreamorpondrunningthroughit(cat.35),orwithbirdcages,baskets,plantsinpots(cat.33),balustradesandgardenwalls.
Afinalgroupcomprisingabout15percentofthetotalconsistsofindividualChinesepicturesusedaswallpaper,eitherarrangedseparately(cat.16)oraswall-coveringcollages(cats.38and40).AlthoughChinesewallpaperproperseemstohavedevelopedoutoftheuseofpicturesaswalldecoration,thelattercontinuedtobeusedalongsidetheformeruntilabout1800.Thisphenomenonseemstoberelatedtothedevelopmentoftheprintroomduringthesecondhalfoftheeighteenthcentury,inwhichEuropeanprintswerepastedonthewallsinsymmetricalconfigurationsandwithadditionalpaperbordersanddecorations.TheChinesepaintingsworkshopsrespondedtothepersistentpopularityof‘picturesusedaswallpaper’bycreatingready-madeprint-room-stylewallpaper(cats.29and31).Insomeofthesethebordersaresoprominentastopracticallyinverttherelationshipbetweenmarginandcentre.
Below Tinqua’spaintingworkshop,Guangzhou,c.1830,showingsomeofthetypesofpicturesproducedfortheexportmarket.
Chinese Wallpaper: Eastern Images in Western Interiors 7
Workshop MethodsVerylittleisasyetknownabouttheworkshopswhichcreatedthesewallpapersandpictures.ItisassumedfromscarcewesternreferencesthattheyweresituatedinGuangzhou,closetothewesterntradingpostsalongthewaterfront,andthattheywerefamily-run,astendedtobethecasewithChineseartandcraftworkshops.18Occasionallynamesofwhatwerepresumablyworkshopmanagersorownersarementionedinthosesamesources,andsomeattemptshavebeenmadetolinkthemtocertaingroupsofwallpapers(cat.39).Therepetitionofmoreorlessidenticalmotifs,eitherwithinthesamescheme(cats.6and40)orappearingindifferentwallpapers(cats.3,4,12,15,17,19,21,22,24,27and39)certainlysuggestsacommonorigin.Theworkshopsprobablyhadarchivesofmasterdesignswhichcouldbeusedtorecreatethesamebasicpatternasoftenasrequiredandeitherpreciselyorwithvariations.
Thepracticeofproducingnumerousversionsofthesameimagedatesbacktoatleastthetwelfthcentury,whenworkshopsintheportcityofNingboareknowntohavesuppliedstockBuddhistpaintingsfordomesticandAsianexportmarkets.19Theseworkshopswereoperatingwithinthe‘academic’or‘professional’pictorialtradition,withitsanonymousandrelativelyhumbleartistsandhighlydetailed,colourfulimagery.Thepaintingstheyproducedwerevaluednotsomuchasuniqueexpressionsofartisticsensibility,butasdecorativeaccoutrementsforspecificseasonal,socialandceremonialoccasions.20Thesepicturesneededtoworkinconcertwithotherluxuryobjectsinupper-classinteriors,andtheythereforehadtobebothvisuallypleasingandsymbolicallyappropriate.
Auspicious SymbolsChinesewallpaperisanoffshootofthisprofessionalpaintingtradition,whichpartlyexplainsthepresenceofsomanysymbolicmotifsinitsimagery.Birdsareoftendepictedinpairs,areferencetomarital,societalandcosmicharmony.Inaddition,manyplantsandanimalshavespecificsymbolicmeanings(althoughlimitationsofspacepreventadetaileddiscussionofthemhere).Theimportanceofauspiciousorpositivesymbolsledtoaconsiderabledegreeofidealisationandstylisationinthefloraandfaunadepicted.Althoughthegeneralidentityofmanyoftheplants,birdsandinsectsshowninthewallpapersinthiscatalogueisfairlyobvious,ithasoftenproveddifficulttodeterminetheexactspecies.21Thismayalsopartlybeaconsequenceofthetechnicalworkingpracticesofthepaintingstudios,wheremotifsweregenerallycopiedfromconventionallyrenderedmasterdesignsratherthandirectlyfromnature.
AlthoughfloralandfiguralwallpapersasdescribedheredonotseemtohavebeenusedinChineseinteriors,theredidinfactexistawell-establishedpracticeoftreatinginteriorwallsasdecorativesurfacestobe
Right TheinterioroftheJuanqinzhai,apavilionintheForbiddenCityinBeijingbuiltfortheretiredQianlongEmperorinthelateeighteenthcenturyanddecoratedwitharchitecturalscenerypaintedonsilk,whichinsomewaysisreminiscentofthewallpapermadeforexporttothewest.
8 Chinese Wallpaper in National Trust Houses
enlivenedwithtexture,colour,patternandimagery.22Paperwallcoveringsofvariouskindswereusedacrossthesocialspectrum,fromvernaculardwellingstoimperialpalaces.Therecentlyrestoredsilkhangingspaintedwithtrompe l’oeilsceneryintheJuanqinzhai(StudioofExhaustionfromDiligentService),constructedintheForbiddenCityinBeijingfortheretiredQianlongEmperorinthelateeighteenthcentury,representahigh-end,customisedparalleltothewallpaperproducedforexporttothewest.23
MostoftheiconographicsubtletiesofChinesewallpaperwereofcourselostonitswesternaudience,anditwasregularlydescribedasfancifulormeaningless.24OneofthekeyattractionsofChinesewallpaperforwesternconsumersseemstohavebeenitssheervisualbeautyandtechnicalfinesse.25ThiswascoupledwiththehighesteeminwhichChinawasheldineighteenth-centuryBritain,asacountrythatmanagedtocombineancientvirtuewithmoderncommerce.26Inaddition,therewastheexcitingfrissonofexoticism,whichfedoffandinturnreinforcedtheunintelligibleforeignnessofthescenery.
The Paper-hanger’s ArtChinesewallpaperenteredBritainthroughtheportofLondon,wherethecargoesoftheEastIndiaCompany’sshipswereunloaded.ImportedAsiangoodscouldbeboughtattheauctionsheldbytheCompanyatitsheadquartersatEastIndiaHouseinLeadenhallStreet,andthisiswheretheBritishtrademusthavesourcedmuchofitsstocksofChinesewallpaper,althoughitalsoappearstohavebeenpossibleforprivateindividualstobuythemthere(cat.6).ThewallpaperswerethensoldonthroughshopsinLondonandelsewhere,aswellasthroughdecoratingfirmssuchasCromptonandSpinnage(cats.12and13)andBromwichandLeigh(cats.31and41)andcabinetmakerssuchasThomasChippendale(cats.12and24–26)andpossiblyWilliamandJohnLinnell(cats.23and28).SomeChinesewallpaperswerealsobeingsupplieddirectlythroughacquaintancesorfamilymembersemployedbytheEastIndiaCompany(cat.18).
LadyamateursseemtohavebeeninvolvedinthehangingorembellishmentofChinesewallpapertosomedegree27,butthehighcostofthematerialandthespecialisttechnicalskillsrequiredtohangitproperlymeantthatthemaintaskofinstallationwasusuallyundertakenbyprofessionalhangers.Becauseofthepanoramicnatureofthesceneryandtherelativescarcityofthewallpaperitwouldhaverequiredcarefulplanningtofititintothegivenwallspaceswithoutcompromisingtheoverallvisualeffect.Themostcommonprocedurewastostretchcanvasoranotheropen-weavefabricacrossthebarewallandnailitdownontowoodenbattens,thentosizeitandtocoveritwithaliningofindividualsheetsofEuropeanhand-madepaper,andfinallytoattachtheChinesepaperontop.Ifthedropsdidnotquitecoverthewalls,thepaperhangerswouldaddborderpapers,unobtrusivelyinsertsectionsofwallpapertakenfromelsewhere(cats.17and38),oraddnew,extendedskies(cat.6).ThegreaterwidthofChinesewallpapersandthedifferentreactionofChinesepapertowallpaperpastepresentedadditionalchallenges.IntheiradvertisementspaperhangerswouldthereforeexplicitlyandproudlymentiontheirabilitytohangChinesewallpaper.28
BelowDetailoftheChinesewallpaperatFelbriggHall,wherethepaperhangerJohnScruttonintegratedvariousfragmentsalongthebottomedgetoextendtheheightofthepaper.
9Chinese Wallpaper: Eastern Images in Western Interiors
Distribution and SurvivalThemapshownonthefollowingpagesincludestheBritishandIrishhousesthatarecurrentlyknownbytheauthorstohaveorhavehadChinesewallpaper.InspiteoftheinevitableconcentrationofChinesewallpaperinsouth-eastEngland,itisneverthelessremarkabletoseehowthisfragileluxuryproductpenetratedintoalmostallofthecornersoftheBritishIsles,fromCountyMayotoNorfolkandfromCornwalltoScotland.AnadvertisementbytheDublinwallpapermerchantsRyves,DarkinandCo.,repeatedlyplacedinalocalnewspaperbetweenNovember1770andJune1771,givesaninsightintohowthetradeoperatedandwhattypesofChinesewallpaperwouldhavebeenavailableinIrelandatthattime.Itmentionsthatsincethecompanyis:
‘connected with a gentleman of the greatest eminence in the paper way in London, who constantly attends the India sales,[Ryves,Darkin&Co.]are now furnished with a variety of India landscapes, both for ornamenting rooms by way of pictures, or hanging them entirely, and a large parcel of the finest sheets of India birds and flowers in different grounds[...].’29
Apartfromtheenduringpopularityofthesewallpapers,theirphysicalsurvivalisanequallyastonishingphenomenon.Inevitablythepapershaveaged,notleastasaresultofuseandimperfectenvironments.Typicaldeteriorationandconservationchallengesincludedelaminationandstainingofthepaper,fadingandlocalisedflakingofcertainpigments,inappropriaterepairs(includingoverpainting,asinthecaseofcats.15,19,21)andlosscausedbythegrazingofsilverfish.However,theconservationofChinesewallpapersinthewesthasdevelopedconsiderablyoverthelastfewdecadesand,asmanyoftheentriesinthiscatalogueshow,examinationofindividualwallpapersbyconservatorshasoftenenhancedourunderstandingofthem.
Country House ContextTheaimofthiscatalogueistodescribeandanalysetheChinesewallpapersandrelatedChinesepicturesinthehistorichousesownedbytheNationalTrust–includingthosestillextant,eitheronthewallsorinfragmentaryform,andthoselostbutrecorded.Ontheonehand,thewallpapersandrelateddecorativeschemesdiscussedheredonotcoverthewholespectrumofstyles,subjectsandperiods.Ontheotherhand,theNationalTrustdoeslookafterthelargestcollectionofChinesewallpapersonpermanentpublicdisplayintheworld.Moreover,thehistoricalandphysicalcontextofthesewallpapers–thecountryhousestheywerehunginandthefamilieswhoownedthosehouses–providesvaluablecluesastohowtheywereacquired,howtheywereinstalledandhowtheywereappreciated.TheauthorshavetriedtodeepenthiscontextwhereverpossiblebycomparingtheChinesewallpapersinthecareoftheNationalTrustwithrelatedexamplessurvivingorrecordedelsewhere.
TheinherentambiguityofChinesewallpaper,poisedasitisbetweeneastandwest,artanddecoration,haspromptedamulti-disciplinaryapproach,withcontributionsfromhistoricinteriorcuratorship,wallpaperconservation,economichistory,materialculturestudiesandChinesearthistory.TheresearchforthiscataloguehasresultedintheformationofaninformalChinesewallpaperstudygroupincludingexpertsfromallofthosefieldsandfromacrosstheworld.Theirgenerousandinsightfuldiscussionshavegreatlycontributedtothecatalogue.MuchremainstobediscoveredaboutChinesewallpaperinitsBritish,European,AmericanandofcourseChinesecontext,andtheauthorshopethatthissmallpublicationwillbeasteppingstoneforfurtherresearch.
10 Chinese Wallpaper in National Trust Houses
134
9781
30
70
73
63
141
13839
72
10887
54
31
10522
6895
5749
47
113
58
93
15
104
71
79
92
120
40
23
124
128
4949 102
883
11119
64 7535
91
126
12332
133
13920
114117
7
36
42
137
2565 67
6948
129
82
98
45
13
17
53 3
5100
9952
14
3733
1962
121
122
2612
11166
861841
88130
89
3874
55
135
140
76
107
44
109
1659
50
78
132
112
56110
136
34
118
2760
96
51
85
28
776
145
116
134
9781
30
70
73
63
141
80
13839
72
10887
54
31
10522
6895
5749
47
113
58
93
15
104
71
79
92
120
40
23
124
128
4949 102
883
11119
64 7535
91
126
12332
133
13920
114117
7
36
42
137
2565 67
6948
129
82
98
45
13
17
53 3
5100
9952
14
3733
1962
121
122
2612
11166
861841
88130
89
3874
55
135
46
115
21
149
125
147
140
76
107
44
109
1659
50
78
132
112
56110
136
34
118
127
2760
96
51
85
28
776
10
103
145
116
148
Other Properties
Uncertain (37)1701-1725 (1)1726-1750 (4)1751-1775 (24)1776-1800 (16)1801-1825 (12)
1826-1850 (16)1851-1875 (3)1901-1925 (1)1926-1950 (5)1951- (3)Multiple date ranges (3)
National Trust Properties
Uncertain (4)1726-1750 (1)1751-1775 (11)1776-1800 (1)
1826-1850 (1)1851-1875 (1)1926-1950 (1)Multiple date ranges (4)
Richmond and Central London
London
Twickenham
Middlesex
Richmondupon Thames
Kingston uponThames
84
2
101
2429
43
1
131
90
142143
61
146
144
106
London
Twickenham
Middlesex
Richmondupon Thames
Kingston uponThames
84
2
101
2429
43
1
131
90
142143
61
146
144
106
134
9781
30
70
73
63
141
13839
72
10887
54
31
10522
6895
5749
47
113
58
93
15
104
71
79
92
120
40
23
124
128
4949 102
883
11119
64 7535
91
126
12332
133
13920
114117
7
36
42
137
2565 67
6948
129
82
98
45
13
17
53 3
5100
9952
14
3733
1962
121
122
2612
11166
861841
88130
89
3874
55
135
140
76
107
44
109
1659
50
78
132
112
56110
136
34
118
2760
96
51
85
28
776
145
116
134
9781
30
70
73
63
141
80
13839
72
10887
54
31
10522
6895
5749
47
113
58
93
15
104
71
79
92
120
40
23
124
128
4949 102
883
11119
64 7535
91
126
12332
133
13920
114117
7
36
42
137
2565 67
6948
129
82
98
45
13
17
53 3
5100
9952
14
3733
1962
121
122
2612
11166
861841
88130
89
3874
55
135
46
115
21
149
125
147
140
76
107
44
109
1659
50
78
132
112
56110
136
34
118
127
2760
96
51
85
28
776
10
103
145
116
148
Other Properties
Uncertain (37)1701-1725 (1)1726-1750 (4)1751-1775 (24)1776-1800 (16)1801-1825 (12)
1826-1850 (16)1851-1875 (3)1901-1925 (1)1926-1950 (5)1951- (3)Multiple date ranges (3)
National Trust Properties
Uncertain (4)1726-1750 (1)1751-1775 (11)1776-1800 (1)
1826-1850 (1)1851-1875 (1)1926-1950 (1)Multiple date ranges (4)
Richmond and Central London
London
Twickenham
Middlesex
Richmondupon Thames
Kingston uponThames
84
2
101
2429
43
1
131
90
142143
61
146
144
106
London
Twickenham
Middlesex
Richmondupon Thames
Kingston uponThames
84
2
101
2429
43
1
131
90
142143
61
146
144
106
134
9781
30
70
73
63
141
13839
72
10887
54
31
10522
6895
5749
47
113
58
93
15
104
71
79
92
120
40
23
124
128
4949 102
883
11119
64 7535
91
126
12332
133
13920
114117
7
36
42
137
2565 67
6948
129
82
98
45
13
17
53 3
5100
9952
14
3733
1962
121
122
2612
11166
861841
88130
89
3874
55
135
140
76
107
44
109
1659
50
78
132
112
56110
136
34
118
2760
96
51
85
28
776
145
116
134
9781
30
70
73
63
141
80
13839
72
10887
54
31
10522
6895
5749
47
113
58
93
15
104
71
79
92
120
40
23
124
128
4949 102
883
11119
64 7535
91
126
12332
133
13920
114117
7
36
42
137
2565 67
6948
129
82
98
45
13
17
53 3
5100
9952
14
3733
1962
121
122
2612
11166
861841
88130
89
3874
55
135
46
115
21
149
125
147
140
76
107
44
109
1659
50
78
132
112
56110
136
34
118
127
2760
96
51
85
28
776
10
103
145
116
148
Other Properties
Uncertain (37)1701-1725 (1)1726-1750 (4)1751-1775 (24)1776-1800 (16)1801-1825 (12)
1826-1850 (16)1851-1875 (3)1901-1925 (1)1926-1950 (5)1951- (3)Multiple date ranges (3)
National Trust Properties
Uncertain (4)1726-1750 (1)1751-1775 (11)1776-1800 (1)
1826-1850 (1)1851-1875 (1)1926-1950 (1)Multiple date ranges (4)
Richmond and Central London
London
Twickenham
Middlesex
Richmondupon Thames
Kingston uponThames
84
2
101
2429
43
1
131
90
142143
61
146
144
106
London
Twickenham
Middlesex
Richmondupon Thames
Kingston uponThames
84
2
101
2429
43
1
131
90
142143
61
146
144
106
Chinese Wallpaper: Eastern Images in Western Interiors 11
1 5AdelphiTerrace,London 2 31(formerly23)HillStreet, Mayfair,London 3 Abbotsford 4 ArchdeaconryHouse 5 ArnistonHouse 6 AveburyManor 7 BadmintonHouse 8 Beaudesert 9 BeaumanorHall 10 BeltonHouse 11 BelvoirCastle 12 BentleyHouse 13 BiddickHall 14 BlairCastle 15 BletchleyRectory 16 BlicklingHall 17 Bowhill 18 Bowood 19 BrastedPlace 20 BrettonHall 21 BrideheadHouse 22 BrocketHall 23 BroughtonCastle 24 BuckinghamPalace 25 BurtonConstableHall 26 BuxtedPark 27 CastleWard 28 CaledonHouse 29 CarltonHouse 30 CartonHouse 31 CharltonHouse 32 Chatsworth 33 CheveningHouse 34 ClandonPark 35 CliftonHall 36 ClyneCastle 37 CobhamHall 38 CokerCourt 39 CoppedHall 40 CornburyPark 41 CorshamCourt 42 CourtofNoke 43 CouttsBank 44 CroomeCourt 45 CroxdaleHall 46 Dalemain 47 DenhamPlace 48 DentonHall 49 DittonPark 50 Dudmaston (originallyfromWoodbines)
ThemapoppositeshowsthehousesinBritainandIrelandknown,atthetimeofgoingtopress,tohaveorhavehadChinesewallpapers.Therealhistoricaltotalmusthavebeenamultipleofthisnumber,andtheauthorshopetobemadeawareofmoreexamples.
51 Dundarave 52 DunglassHouse 53 EglintonCastle 54 ElthamLodge 55 Endsleigh 56 Erddig 57 EtonCollege 58 FawleyCourt 59 FelbriggHall 60 FlorenceCourt 61 GarrickVilla 62 GreatSwiftsManor 63 GriffinstownHouse 64 GrimsthorpeCastle 65 GrimstonPark 66 HackwoodPark 67 TheHall 68 HampdenHouse 69 HarewoodHouse 70 HarristownHouse 71 HaseleyCourt 72 HatfieldHouse 73 HeadfortHouse 74 HeantonSatchville 75 HoughtonHall 76 Ickworth 77 IghthamMote 78 KedlestonHall 79 KelmarshHall 80 KilkennyCastle 81 KilleenCastle 82 KilnwickHall 83 KimberleyHall 84 LansdowneHouse 85 LissanHouse 86 LittlecoteHouse 87 Lockleys 88 LongfordCastle 89 LongleatHouse 90 MarbleHillHouse 91 MawleyHall 92 MertonHall 93 MiddletonPark 94 MiltonHall 95 MoorPark 96 NarrowWaterCastle 97 NewbridgeHouse 98 NewbyHall 99 NewbythHouse100 Newhailes101 NorfolkHouse
102 NormantonPark103 NostellPriory104 OakleyHouse105 OldBreweryHouse106 OsterleyPark107 OxburghHall108 Panshanger109 PeckoverHouse110 PenrhynCastle111 PeperHarrow112 PowisCastle113 Queen’sLodge114 RamsburyManor115 RoseCastle116 RoyalPavilion117 SalthropHouse118 Saltram119 SandringhamHouse120 ShawHouse121 ShernfoldPark122 Squerryes123 StokeHall124 StoneleighAbbey125 StrathallanCastle126 StrettonHall127 SudburyHall128 SudeleyCastle129 SuttonPark130 SydneyLodge131 SyonHouse132 TattonPark133 TempleNewsam134 TownleyHall135 Tregothnan136 Uppark137 WalcotHall138 WansteadHouse139 WentworthCastle140 WestWycombePark141 WestportHouse142 WhiteLodge143 WhittonPark144 WinfieldHouse145 WoburnAbbey146 Woodbines (removed,fragment nowatDudmaston)147 WorksopManor148 WrestPark149 YoulstonPark
12 Chinese Wallpaper in National Trust Houses
1Clunas1987,pp.16,112.
2Wappenschmidt1989,p.18.
3Diaryentryfor17July1693,quotedinWappenschmidt1989,p.18,n.27.
4Cornforth2004,p.254.
5Wappenschmidt1989,p.19.
6JohnMacky,A Journey through England,1724,vol.1,p.21,quotedinCornforth2004,p.257.
7WearegratefultoLucyArmstrong,curatorintheNorthWestregionoftheNationalTrust,formakingusawareofthereferencetothesepictures.
8Thiskindofintermediatesocialspacehasbeentermedthe‘associativepublicsphere’,seeLawrenceE.Klein,‘GenderandthePublic/PrivateDistinctionintheEighteenthCentury:SomeQuestionsaboutEvidenceandAnalyticalProcedure’,Eighteenth-Century Studies,vol.29(1996),no.1,pp.97–109,quotedinSloboda2010,pp.132–3.
9Taylor2009,pp.5–6.
10Sloboda2010,pp.136–42.
11Id.,pp.143–6.
12LettertoSarahScott,8January1767,MO5846,theHuntingtonLibrary,SanMarino,California,quotedinBaird2003,p.178.
13Winter2008,p.79.
14Inabout1758HenryFownesLuttrell(1723–80),theownerofDunsterCastle,Somerset,wasquoted7spersquareyardforfiguralChinesewallpaper,4s6dpersquareyardforfloralChinesepaperand1s6dpersquareyardforEuropeanflockwallpaper.SeeMaxwellLyte1909,vol.2,p.376.
15NowinthecollectionoftheLiaoningProvincialMuseum.WearegratefultoMin-ZhengVeneauofMallettAsiaforbringingthishandscrolltoourattention.
16Huang2012,pp.127–30.WearegratefultoAnnaWu,PhDcandidateconnectedtotheRCA/V&AHistoryofDesigncourse,andindependentarthistorianSanderKarstforalertingustotheseworksandreferences.
17WearegratefultoAnnaWuforpointingthisout.
18Eventodayabouthalfoftheroughly100staffoftheworkshopinGuangdongprovincesupplyinghand-paintedwallpaperstothewallpaperpurveyorsGraciearemembersofthesameextendedfamily(wearegratefultoMikeGracie,presidentofGracie,forthisinformation).
19Clunas2009,pp.114–5.
20Id.,pp.177–81.
21WearegratefultoPeterBrash,wildlifeandcountrysideadviserattheNationalTrust,DrDavidBullock,theNationalTrust’sheadofnatureconservation,andMatthewOates,theNationalTrust’snatureandwildlifespecialist,forattemptingtoidentifythefloraandfaunainthewallpapersinthiscatalogue.
22SeeHay2010,pp.300–2,pp.332–5,illus.16(p.37),illus.177(p.303)andillus.194(p.333).
23WearegratefultoAnnaWuforalertingustothisdecorativeschemeintheJuanqinzhai.
24Inasatiricalpieceontheperceivedextravagantconsumerismofwomeninissue38ofThe World(20September1753),forinstance,adistressedhusbandrelateshow‘Theupperapartmentsofmyhouse,whichwerebeforehandsomelywainscoted,arenowhungwiththerichestChinaandIndiapaper,whereallthepowersoffancyareexhaustedinathousandfantasticfiguresofbirds,beasts,andfishes,whichneverhadexistence’(p.90).
25Itwasoftendescribedas‘fine’and‘beautiful’bycontemporaryobservers,seeClimenson(ed.)1899,p.139andpp.146–7.
26Yang2011,pp.7–10.
27AsLadyMaryCokeobservedin1772:‘IcalledontheDuchessofNorfolk,whoIfoundsortingbutter-fliescutoutofindienpaper,foraroomSheisgoingtofurnish.Iadmire,intheunhappystateofhealthSheisin,howindustriousSheistofindoutimploymentstoamuseher:[...]’Entrydated20July1772,inHome(ed.)1889–96,vol.4,p.101.
28Inthe28November1747issueofFaulkner’s Dublin JournalMichaelSpruson‘takestoacquaintthepublic(butmoreparticularlytheladies)thathehangsroomswithIndiapaper,inthemostexactmannerandeleganttaste.’InanadvertisementintheUniversal Advertiser (Dublin)of23February1754JohnMarlowmentionedthathe‘hangsIndiapaperinthenewimprovedLondonmanner,andgenteeltaste[...].’WearegratefultoAllysonMcDermott,wallpaperconservatorandownerofAllysonMcDermottHistoricInteriors,foralertingustothesereferences.
29AdvertisementfirstplacedinHoey’s Dublin Mercuryon6November1770.WearegratefultoDrJoeRock,consultanthistorianofScottishmaterialculture,foralertingustothisreference.
NotestotheIntroduction
13
Avebury Manor Avebury, Wiltshire
Figural wallpaper decorated with a panoramic landscape including figures engaged in various activities associated with the New Year celebrations.
ThesamefestivitiesaredepictedinaverysimilarmanneronwallpaperspreservedintheVictoria&AlbertMuseum,London,andatYoulstonPark,Devon,whichhavebothbeendatedtothe1780s.1
Thepaperwastrimmedatthetopandseemstohaveconsistedof12drops.IthungintheAntechamberandseemstohavebeenintroducedbyAlexander
Keiller(1899–1955),anarchaeologistandheirtoamarmalade-manufacturingfortune,whoownedAveburyfrom1937.Itwasstillinthehouse,inwhatwasthencalledtheChineseHall,whenAveburyManorwasofferedforsaleatauctionbyHarrodson16March1955.Thewallpaperwasreservedfromthesale,however,anditspresentwhereaboutsareunknown.2
1.
Below FiguralwallpaperintheChineseHall(nowtheAntechamber)atAveburyManor,inaphotographtakenaround1955.
The Catalogue
14 Chinese Wallpaper in National Trust Houses
ThewallpaperwascreatedbyFromentalin2011aspartoftheManor Rebornprojectandtelevisionseries.Itsdesignislooselybasedonthelateeighteenth-centuryfiguralwallpaperatCouttsBank,Strand,London,whichincludesdepictionsofsilk,riceandceramicsproduction,aswellasonthec.1780wallpaperformerlyatStrathallanCastle,Perthshire,andnowinthePeabodyEssexMuseum,Salem,Massachusetts,showingthewesterntradingpostsor‘hongs’inGuangzhou.AdepictionofAveburyManorwasincludedinthewallpaper,althoughthereisnoevidenceofsuchadegreeofcustomisation–sometimesseeninexportporcelain–inhistoricChinesewallpapers.
Thewallpaper,consistingof22drops,wascreatedinFromental’sstudioinWuxi,Jiangsuprovince,andwaspaintedwithtraditionaltechniquesonxuanbastpapermountedonsilk.
TheinstallationofthiswallpaperintheDiningRoomatAveburyisahistorical.ThereisnoevidenceofChinesewallpaperhavingpreviouslyhunginthisroom,anditisrareforsuchwallpapertobeusedindiningroomsinBritain.3
Above FiguralwallpaperinstalledintheDiningRoomatAveburyManorin2011.
Figural wallpaper decorated with a panoramic landscape showing the European trading posts along the waterfront at Guangzhou and figures engaged in various activities. National Trust Inventory No. 220769
2.
The Catalogue 15
Belton House Near Grantham, Lincolnshire
Combined figural/floral wallpaper with small human figures and birds on an undulating foreground and much larger bamboo and flowering plants towering above against an originally pink background and with birds and butterflies among the branches. National Trust Inventory No. 433859
Thebirdsincludeducks,magpies,parrotsandpheasants.Themanneristjuxtapositioningofsmall-scalefigureswithlarge-scaleflorawasarelativelylatedevelopment,seeninChinesewallpapersdatingfromthe1790suntilabout1840.4Afurthernoteoffancyisevidentintheclimbingplantgrowingthroughthebamboosproutingavarietyofdifferentflowers,amotifthatmayhavebeeninfluencedbyIndianchintzdesigns.5Afloralwallpaperwithbambooandclimbersonawhiteground,withasimilarvisualrhythmandsomealmostidenticaldetails,butwithoutthehumanfigures,isintheBallroomatWoburnAbbey,Bedfordshire.Anotherverysimilarwallpaper,butwithpeoniesalongthebottom,isatPenrhynCastle(cat.34).Inaddition,awallpaperfragmentpaintedinadifferentstyle,butwithasimilardispositionofbambooculms,isinaprivatecollectioninBangkok.
Thedesignispaintedonpaper,withChinesenumeralsvisiblealongthebottomoftheindividualsheets,presumablyasanaidtotheproductionprocess.6SimilarnumeralsoccuronwallpapersatBelton(cat.4),atIckworth(cat.19),atNostellPriory(cat.27),intheBallroomatWoburnAbbey,Bedfordshire,andatWrestPark,Bedfordshire.Incertainplacesbutterfliescutoutfromothersectionsofwallpaperhavebeenpastedon,especiallyalongthejoinsbetweensheets.Thewallpaperwas
LeftSectionofthefigural/floralwallpaperintheChineseBedroomatBeltonHouse.BelowDetailofthefloralwallpaperintheBallroomatWoburnAbbey.
3.
16 Chinese Wallpaper in National Trust Houses
pastedontodecorator’sliningpaper,whichinturnwaspasteddirectlyontotheplaster.Thepinkbackgroundofthewallpaperhaslargelyfadedtowhiteduetolightdamage.Someareashavebeenaffectedbydetachmentfromthewall,waterstainingandretouching.ConservationtreatmentbyCatherineRickman(1988)andbySandifordandMapesLtd.(2002)hasbeenlimitedtoin situsurfacecleaning,re-attachmentofsmallliftingareas,reinforcementoftearsandconsolidationofsomedark-greenpigmentsinthebambooleaves.
ThewallpaperhangsintheChineseBedroom.Itappearstohavebeeninstalledinabout1840forJohnCust,1stEarlBrownlow(1779–1853)andhisthirdwife,EmmaSophia,néeEdgcumbe(1792–1872).ItisframedbyaEuropeanpaperborderintwoseparateparts,comprisingalatticeworkpatternprintedinsilver,nowtarnishedtoblack,ongreenmachine-madepaper,whichisbandedbystripsofpossiblymachine-madepaperblock-printedwitharepresentationofbamboo.Theuseofmachine-madepaperdatestheproductionoftheborderto1830attheearliest,anditappearstohavebeenhungatthesametimeasthewallpaper.Thewoodencornice,dadoanddoorsurroundsarepaintedinimitationofbamboo,aRegency-perioddecorativeconceitalsoseenat,forinstance,theRoyalPavilion,Brighton.Thecurtains,bedhangingsandseatcoversaremadeofaEuropeanchintzwithanorientalistdesignofvasesfilledwithflowerswhichisprobablycontemporarywiththewallpaper.
RightSectionofthefloralwallpaperintheBambooBedroomatBeltonHouse.
Floral wallpaper decorated with flowering trees (in colour), bamboo (in white), rocks, birds and butterflies on an undulating foreground, against a white ground. National Trust Inventory No. 434774
4.
The Catalogue 17
Leavingthefoliagewhiteappearstohavebeenastylisticinnovationfirstnotedinthe1770s.7Thebirdsincludechickens,ducksandpheasants,andtheplantsincluderosesandBuddha’shandcitron.Oneofthebirdmotifs,acockerelstandingonarockwithitsheadloweredanditstailfeathersraised,alsoappearsinwallpapersatIckworth(cat.19)andatNostellPriory(cat.27).Eightdropsofanothersimilarwallpaper,combiningfloweringplants,birdsandrocksincolourwithbambooinwhiteagainstapinkground,areintheVictoria&AlbertMuseum,London.8
Thedesignispaintedonpaper,withatleastoneChinesenumeralvisibletotheleftofthebed.SimilarnumeralsoccuronwallpapersintheChineseBedroomatBelton(cat.3),atIckworth(cat.19),atNostellPriory(cat.27),intheBallroomatWoburnAbbey,Bedfordshire,andatWrestPark,Bedfordshire.Thewallpaperappearstohavebeenpasteddirectlytotheplaster,withnoobvioussignsofawesternliningpaper,althoughaliningpaperwasrecordedintheadjoiningBambooDressingRoom(cat.5).Wherethepaperranoutthepatternwaspaintedontotheplaster,ascanbeseenbythesidesofthewindows.Thereareapproximately18dropswhichareofvaryingwidths,possiblytheresultofeffortsbythepaperhangerstofurtherintegratethedesign.Thewallpaperhasbeenaffectedbylightdamage,localiseddetachmentfromthewall,splitting,insectdamageandover-enthusiasticuseofadhesivestorepairdamagedareas.Inplacesthepigmenthasfaded,showingthepaintedoutlinesbeneath.Thewallpaperwastreatedin situin1983,beforetheNationalTrustacquiredBelton.
ThewallpaperhangsintheBambooBedroom.Itappearstohavebeenhungin1861bytheestateforeman,MrLowe,underthesupervisionofLadyMarianAlford(1817–88),themotherofthe2ndLordBrownlow,whowasineffectivechargeatBeltonduringhisminority.9ThewallpaperisframedbyaVictoriansilveredimitationbamboofilletsimilartotheoneatIckworth(cat.19).Thecurrentappearanceoftheroomdatesfromabout1930,whenthebed,wardrobeanddressingtable,allwithfauxbamboodetailsechoingthewallpaperfillet,wereintroduced.
Floral wallpaper decorated with flowering trees (in colour), bamboo (in white), rocks, birds and butterflies on an undulating foreground, against a white ground.
Thiswallpaper,whichhungintheBambooDressingRoom,wasidenticaltothathungintheBambooBedroom(cat.4).By1983thepaperwasstoredintheattic.ItwasobservedashavingaEuropeanpaperlining.10Itscurrentwhereaboutsareunknown.
5.
18 Chinese Wallpaper in National Trust Houses
Blickling Hall Near Aylsham, Norfolk
Figural wallpaper decorated with a panoramic landscape including figures, buildings and trees separated by rocky outcrops, lakes, rivers and streams in the foreground and with crags and mountains in the background. National Trust Inventory No. 354141
Theschemeconsistsoffourlargelyidenticalsetsofwallpaper.ThesearesimilarinoverallcompositionandscaletothefiguralwallpaperformerlyatCroomeCourt(cat.12).Anumberofbroadlysimilarexamplessurviveelsewhere,generallythoughttodatefromthesecondhalfoftheeighteenthcentury.ThepracticeofusingseveralidenticalsetsoffiguralwallpaperinthesameroomwasalsoevidentintheChineseDrawingRoomatHeadfortHouse,CountyWestmeath,Ireland(hung1770s).11
Thesceneryispaintedwithinkandcolourwashesonpaper.Theindividuallengthsofwallpaperwerereducedinbothwidthandheightandthepaperwashungonwesternliningpaper.Theoriginalskyandpossiblysomeofthemountainswerecutawayandanewskyandadditionalmountainsandtreeswerepaintedinonalayerofwesternpaper.ThepracticeofaddingEuropeanskiescanalsobeseeninChinesewallpapersatBreda’sMuseum,Breda,theNetherlands(hungsecondhalfeighteenthcentury);HarewoodHouse,WestYorkshire(hung1769);possiblyinthewallpaperformerlyatHeadfortHouse,CountyMeath,Ireland(seenote11);andpossiblyinthewallpaperformerlyatCoppedHall,Essex(1750sor1770s).12Thereislocalisedbrowndiscolourationtothepaper.In2002itwasremovedfromthewallsforfullstudiotreatmentbySandifordandMapesLtd.,whichincludedremovalofthethirdChineseliningpaperwhereithadbecomedegradedbymould,washingonavaccumsuctiontableandrelining.
ThewallpaperhangsintheChineseBedroom,whereitappearstohavebeenintroducedaroundthetimeofthemarriageofJohnHobart,2ndEarlofBuckinghamshire(1723–93),toMaryAnnDruryin1761.The2ndEarlhadbeenbroughtupbyhisaunt,Henrietta,CountessofSuffolk(1681–1767),andshewascloselyinvolved
ThefiguralwallpaperintheChineseBedroomatBlicklingHall.
6.
The Catalogue 19
withtheredecorationofBlickling.SomeofthebordersoftheChinesewallpaperareinscribedonthereversewith‘1758’and‘[?]Suffolkof[?]Lott30’,presumablyreferringtotheirpurchaseatauctionbyLadySuffolk.SheisalsoknowntohavehungChinesewallpaperatherownvilla,MarbleHillinTwickenham,in1755.TheChineseBedroomalsocontainsapairofChinesecarvedivorymodelsofpagodaswhicharethoughttohavecomefromMarbleHill.LadyBeauchampProctorremarkedin1764thatmostofthedomesticapartmentsatBlicklingwerehungwith‘Indiapaper’.ThewallpaperissurroundedbyaChinesepaintedpaperborderrepresentingabambootrelliswithfloweringplantsgrowingthroughit.Thebordernexttothecorniceinthesouth-westcornerofthewestwallhasbeenstampedonthereversewithChinesecharacters,buttheimpressionistooindistincttodecipher.ThreefragmentsofasimilarbambootrellisborderwithentwinedflowersfromHampdenHouse,Buckinghamshire,areintheVictoria&AlbertMuseum,London,towhichtheyweredonatedbythe8thEarlofBuckinghamshirein1978.13AlthoughHampdenHousewasonlyacquiredbytheHobartfamilybyinheritancein1824(bywhichtimeBlickling,conversely,hadbeeninheritedbythe6thMarquessofLothian),itispossiblethattheHampdenandBlicklingborderssharethesameprovenance.OthercontemporaryexamplesoffauxbamboopaperbordersareassociatedwiththetwoChinesewallpaperpanelsinBreda’sMuseum,Breda,theNetherlands,andwiththeChinesewallpaperformerlyatHeadfortHouse,CountyMeath,Ireland(seenote11).
Overmantel picture made up of two sections from a landscape wallpaper or coloured print collaged together to form a landscape scene with figures, buildings, waterways and boats. National Trust Inventory No. 356855
Thecollagedpictureisprintedonpaperandfinishedincolourbyhand.ItwasmountedontextileonawoodenframeandwasinsertedintotheovermanteloftheChineseBedroom.Thepapershowslocalisedbrowndiscolouration.ItwastreatedbySandifordandMapesLtd.in2002andprovidedwithanewcanvaslining.
Six fragments of a floral wallpaper on a white ground. National Trust Inventory No. 355522
LeftDetailofthecollagesetintotheovermanteloftheChineseBedroomatBlicklingHall.Theverticaljoinbetweenthetwosectionscanbeseentotherightofthebridge.
Thewallpaperisprintedonpaperandfinishedincolourbyhand.ThesefragmentswerefoundduringtheredecorationoftheadjoiningChineseDressingRoomin1972–3andhavebeenmountedandframed.
7.
8.
20 Chinese Wallpaper in National Trust Houses
Castle Ward Near Strangford, County Down
Still-lifes of musical instruments used as wallpaper. National Trust Inventory No. 840255
Duringrefurbishmentworkin1982sectionsofwhatappeartobeseveralChinesepaintingsonpaperwerediscoveredunderlaterwallpaperonthepierwallintheBoudoir.Thepicturesrepresentstill-lifesofmusicalinstrumentsandotherauspiciousobjects,allhungonsilkcordsfrommottledbamboopolessupportedbybrackets.Theobjectsincludeaqin(seven-stringedzither,bottomleft),anerhu(two-stringedfiddle,topleft),apipa(four-stringedlute,topright),aroundfan(topcentreleft)andasword(topcentreright).Thefanhasbeendepictedwithaninscribedandstampedlabel,butbecauseofthedamagetothepaperitappearstobeundecipherable.TwopaintingsonglassinthePeabodyEssexMuseuminSalem,Massachusetts,depictsimilarstill-lifesofmusicalinstruments,somelikewisehungfromsilkcords.14Still-lifesonpaperofrelatedluxuryobjectsalsosurviveaswalldecorationatMiltonHall,Peterborough.15
Thestill-lifesarepaintedonpaperconsistingoftwothinlayers,withtheoriginalpicturescutintoaboutsixpiecesandre-arrangedtofitaroundamirrorframeorapieceoffurniture.TheChinesepaperwasmountedonEuropeanblueliningpaperreinforcedbystripsoflaidpaperandthenpasteddirectlyontoroughwoodenboards.TheChinesepaperwasaffectedbylosses,abrasionanddebrisonthesurface.Partoftheschemeisinstoreandpartispresumedtoremainin situ.
TheChinesestill-lifeswereprobablyhungintheBoudoirwhenitwasredecoratedinGothicRevivalstyleforLadyAnneWard,thewifeofBernardWard(1719–91,cr.BaronWard1771,ViscountBangor1781),between1762and1770.TheGothicandChinesestyleswereregularlycombinedinthemid-eighteenthcentury,anditmaybesignificantthatthelibraryatCastleWardcontainsacopyofCharlesOver’sOrnamental Architecture in the Gothic, Chinese and Modern Taste (London,1758,NationalTrustInventoryNo.3016225).16TheChinesepaperisframedbyachinoiseriepaperborderprintedwithafauxfretworkpatternofrectanglesandcircles.
9.
LeftSectionofthestill-lifesofmusicalinstrumentsandotherluxuryobjectsdiscoveredatCastleWard.
The Catalogue 21
10.
11.
Clandon Park Near West Clandon, Surrey
Floral wallpaper.
ThewallpaperreputedlysurvivesunderlaterwallcoveringsintheBlueWallpaperRoom.TheinteriorsofthehousewerecompletedbySirRichardOnslow,3rdBaronOnslow(1713–76)andhiswifeMaryElwill(d.1812)inthe1740s.RefurbishmentswerecarriedoutbyGeorgeOnslow,4thBaronand1stEarlofOnslow(1731–1814)andhiswifeHenriettaShelley(1730/1–1802)inthe1780s.ItisnotknownexactlywhentheChinesewallpaperwashung,butthefactthatitissaidtocoveranevenearlierwallpapermaysuggestthatitwaspartofthe1780srefurbishmentcampaign.Inthe1778ClandoninventorythisroomwasdescribedasthedressingroomtotheGreenDamaskBedroom.Itiscurrentlyusedasanoffice.
Fragments of floral wallpaper with pairs of cranes and pheasants, pines, prunus, peonies and picturesque rocks on a white background, mounted on one side of a six-panel leather folding screen. National Trust Inventory No. 1440815
Thedesignisprintedonpaperandfinishedincolourbyhand.Partsoftwodropdesignsarevisiblewhichbothappearrepeatedly(thecranesoccursixtimes).ThewallpaperhasapparentlybeenmountedontopofEuropeanengravedmapsandhasbeencoveredwithvarnish,whichhasdiscolouredandabraded.Theinitials‘I.W.C.’havebeenpaintedontoonesection.
ThewhitebackgroundandthesimilarityofthesefragmentstotheChinesewallpaperatUppark(cat.44)suggestsapossiblemid-eighteenth-centurydate.ThescreenwaspurchasedbytheDepartmentofPublicWorksin1963anddonatedtotheNationalTrustin1977,butitsearlierprovenanceisunclearanditspositionatthebottomoftheOakStaircaseisnotnecessarilyhistorical.
LeftFragmentsoffloralwallpapermountedonafoldingscreenatClandonPark.
22 Chinese Wallpaper in National Trust Houses
Croome Court Near High Green, Worcestershire
Figural wallpaper decorated with a panoramic landscape including figures engaged in various pursuits among architecture and waterways in the foreground and mountains in the background.
ThewallpapersharesanumberofmotifswithafiguralwallpaperformerlyatHarewoodHouse,WestYorkshire(probablyhungc.1769byThomasChippendale)andnowintheGuangdongMuseum,suggestingthatbothwereproducedinthesameworkshop.17ItisalsosimilarinoverallcompositionandscaletothefiguralwallpaperatBlicklingHall(cat.6),andtooneformerlyatCoppedHall,Essex(seereferenceincat.6).
ThewallpaperhungintheChineseRoom,whichoriginallyfunctionedasthebestbedchamber.A1763accountmentionsthatthepaper-hangingfirmofCromptonandSpinnagesupplied‘29fineIndialandscapes’at£22sper‘landscape’(soforatotalof£6018s)fortheBedChamberatCroome.However,thesameaccountalsomentionsapaymentof£10for‘2daysworktakingdowntheoldIndiapaper&canvas’and£311spaidfor‘hanging71yardssquareofoldIndiapaperonlinen’,suggestingthattherewasChinesewallpaperatCroomebefore1761.18TheredecorationbyCromptonandSpinnagein1763wasprobablyinpreparationforthe6thEarl’ssecondmarriagetoBarbaraStJohn(1737–1804).InthelatenineteenthandearlytwentiethcenturiestheChineseRoomwasthebedroomofBlanche,néeGaven,9thCountessofCoventry(1842–1930)anditwasrecordedinaphotographfromaround1900inwhichthewallpaperappearstobeframedbyafillet.DuringtheSecondWorldWartheCroomeestatewasrequisitionedbytheRAF,andinNovember1945theMinistryofWorkspaid£200compensationtothetrusteesoftheCroomeestatefordamagetotheChinesewallpaper.Whenthetrusteessoldthehousein1948theChinesewallpaperwasconsignedforsaleatauctionatSotheby’sinLondon.Itspresentwhereaboutsareunknown.
Floral wallpaper
A1763accountlistspaymentstoCromptonandSpinnagerelatingtoaDressingRoom–probablyadjacenttotheChineseRoom–of£112sforsupplying‘1finesheetofbirdsandflowers’and£116s3dfor‘7¼daysworkmendingcleaningandmakingouttheabove’,whichappearstorefertotherepairofanexistingChinesewallpaperanditsembellishmentwithcut-outadditions.20Thewallpaperhasnotsurvived.
12.
LeftThefiguralwallpaperformerlyatCroomeCourt,showninaphotographfromaround1900.
RightSectionofthefiguralwallpaperformerlyatHarewoodHouse,nowintheGuangdongMuseum,andverysimilartothewallpaperformerlyatCroome.
13.
The Catalogue 23
Dudmaston Near Bridgnorth, Shropshire
Fragment of floral wallpaper decorated with bamboo, roses and a dove against a white background. National Trust Inventory No. 813742
Thedesignispaintedonpaper.Thefragmentmeasures340x435mm.
ThefragmentwasbroughttoDudmastonbyAliceWolryche-Whitmore(néeDarby1852–1931).ItissaidtohavehungatahousecalledWoodbinesinSurrey,ownedbyhermother’sfamily,theChristys,Quakermanufacturersandfinanciers,fromwheresherescueditwhenthehousewasduetobedemolishedintheearlytwentiethcentury.WoodbineshadbeenrebuiltbyAlfredWaterhousebetween1865and1870.
Erddig Near Wrexham
Floral wallpaper decorated with flowering trees, birds, butterflies and picturesque rocks on a green background. National Trust Inventory No. 1153434
Chinesewallpaperswithcolouredgrounds,includingblue,green,pinkandyellow,appeartohavebeenproducedfromthemid-1760sonwards.21Thebirdsincludechickens,ducks,egrets,peacocksandpheasants.OneofthepeacocksisalmostidenticaltopeacocksonwallpapersintheStateBedroomatNostellPriory,WestYorkshire(cat.24),atCobhamHall,Surrey,andinthecollectionoftheVictoria&AlbertMuseum,London.22Theplantsincludehibiscus,peonyandBuddha’shandcitron.
Thesceneryispaintedonpaper.Itwastrimmedatthetopandwaspasteddirectlyontotheplaster.Additionalbirdsandflowershavebeenattachedtothewallpaper.Browndiscolourationanddelaminationofpaperlayershasoccurredinvariousplaces.Thebackgroundwasextensivelyoverpainted,possiblyintheEdwardianera,when,accordingtofamilytradition,‘manyvisitorsstayingatthehousewereaskedtore-paintareas.’23Miningactivitiesimmediatelyunderthehouseinthemid-twentieth-centurycausedstructuralproblemswhichallowedrainwatertoseepintotheroom,damagingthewallpaper.FollowingtheacquisitionofErddigbytheNationalTrustin1973thewallpaperwastakendown,conservedandrehungbyGrahamCarr.Sincethentherehavebeenin situtreatmentsbyOrdeSolomons,SandifordandMapesLtd.andGraemeStorey.
ThewallpaperhangsintheStateBedroomwhereitappearstohavebeeninstalledduringthemodernisationofErddiginthe1770sbyPhilipYorkeI(1743–1804)andhiswifeElizabeth(1750–79),daughterofSirJohnCustofBeltonHouse(seecats.3–5).Itispossible–thoughnotproven–thattheChinesewallpaperwassuppliedbyElizabeth’sfatheranduncle,whowerebothdirectorsoftheEastIndiaCompany.Thewallpaperisframedbyabeadedpressedmetalfillet.
LeftFragmentoffloralwallpaperpreservedatDudmaston,formerlyatWoodbines.
14.
15.
24 Chinese Wallpaper in National Trust Houses
Pictures illustrating aspects of rice and silk production used as wallpaper. National Trust Inventory No. 11553435
AboveDetailfromthefloralwallpaperintheStateBedroomatErddig.
LeftOneofthepictureshungprint-room-styleintheChineseRoomatErddig.
16.
The Catalogue 25
Thegroupcomprises15ovalpicturesandonerectangularpicture.ThethreeovalpicturestotheleftofthewindowareEnglishfacsimiles.Oneoftheovalpicturesshowsabuildingwithaplaqueabovetheentrancewhichreads‘Nanbinggumiao’or‘Nanbingoldtemple’.ThismayrefertoavillagecalledNanbing,knownforitswell-preservedMing-andQing-periodarchitecture,intheHuizhouareaofAnhuiprovince.24ThiswayofusingindividualChinesepicturesasappliedwalldecoration,inamannerreminiscentofaprintroom,appearstohavebeenpopularfromthe1750stotheearlynineteenthcentury.Asimilarlyoval-shapedpicture–albeitwithanintegral,notanappliedborder–survivesonachimneyboardintheYellowTaffetaBedchamberatOsterleyPark(cat.29).DecorativeschemesusingChinesepictureswereoftensuppliedandinstalledbyfirmssuchasBromwichandLeighandCromptonandSpinnage25,butitisnotclearwhocreatedtheErddigone.
Thepicturesarepaintedonpaper.Thepapershowssomelocalisedbrowndiscolouration.Theschemewasremoved,conservedandrehungbyGrahamCarrin1981.
TheschemehangsintheChineseRoom.Itispossible–thoughnotproven–thattheyweresuppliedbyElizabethYorke’sfatheranduncle,whowerebothdirectorsoftheEastIndiaCompany.ThepicturesareframedbyappliedChinesefloralborders,exceptfortheEnglishfacsimileswhichhaveEnglishpaperborders,andaremountedonsectionsofplainpaperpaintedalightpink,whichinturnaresetintothewallpanelling.ThepinkbackgroundpaperisframedwithEnglishblock-printedborders.TheChineseRoomhadbeenadressingroom,butwastransformedintoaporcelaincabinetinthe1770s.VictoriaYorke(1823–95)usedtheroomasaboudoir.
Felbrigg Hall Near Cromer, Norfolk
Floral wallpaper decorated with flowering trees, picturesque rocks and birds on a white background. National Trust Inventory No. 1400532
Thebirdsincludeducks,egretsandpheasants.Theplantsincludepeonies,arrowhead,magnoliaandalotusseedhead.Sixdifferentdropdesignscanbemadeout,mostofwhichoccurthreeorfourtimesaroundtheroom.SomeidenticaldropdesignsareatIghthamMote(cat.21)andcut-outegretsidenticaltothoseinthiswallpaperhavebeenpastedintotheschemeintheChineseDressingRoomatSaltram(cat.38).Inaddition,afragmentwithaverysimilarsubjectmatter,styleandcolourschemehasbeenfoundbeneathlaterwallpapersatOudAmelisweerd,nearUtrecht,theNetherlands,in1993.26Awallpaperwithaslightlydenser,butotherwisesimilarfloralpatternandcolourschemewashungatDalemain,Cumbria,inabout1760.27
Theoutlinesandsomeofthedetails(forinstanceofbark)areprintedonpaper,withthecolourspaintedbyhand.Theleavesaredepictedin(orhavefadedto)shadesofbrownish,blueishandgreyishgreen,whichcontrastwiththerelativelybrightreds,pinksandpurplesoftheflowers.Someofthebirdshavebeencutoutofadditionalsheetsandattachedtothewallpaper,includingoneEuropeanfacsimilepaintedonhand-madelaidpaper.28ThewallpaperwashungonEuropeanhand-madeliningpaperwhichwaspasteddirectlyontotheplaster.Theskillofthewallpaperhangerisevidentinthewaytherelativelywidemarginsoftheindividualdropshavebeencutawayaroundtheimageryandintegratedwiththeimagedetailsoftheadjacentdropsinordertocreateamorenaturalisticandcontinuouspanoramaaroundtheroom.Additionalsectionsofwallpaperofabout25cmhighwereinsertedinasimilarmanneralongthebottomofeachdrop,cutinawavylineinordertodisguisethejoin.Similartechniquesofintegrationandadditioncanbediscernedin
17.
26 Chinese Wallpaper in National Trust Houses
thehangingoftheprintsintheChineseDressingRoomatSaltram(cat.38).ThewallpaperisinbetterconditionthantherelatedsetatIghtham.Thedropsonthenorthandwestwallswereremovedfortreatmentandreliningin1974.In1988thepaperonthewestwallwastreatedbyOrdeSolomonsfollowinganoutbreakofdryrot,andin2003thepaperonthesouthandeastwallswasremoved,conservedandrehungbySandifordandMapesLtd.
ThewallpaperhangsintheChineseBedroom.Between1749and1761theinteriorsatFelbriggwereremodelledintherococostylebyWilliamWindhamII(1717–61)withthehelpofthearchitectJamesPaine(1717–89),andthelatterappearstohavesuppliedtheChinesewallpaperin1751.29WindhamcomplainedaboutthecostofcommissioningaLondonspecialisttohangthewallpaper‘at3s.6dperdiemwhileatFelbrig&6dpermiletravellingcharges,whichIthinkacurseddeal.’30Nevertheless‘theIndiaPaperhanger’JohnScruttondidhangthisandotherpapersinthehouseinthespringof1752.31Itisframedbyatwistedandgildedropefillet.FelbriggcanbecomparedtoUppark(cat.44)inthatthemid-eighteenth-centuryinteriorsofbothhousescombinedelementsofrococo,GrandTourandchinoiseriedecoration.Thisroomwasdescribedin1771astheBowWindowDressingRoomanditsfurnishingsincludedafirescreendecoratedwith‘India’(i.e.probablyChinese)paper.
Florence Court Near Enniskillen, County Fermanagh
Floral wallpaper decorated with flowering trees, birds, butterflies and rocks on an undulating foreground and against a green background.
Thebirdsincludepairsofpheasants,someofwhichareverysimilarintype,poseandexecutiontothoseinthegreen-groundfloralChinesewallpaperatWinfieldHouseinRegent’sPark,theUSambassador’sresidenceinLondon.
ThewallpaperhungintheRedRoom.ItmayhavebeensuppliedbytheHon.ArthurHenryCole(1780–1844),whohadasuccessfulcareerintheEastIndiaCompanyandwhowastheyoungerbrotheroftheownerofFlorenceCourt,JohnWilloughbyCole,2ndEarlofEnniskillen(1768–1840).ArthurColeisalsothoughttohavesuppliedthewallpapernowatWinfieldHouse,whichoriginallyhungatTownleyHall,CountyLouth,theresidenceofhissister,LadyFlorenceTownleyBalfour.32InthetwentiethcenturytheRedRoomwasthebedroomofLadyEnniskillen.Thewallpaperwasdestroyedinafireinthehousein1955.
AboveDetailfromthefloralwallpaperintheChineseBedroomatFelbriggHall.
18.
The Catalogue 27
LeftSectionofthefloralwallpaperformerlyintheRedRoomatFlorenceCourt,inaphotographfrom1951.
Ickworth Near Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
Floral wallpaper decorated with bamboo, flowering plants, rocks birds and butterflies on an undulating foreground and against a green background. National Trust Inventory No. 856001
Theplantsincludebamboo,prunus,chrysanthemumandpeony.Afancifulclimbingplantsproutingavarietyofdifferentflowers–amotifthatmayhavebeeninfluencedbyIndianchintzdesigns33–isdepictedgrowingthroughthebamboo.Thebirdsincludechickens,ducksandpheasants.Oneofthebirdmotifs,acockerelstandingonarockwithitsheadloweredanditstailfeathersraised,alsooccursinwallpapersintheBambooBedroomatBeltonHouse(cat.4)andintheCrimsonBathroomatNostellPriory(cat.27).
Thewallpaperispaintedonpaper,withatleastonepaintedChinesenumeral.SimilarnumeralsoccuronwallpapersatBelton(cats.3and4),atNostellPriory(cat.27)andintheBallroomatWoburnAbbey,Bedfordshire,andatWrestPark,Bedfordshire.SomeareasalongtheskirtingboardarewithoutChinesewallpaperbuthavebeenpaintedtomatch.Somebirds,butterfliesandbambooleaveshavebeenpastedoninvariousplaces.Onedropdesignoccurstwice,butappearstohavebeenpaintedbyadifferenthandandwithsmallvariationsinthedetailsandcolouring.Inaddition,smallsectionsofwallpaperappliedaroundtheovermantelmirrorareslightlydifferentfromthosenexttothem.Thissuggeststhattheschemewasmadeupfromtwoseparatebutverysimilarwallpapers,orwasrepairedsometimeafterithadbeenhungwithsectionsofasimilarwallpaper.Theoverpaintingofsubstantialareasofthebackgroundmayhavebeenintendedtodisguisethismixingandmatching.TheChinesepaperwasattacheddirectlytotheplaster.Thepaperhassplitandbecomedetachedfromthewallinplaces.Thereisaninscriptiononthewallpaperintheareaabovethemirrorreading‘DDudleyJBrittoncleanedJuly1960.’In situtreatmentwascarriedoutbySandifordandMapesLtd.inabout2000and2003.
19.
28 Chinese Wallpaper in National Trust Houses
ThewallpaperhangsintheChineseRoom.AccordingtoHerveyfamilytraditiontheChinesewallpaperwaspurchasedat‘oneofthegreatexhibitions’34–possiblytheoriginalGreatExhibitioninLondonof1851,orperhapstheInternationalExhibitioninSouthKensingtonof1862.ItisframedbyagildedimitationbamboofilletsimilartotheoneintheBambooBedroomatBeltonHouse(cat.4).Theovermantelmirrorhasasimilargildedimitationbambooframe.TheChineseRoomwaslistedonac.1830planofthehouseasthedressingroomofElizabeth,MarchionessofBristol(1775–1844).By1907itwasstilladressingroom,butusedbyFrederickHervey,3rdMarquessofBristol(1834–1907).ItiscurrentlypartoftherestaurantoftheIckworthHotelwhichoccupiestheeastwing.
Wallpaper of unknown type.
ThebedroomadjacenttothedressingroomdescribedaboveislikewisesaidtohavebeendecoratedwithChinesewallpaper,butthisdoesnotseemtohavesurvived.Itwaslaterusedasadiningroom.
20.
BelowSectionofthefloralwallpaperintheChineseRoomatIckworth.
The Catalogue 29
Ightham Mote Near Sevenoaks, Kent
Floral wallpaper decorated with flowering trees, picturesque rocks and birds on a white background. National Trust Inventory No. 825922
Thebirdsincludepairsofpheasants,cranesandpeacocks.Theplantsincludepeonies,irises,chrysanthemumandlotus.SomeofthedropdesignscanalsobefoundatFelbriggHall(cat.17).SincetheFelbriggwallpaperwashungin1752thissuggestsasimilarmid-eighteenth-centurydateofimportationfortheIghthampaper.Afragmentwithaverysimilarcolourpalette,subjectmatterandstylehasbeenfoundatOudAmelisweerd,nearUtrecht,theNetherlands.Awallpaperwithaslightlydenser,butotherwisesimilarfloralpatternandsimilarcolouringwashungatDalemain,Cumbria,inabout1760(forreferencesseecat.17).
Theoutlinesareprintedontothepaper,withthecolourspaintedinbyhand.Theleavesaredepictedin(orhavefadedto)shadesofbrownish,blueishandgreyishgreen,whichcontrastwiththerelativelybrightreds,pinksandpurplesoftheflowers.
21.
AboveStampfoundonthebackofthewallpaperatIghthamMote,possiblyofthepapermanufacturer.
LeftSectionofthefloralwallpaperintheDrawingRoomatIghthamMote.
30 Chinese Wallpaper in National Trust Houses
Thewallpaperwasmountedontextilewhichwasstretchedonbattens.IncomparisonwiththeFelbriggwallpaper,theIghthampaperhasbeentrimmedatthetop,hassufferedmorefromdampandinsectdamageandhasbeenmoreextensivelyrestored.Itwastreatedaround1900(inscribeddatesofboth1891and1903werefound),possiblybyW.MiddletonandJ.Morley,whooverpaintedmostofthebackgroundandabouttwo-thirdsofthedetailwithanunsuitableoil-bounddistemper.OrdeSolomonscarriedoutin situholdingrepairsin1986.In1989thewallpaperwasremoved,relinedandconsolidatedbyMerrylHuxtableandPaulineWebberinconjunctionwithG.JacksonandSons.FollowingextensivebuildingworksatIghthamMote,SandifordandMapesLtd.carriedoutsomefurthertreatmentandthewallpaperwasrehungin1997onnewlinencanvasstretchedoverdamp-proofbattens.DuringtheconservationworkitwasdiscoveredthatoneofthesheetsofChineseliningpaperwasstampedinChinesecharacters,includingwhatappearstobethename‘Sanheli’,possiblyreferringtothepapermanufacturer.35
ThewallpaperhangsintheDrawingRoom,whereitisthoughttohavebeeninstalledinabout1800,whentheMotewasownedbytheSelbyfamily,althoughtheexactdateandcircumstancesareuncertain.ItwasoriginallyframedbyanEnglishpaperborder,ofwhichonlyfragmentsremain,whichwasblock-printedandpiercedinachinoiseriefretworkpatternsimilartooneinplate192ofChippendale’sGentleman and Cabinet-Maker’s Director (1762).IghthamMoteisanunusuallymodestsettingforaChinesewallpaper,butwithinthecontextofthehousetheDrawingRoomisoneofthegranderspaces.TotherightoftheJacobeanfireplace,wherethewallpaperpresumablyranout,thewallwascoveredwithsectionsofIndianprintedsilkwithrepeatingfloraldesigns.
Fragments of floral wallpaper on a folding screen consisting of three oak leaves decorated on both sides with 12 panels of Chinese wallpaper depicting birds, butterflies and flowering plants. National Trust Inventory No. 825923
Theplantsincludepeonyandbamboo.Afancifulclimbingplantsproutingavarietyofdifferentflowers–amotifthatmayhavebeeninfluencedbyIndianchintzdesigns36–isdepictedgrowingthroughthebamboo.TwooftheducksarealmostidenticaltoducksonthewallpaperintheChineseBedroomatBeltonHouse,hungc.1840(cat.3).OneofthoseducksalsoappearsinthewallpaperintheBallroomatWoburnAbbey,suggestingthatallofthesepapersmayhavebeenproducedbythesameworkshopataboutthesametime.
Eachofthe12panelsismadeupoffragmentsofChinesewallpaperpiecedtogetherwithliningsofEuropeanwallpaperandliningpaper.Thepaperwasvarnishedafteritwasmountedontothescreen,butretainsmuchoftheoriginalclarityoftheimagerywithfewlosses.Itwascleaned,relined,reinforcedandremountedbyClaireGaskellin2008.
ThescreenstandsintheBilliardRoom.IthasaprovenancefromSirJamesColyer-Fergusson,2ndBt.(1835–1934),thefatherofSirThomasColyer-Fergusson,3rdBt.(1865–1951),whopurchasedthehousein1891andrestoredandrefurbishedit.ThescreenwaspurchasedatauctionbytheNationalTrustin2007.37
AboveFragmentoffloralwallpapermountedonafoldingscreenatIghthamMote.
22.
The Catalogue 31
BelowDetailfromthefloralwallpaperintheStateBedroomatNostellPriory.
Kedleston Hall Near Derby
Wallpaper of unknown type.
Thewallpaperwasdescribedinthe1769guidebooktoKedlestonas‘Indiapaper’andwaslistedashangingintheWardrobe,whichfunctionedasthedressingroomfortheStateBedchambernextdoor.
ThesourceofthewallpapermayhavebeenthecabinetmakingfirmofWilliamandJohnLinnell,whosuppliedfurnituretoSirNathanielCurzon,5thBtand1stBaronCurzon(1726–1804)forKedlestonandwhowereinvolvedwithanumberofotherinteriorsfeaturingChinesewallpaper.38Alternatively,itmayhavecomethroughJamesPaine,whowasinvolvedatKedlestonaswellasatFelbrigg(cat.17)andUppark(cat.44).WithinabouttenyearstimetheWardrobehadbeenalteredandtheChinesewallpaperreplacedbybluedamask.39
Nostell Priory Near Wakefield, West Yorkshire
Floral wallpaper decorated with flowering trees, rocks, birds and butterflies on an originally pale blue-green background. National Trust Inventory No. 959651
Thisispartofthesetof18sheetsof‘fineIndiapaper’whichChippendalesuppliedinApril1771(seealsocats.25and26).Thebirdsincludechickens,parrotsandpheasants.OneofthepeacocksisalmostidenticaltopeacocksonwallpapersintheStateBedroomatErddig(cat.15),atCobhamHall,Surrey,andinthecollectionoftheVictoria&AlbertMuseum,London(seenote22),suggestingtheywereproducedbythesameworkshopataboutthesametime.Theplantsincludemagnoliaandpeony.
Thesceneryispaintedonpaper.Thewallpaperwasmountedonstrainedtextileoverwoodenboards.Thewhitebackgroundhasdarkened.Thevisibilityofparallelwatermarksfromthepaper-makingprocesssuggeststhatthegroundisrelativelythin.Thewallpaperwastreatedin situbySandifordandMapesLtd.in2000.
ThewallpaperhangsintheStateBedroom.Thisroomhadpreviouslybeenadrawingroom,butin1771itwasredecoratedforSirRowlandWinn,5thBt(1739–85),byRobertAdam(1728–92)andThomasChippendale(1718–79)asthedressingroomfortheprincipalbedroom.ItwasonlycalledtheStateBedroomfromthelatenineteenthcentury,whenthebedwasintroduced.Apartfromthewallpaper,Chippendalealsosuppliedthegreenandgoldfilletandthegreenandgoldchinoiseriefurniturecomprisingaclothespress,commode,pierglass,dressingtable,stool,sofa,easychairandeightarmchairsen suitewiththefurnitureintheStateDressingRoom(cat.25).
23.
24.
32 Chinese Wallpaper in National Trust Houses
Floral wallpaper decorated with flowering trees, rocks, birds and butterflies on an originally pale blue-green background. National Trust Inventory No. 959654
Thisispartofthesetof18sheetsof‘fineIndiapaper’whichChippendalesuppliedinApril1771(seealsocats.24and26).Thebirdsincludepheasantsandtheplantsincludepeony.
Thesceneryispaintedonpaper.Thewallpaperwasmountedonstrainedtextile.Thewhitebackgroundhasdarkened.Thevisibilityofparallelwatermarksfromthepaper-makingprocesssuggeststhatthegroundisrelativelythin.Thisroomsufferedwaterdamageduringthe1980fire.Thewallpaperwastreatedin situbySandifordandMapesLtd.in2000.
ThewallpaperhangsintheStateDressingRoom.Thisroomwasoriginallydesignedbyastheprincipalbedroomofthehouse(itonlyacquireditscurrentnameinthelatenineteenthcentury),andstillfunctionedassuchwhenAdamandChippendaleredecorateditbetween1769and1771.Apartfromthewallpaper,Chippendalealsosuppliedthegreenandgoldfilletandthegreenandgoldchinoiseriefurniturecomprisingadomedbed,lady’sdressingtable,stoolandsixarmchairsen suitewiththefurnitureintheStateBedroom(cat.24). Floral wallpaper decorated with flowering trees, rocks, birds and butterflies on an originally pale blue-green background. National Trust Inventory No. 959653
Thisispartofthesetof18sheetsof‘fineIndiapaper’whichChippendalesuppliedinApril1771(seealsocats.24and25).Thebirdsincludepeacocksandpheasantsandtheplantsincludepeonyandmagnolia.
Thesceneryispaintedonpaper.Thewallpaperwasmountedonstrainedtextile.Thewhitebackgroundhasdarkened.Thevisibilityofparallelwatermarksfromthepaper-makingprocesssuggeststhatthegroundisrelativelythin.In1984someexcisestampswerefoundbyPaulineWebberontheliningpaperandtheChinesewallpaperontwowalls.Theirpresenceisnotclear,asliningpapernotintendedforstainingwasnotnormallysubjecttodutyandchargestampshavenotbeenrecordedonotherChinesewallpapers.Thisroomsufferedsmokedamageduringthe1980fire.In1984thepaperwastakendown,treatedandremountedontolinenstrainedoverboardsbyMerrylHuxtableandPaulineWebberinconjunctionwithG.JacksonandSons.Atthattimeevidencewasfoundofalatenineteenthcenturytreatmentwhichmayhaveincludedremovalfromthewall.
ThewallpaperhangsintheStateDressingRoomBathroom.ThisroomandtheadjacentCrimsonBathroomweredescribedasdressingroomsin1818andthenhadwash-standsanddressingtables.Intheearlynineteenthcenturyadoorwascreatedconnectingthetworoomsinordertofacilitateaccessforservants.Theroomswereturnedintobathroomsintheearlytwentiethcentury. Floral wallpaper decorated with bamboo and flowering trees, rocks, birds and butterflies, on an undulating foreground and against a white background. National Trust Inventory No. 959652
ThispaperisdifferentfromthatofthewallpaperintheStateBedroom,DressingRoomandBathroom(cats.24–26).Thebirdsincludechickens,ducks,peacocksandpheasants.Oneofthebirdmotifs,acockerelstandingonarockwithitsheadloweredanditstailfeathersraised,alsooccursinwallpapersintheBambooBedroomatBeltonHouse(cat.4)andintheChineseRoomatIckworth(cat.19).
Thesceneryispaintedonpaperwithamicaground.SomeofthesheetsshowChinesenumerals(thenumbersseven,nineandtwelvearevisible).SimilarnumeralsoccuronwallpapersatBelton(cats.3and4),atIckworth(cat.19)andintheBallroomatWoburnAbbeyandatWrestPark,bothinBedfordshire.
26.
27.
25.
The Catalogue 33
TheunderpaintingincludesnotesinChinesecharactersabouttheplacementofelementsofthescenery,specificallythetreetrunks(literallyreadingshushen,‘treetrunk’),flowersandgrass.Thisroomsufferedsmokedamageduringthe1980fire.In1984thepaperwastakendown,treatedandremountedontolinenstrainedoverboardsbyMerrylHuxtableandPaulineWebberinconjunctionwithG.JacksonandSons.ThewallpaperwasfoundtohavebeenpartlylinedwithEuropeanwovewatermarkedpaper.
ThewallpaperhangsintheCrimsonBathroom.ThisroomandtheadjacentStateDressingRoomBathroomweredescribedasdressingroomsin1818andthenhadwash-standsanddressingtables.Intheearlynineteenthcenturyadoorwascreatedconnectingthetworoomsinordertofacilitateaccessforservants.RowlandWinn,MP(1820–93,created1stBaronStOswald1885)carriedoutacomprehensiverefurbishmentofthehouseinthelate1870s,mastermindedbythearchitectJohnMacvicarAnderson(1835–1915).ThewallpaperintheCrimsonBathroomappearstohavebeensuppliedinNovember1883,whentheLondonwallpapersuppliersCowtan&Sonssent10sheetsofafloralChinesewallpaperwithbamboouptoNostellbytrain.40Theroomswereturnedintobathroomsintheearlytwentiethcentury.
BelowDetailfromthefloralwallpaperintheCrimsonBathroomatNostellPriory.
34 Chinese Wallpaper in National Trust Houses
Osterley Park Isleworth, west London
Various wallpapers of unknown types.
In1772AgnetaYorke(1740–1820)wrotethatthebedroomsanddressingroomsatOsterleywerefurnished‘withthefinestchintes,paintedtaffatys,Indiapaper,anddeckerwork[Deccawork,orIndianembroideredsilk],andaprofusionofrichchina[porcelain]andjapan[lacquer]...IcouldalmostfancymyselfinPeking.’41Thisisreflectedinthelabelsfromanoldbellhangingboard(NationalTrustInventoryNo.772195),whichincludereferencestoa‘ChineseRoom’,‘IndianRoom’and‘ChintzRoom’.OsterleywasthesuburbanseatofthewealthybankerRobertChild(1739–82)andhiswifeSarah(néeJodrell,1741–93),whowereemployingRobertAdamtoremodelthehouse.ThesourceoftheChinesewallpapermayhavebeenthecabinetmakingfirmofWilliamandJohnLinnell,whosuppliedfurnituretoOsterleyinthe1760sand1770sandwhowereinvolvedwithanumberofotherinteriorsfeaturingChinesewallpaper.42TherearenoChinesewallpapersvisibleonthewallstoday.
ThehousestillcontainsanumberofAsianandAsian-inspiredobjectsreflectingtheChildfamily’stradingconnections–thebrothersSirRobertChild(1674–1721)andSirFrancisChildtheYounger(1684–1740),respectivelyRobertChild’suncleandfather,werebankers,membersofParliamentanddirectorsoftheEastIndiaCompany.43TheChinese-styleboatandgardenpavilionandmenageriewithexoticbirds,however,whichwererecordedduringthesecondhalfoftheeighteenthcentury,havesincedisappeared.
Print-room-style wallpaper on chimney board decorated with an oval Chinese picture on paper of birds, butterflies and peonies, surrounded by a paper border depicting mottled bamboo entwined with flowers and leaves, in turn surrounded by an all-over pattern of peonies. National Trust Inventory No. 771805
Anumberofchimneyboardssimilarlydecoratedwith‘Indiapaper’wererecordedatWoburnAbbeyinabout1751.44TheovalpictureisreminiscentofthesimilarlyshapedChinesepicturesonpaperusedaswalldecorationduringthelateeighteenthandearlynineteenthcentury,forinstanceintheChineseRoomatErddig(cat.16).Thestylisedfloralborder,moreover,appearstoberelatedtotheprint-room-stylewallpapersofthelateeighteenthcenturyinwhichthebordersareveryprominent,ascanstillbeseenforinstanceatStoneleighAbbey,Warwickshire,andintheBlauerChinesischerSalonatSchlossSchönbrunn,Vienna(seealsocat.31).45
Thedecorationisprintedonlayeredpaperandfinishedincolourbyhand,butwithoutanoverallground.Inmanyplacesthecolourscovertheprintedlines(comparecat.30),whichcontrastswiththewaycolourwasaddedwithintheprintedlinesofwallpaperssuchasthoseatFelbriggHall(cat.17)andIghthamMote(cat.21).Thecentralimage,ovalbamboo-and-floralborderandsurroundingpatternofpeoniesareallonthesamesheet,buttheouterbamboo-and-floralpaperborderwasappliedseparately.Thebackgroundissomewhatdiscoloured.
ThechimneyboardisintheYellowTaffetaBedchamber.Thisroomwastheprincipalguestbedroomduringthesecondhalfoftheeighteenthcentury.ItstillcontainsthesatinwoodbeddesignedforitbyAdamin1779andmadebyJohnLinnell(1729–96),whichwashungwithChinesesilkpaintedwithpeoniesandotherflowers.Thesamesilkwasalsousedforthecurtainsandthesquabcushions.Mostofthesilkwasremadeinthe1920s,butsomeoftheoriginallateeighteenth-centurymaterialappearstosurviveonanovalpolescreen(NationalTrustInventoryNo.771815).
28.
29.
The Catalogue 35
Decorative Chinese paper painted with stylised peonies mounted on both sides of a pole screen. National Trust Inventory No. 771874
ThepatternisreminiscentofthefloralpatternsusedonChinesetextiles.Theoutlineswereprintedandthenfinishedincolourbyhand.Asinthecaseofthechimneyboard(cat.29),thecolourcoverstheprintedoutlinesinmanyareas.Thepaperappearstobeasinglesheetlinedwithscrim.Onesideispuncturedandthereisalossontheotherside.Thebackgroundisdiscoloured.Thepolescreeniscurrentlyinstore.
30.
AbovePrint-room-stylewallpaperonachimneyboardatOsterleyPark.
Right DecorativepapermountedonapolescreenatOsterleyPark.
36 Chinese Wallpaper in National Trust Houses
Oxburgh Hall Near Swaffham, Norfolk
31. Print-room-style wallpaper decorated with mottled bamboo trelliswork and flowers.
Thepaperistoowidetobeatrellisworkborder(asforinstanceintheChineseBedroomatBlicklingHall,cat.6)andappearsinsteadtobealateeighteenth-centuryprint-room-stylewallpaperinwhichthefloralandtrellisworkbordermotifshavetakenoveralmosttheentiredesign.OtherexamplesofthistypecanstillbeseenatStoneleighAbbey,Warwickshire,andintheBlauerChinesischerSalonatSchlossSchönbrunn,Vienna(seecat.29).
Thewallpaperispaintedonpaper.Sectionsofitwereuncoveredduringrecentconservationwork.
Thewallpaperisinaroominaprivateapartmentinthehousecurrentlyinuseasakitchen.ItwasprobablyinstalledduringtheremodellingofsomeoftheinteriorsbySirRichardBedingfeld,4thBt(1726–95),between1775and1779.TherearerecordsofpaymentstothepaperhangersBromwichandLeighatthistime,suggestingthattheymayhavesuppliedtheChinesewallpaper.46Theroomwasusedasadressingroom,asdocumentedbyCharlotteBedingfeld,thewifeofthe5thBaronet,in1819:‘MyMotherseemedpleasedwithherStaywithUs,shesleptintheFetterlockroom,andSatintheMorningintheChinesedressingRoom,havingherBreakfastthere,andamusingherselfwithlookingattheBooksIwasoccupiedinpackingup.’47WhenthecontentsofOxburghwereputupforsalein1951thisroomwasstillmarkedas‘Chinese’inanannotatedcopyoftheauctioncatalogue.48ItremainstobeinvestigatedwhetherthereisanyChinesewallpapersurvivingunderlaterpapersintheadjacentbedroom.
Below leftPrint-roomstylewallpaperdiscoveredatOxburghHall.
BelowSectionofprint-room-stylewallpaperatSchlossSchönbrunn.ThewallpaperatOxburghappearstohaveasimilarfloraltrellispattern.
The Catalogue 37
Peckover House Wisbech, Cambridgeshire
Picture on a pole screen depicting poppies growing next to a picturesque rock with a butterfly hovering above. National Trust Inventory No. 782302
Thepictureispaintedonpaper.Itwasmountedontextilewhichwasinturnmountedontoarectangularpolescreen.Thelackofpaperjoinsandliningssuggestthatitisapictureratherthanasectionofwallpaper.Thepaperisdiscolouredandstainedwithabrasionsandlosses.Asmallsectionofpaperwhichusedtobecoveredbyoneofthemetalfittingsofthepolescreenstillhasitsoriginallightbluebackgroundcolour.49
ThepictureissurroundedbyaEuropeanrococopaperborderrepresentingacanthusleaveswindingaroundastraightframe.ThisborderisverysimilartothecarvedandgildedwoodenframesofasetofsixChinesepicturesonpaperwithscenesinpalaces,mansionsandgardens(NationalTrustInventoryNo.1271100)atShugboroughHall,nearStafford,demonstratinghowChineseandrococostylescouldbecombinedwithoutanyapparentincongruity.ThefrontofthescreenisdecoratedwithaEuropeanembroideredpanel.
Thereisnodocumentaryevidenceconcerningthisfirescreen,buttherococopaperbordersuggestsamid-eighteenth-centurydate.
Penrhyn Castle Near Bangor, Gwynedd
Floral wallpaper decorated with flowering trees, pots, rocks, birds and insects on an undulating foreground and against an off-white background. National Trust Inventory No. 1422110
Someoftherocksserveaspedestalsforpotsholdingsmallfloweringtrees.Theplantsincludepeonyandhydrangea.Thebirdsincludechickens,parrotsandpheasants.
Thesceneryispaintedonpaper.Itwasapplieddirectlytotheplaster.Repairswerecarriedoutin situbyGraemeStoreyin2009.
ThewallpaperhangsintheStateBedroom.Thiswasdecoratedintheearly1830s,whenPenrhynCastle,designedbyThomasHopper(1776–1856)forGeorgeHayDawkins-Pennant(1764–1840),wasnearingcompletion(seealsocats.34and35).Theroomisfurnishedwithamixtureofneo-Norman,Dutch,English,FrenchandIndianpiecesoffurniture,includinganineteenth-centuryrococo-revivalmirrorpaintedwithafloweringtreeandbirdsinimitationofboththewallpaperandChinesemirrorpaintings.
32.
BelowPicturemountedonapolescreenatPeckoverHouse.
RightSectionofthefloralwallpaperintheStateBedroomatPenrhynCastle.
33.
38 Chinese Wallpaper in National Trust Houses
Floral wallpaper decorated with bamboo, peonies, rocks, birds and insects against an off-white ground. National Trust Inventory No. 1422111
Afancifulclimbingplantsproutingavarietyofdifferentflowers–amotifthatmayhavebeeninfluencedbyIndianchintzdesigns50–isdepictedgrowingthroughthebamboo(forimageseecontentspage).Thebirdsincludeducksandpheasants.Averysimilarwallpaper,butonanoriginallypinkgroundandwithfiguresalongthebottom,isatBeltonHouse(cat.3).
Thesceneryispaintedonpaper.Thewallpaperwasapplieddirectlytotheplaster.In1985thewallpaperononewallinthisroomwasfullyconservedbyPaulineWebberandMerrylHuxtable,whiletheotherthreewallswerehungbydecoratorCharlesHespwithunuseddropswhichhadbeeninstore.In1989OrdeSolomonstemporarilypeeledbacksomeofthepaperatcorniceleveltoallowfordryrottreatment.
ThewallpaperhangsintheStateDressingRoom,whereitispartoftheoriginalearly1830sdecorativescheme(seealsocats.33and35).
Floral wallpaper decorated with a canal or embanked stream, flowering trees, large picturesque rocks, birds and insects against a blue background. National Trust Inventory No. 1422112
Theplantsincludeiris,lotusandpeony.Thebirdsincludechickens,cockatoos,ducks,pheasantsandstorks.Arelatedwallpaper,againincludinganembankedstream,isintheChineseRoomatWoburnAbbey,Bedfordshire.Anotherrelatedpaper,butwithouttheembankedstream,isintheVogeltjesKamer(LittleBirdsRoom)atOudAmelisweerd,nearUtrecht,theNetherlands.ThebottomedgeofthewallpaperhasbeenfinishedwithadoubleChinesepaperborderpaintedwithafloralpatternonabluelightbackground.
Thesceneryispaintedonpaper.Thewallpaperwasapplieddirectlytotheplaster.Thebackgroundhasfadedfromtheoriginallightblueandmostofitwasoverpainted,possiblytwice.Anumberofunusedsectionssurviveinstore,providingevidencefortheoriginalcolours.Block-printedandinscribedEuropeannumbershavebeenfoundonthebackofsomeofthesheets.FullconservationtreatmentincludingreliningwascarriedoutbySandifordandMapesLtd.attheVictoria&AlbertMuseumin1993.
34.
35.
Below leftSectionofthefloralwallpaperwithanembankedstreamintheLowerIndiaRoomatPenrhynCastle.
Below SectionofthefloralwallpaperwithanembankedstreamintheChineseRoomatWoburnAbbeysimilartothePenrhynLowerIndiaRoomwallpaper.
The Catalogue 39
Powis Castle Near Welshpool, Powys
Combined figural/floral wallpaper decorated with tall bamboo, flowering plants, rocks, birds and insects on islands in the foreground and a watery landscape beyond with rocks and hills, buildings and figures engaged in various activities, against a green background.
36.
LeftSectionofthefigural/floralwallpaperintheSittingRoomatPowisCastle,formerlyatWalcotHall.
Thissceneryappearstobeavariationonthehybridtypeofscenerycombiningtallbambooandtreeswithsmallhumanfigures,asseenatBeltonHouse(cat.3).StylisticsimilaritieswiththewallpaperatIckworth,moreover,suggeststhatthiswallpaperdatesfromthemiddleorthesecondhalfofthenineteenthcentury.Theplantsincludelychee,Buddha’shandcitron,pomegranate,bananaplantain,rose,peonyandprunus.Thebirdsincludechickens,cranesandducks.
Thesceneryispaintedonpaper.Thewallpaperwasmountedontextileandstretchedonbattens,whichinturnwerenailedontoamid-nineteenthcenturyMoresquewallpaper.Thecoloursremainstrongandbright,althoughtherearesomewaterstainsandthepapershowssomedetachmentfromthewallandsplittinginplaces.AsectionwastreatedbyOrdeSolomonsin1990.
ThewallpaperhangsintheSittingRoom.ThetwoChinesewallpapersatPowisCastle(seealsocat.37)appeartohaveoriginallyhungatWalcotHall,nearLydburyNorth,Shropshire.WalcotwaspurchasedbyRobertClive,1stBaronClive(‘CliveofIndia’,1725–74),in1764andwasrebuiltforhimbySirWilliamChambers(1723–96).The1stLordClive’sson,EdwardClive,1stEarlofPowis(1754–1839),madefurtherchangesatWalcotintheearlynineteenthcentury,butitisnotclearwhentheChinesewallpaperswereoriginallyinstalledthere.TheywerebroughttoPowisCastlewhenGeorgeHerbert,4thEarlofPowis(1862–1952)soldWalcotHallin1936.51Aborderofstampedgoldleatherwasaddedaroundthefireplace.
40 Chinese Wallpaper in National Trust Houses
Floral wallpaper decorated with flowering trees, rocks, birds and insects on an undulating foreground and against a yellow background, with a faint blue wash towards the top.
Theplantsincludemagnolia,peonyandhydrangea.Thebirdsincludepairsofchickensandpheasants.Ithasbeensuggestedthatonstylisticgroundsthiswallpapercanbedatedtothelatenineteenthortheearlytwentiethcentury.52
Thesceneryispaintedonpaper.Thedropwidthsarerelativelynarrow(approx.940mm).Thewallpaperisingoodcondition.
ThewallpaperhangsintheMusicRoom.ItwasmountedontopofthesameVictorianMoresquewallpaperthatalsosurvivesunderneaththeChinesewallpaperintheSittingRoom(cat.36),andithasthesameprovenancefromWalcotHall.
Saltram Near Plymouth
Pictures depicting large emblematic male and female figures in garden settings used as wallpaper. National Trust Inventory No. 872998
TheschemeismadeupofmultiplecopiesoftwoChinesehand-colouredprints.Onthemainwallsoftheroomthetwoprintshavebeenhunginalternatingpairs.Onapartitionthatseparatesoffpartoftheroomtheprintshavebeencombinedwithanumberofcut-outfigures(someofwhichalsoappearintheStudy,seecat.40),egretsidenticaltothoseinthewallpaperintheChineseBedroomatFelbrigg(cat.17),abirdonsilk,birdscutoutofcolouredpaperbyawesternhand,rocksandclouds.ThepresenceofthesevariousadditionsmayindicatethattherewereoriginallyevenmoreroomsdecoratedwithChinesewallpaperatSaltramthanthefourthatsurvivetoday(seealsocats.39and41).53Thelargeemblematicfiguresincludeelegantwomen,scholarsandimmortals.Similarlarge-scalecolouredprintshavesurvivedatSchlossSünchinginOberpfalz,Germany;atKasteeld’Ursel,Hingene,nearAntwerp,Belgium;andinthecollectionoftheHofmobiliendepot,Vienna(formerlyattheBlauerHof,Laxenburg).Alltheseschemesaredatedtoaroundthe1760s(seealsocat.40).54
37.
38.
Below leftSomeofthepictureswithlarge-scalefiguresusedaswallpaperintheChineseDressingRoomatSaltram
Below Picturewithalarge-scalefiguresimilartothoseatSaltramusedasanoverdooratKasteeld’Ursel
The Catalogue 41
39.
Thepicturesareprintedonpaperandfinishedbyhandinblackinkandcolour.Theyweremountedonatextilelining.Thereareabout20alternatingpairsofprintsonthemainwalls,andmoreonthepartition.Theskilfulwayinwhichthejoinsbetweentheprintshavebeendisguised,bycuttingoffthetopmarginsaroundcertainmotifsandbytheadditionofcertaincut-outmotifs,suggeststheinvolvementofaprofessionalpaperhanger(comparecat.17).Thepartitionwasdecoratedinaslightlydifferentway,withtheadditionoflargefigurescutfromotherprints,anditappearstohavebeeninsertedintotheroomslightlylater.Somecolourshavefaded,particularlyinthebackgrounds.Thewalldepictedinoneoftheprintswasoriginallyblue,butthiscannowonlybeseeninsectionswhichwerepreviouslycoveredbyanarchitravesurroundingtheopeninginthepartition.Bytheearly1960sthewallpaperhadbecomedetachedfromthewallinplaces,andconservationtreatment(includingrelining)wascarriedoutbyC.P.SharpeofLondonin1962.55Theschemewasremovedfromthewalls,treatedandrelinedbyMerrylHuxtableandPaulineWebberin1987,inconjunctionwithG.JacksonandSons.
TheschemehangsintheChineseDressingRoom.ItseemstohavebeeninstalledforJohnParker(1703–68)andhisheiresswifeLadyKatherine(néePoulett,1706–58),whoremodelledtheinteriorsatSaltraminrococostylefromthe1740sonwards.ThereareanumberofsuggestivebutasyetinconclusivecluesrelatingtothedatingoftheChinesewallpaperatSaltram,includinganinscriptiondated1757foundonthebackofamirrorpaintingintheMirrorRoom(seecat.41),thesimilaritybetweenaprintintheStudyandonehungatStoneleighAbbeybyBromwichandLeighin1763(seecat.40),theappearanceofChinesepictureswithlargefiguresinEuropeinthe1760s(seeabove),theentryinParker’scashaccountbookforapaymentof£56.00for‘paper’tothefirmofCromptonandSpinnageinFebruary177256andtheproductionofpanoramicwallpapersonsilkbetweenabout1760and1788(seecat.39).TheschemeisframedbyanEnglishhand-printedborder.
Figural wallpaper showing a landscape with figures engaged in the growing and treating of tea and in manufactures. National Trust Inventory No. 872999
Theoriginalsequenceofthepanoramaonlysurvivesinonearea.Somemotifsoccurmorethanonce,includingasceneofthepackingupofcrates(twice),amansawingwood(twice),threemenonaveranda(fourtimes),apairofboats(fourtimes)andanopen-sidedbuilding(fivetimes).AwallpaperonsilkatSchlossDyck,Nordrhein-Westfalen,Germany,whichoriginallyhungatSchlossHalbturn,Burgenland,Austria,fromabout1765,hasmoreorlessidenticalscenery.IthasbeendemonstratedthatthescenesofriceandsilkproductionintheDyck/HalbturnwallpaperarebasedontheillustrationsintheYuzhi Gengzhitu(TreatiseonTillingandWeaving),originallyproducedin1696.57IthasbeensuggestedthatthistypeofpanoramicwallpaperonsilkmayhavebeenproducedbytheGuangzhouartistorworkshopknowninwesternsourcesat‘Anthony’or‘Anthonij’,whoappearstohavespecialisedinsupplyingpaintingsandwallpapersonsilktowesternersbetweenabout1760and1788.
Thesceneryispaintedonsilk.Thewallpaperwaslinedwithpaperandstrainedontextile.Thedropsappeartohavebeentrimmedatthetop,asnoskycanbeseen.Anumberofcut-outmotifsfromothersourceshavebeenattached,whichmaysuggestthattherewereoriginallyevenmoreroomsdecoratedwithChinesewallpaperatSaltram(seealsocat.nos.38and41).58
ThewallpaperhangsintheChineseBedroom,whichwasoriginallycalledtheBlueBowRoom.ThewallpaperandthefurniturewereoriginallyintheCollopyBedroomonthenorth-eastsideofthefirstfloor59,butfollowinganoutbreakofdryrotinthe1930sthecontentsofthatroomwereremovedandstored.AftertheNationalTrustacquiredSaltramin1957theChinesewallpaperwasrediscoveredinoneoftheattics,althoughsomeofthedropsweremissingandthepaperhadbeenaffectedbymouldcausedby
42 Chinese Wallpaper in National Trust Houses
Pictures of different sizes and scales and depicting a variety of subjects used as wallpaper. National Trust Inventory No. 873000
Thepicturesincludelandscapeswithfiguresandarchitectureandpicturesofsingleemblematicfigures.Thereschemecomprisesabout60separateimagesinall,appliedassymmetricalcollagescoveringthewallsfromdadotofrieze.Theemblematicfiguresincludeelegantladies,governmentofficialsandimmortals.SomeofthelargerfiguresarerelatedtotheprintsusedintheChineseDressingRoom(cat.38),althoughtheydonotseemtohaveprintedoutlines.Afigureofalady,holdingwhatmaybeafishingrod,alsoappears,withsomevariations,asanoverdoorintheVogeltjesKamer(LittleBirdsRoom)atOudAmelisweerd,nearUtrecht,theNetherlands.61Ithasbeensuggestedthat,sinceoneofthelandscapescenesintheStudyisalmostidenticaltoonethatwaspartofadecorativeschemeinMissLeigh’sBedchamberatStoneleighAbbey,Warwickshire,createdbyBromwichandLeighin1765,thatfirmmayalsohavesuppliedtheChinesepicturesatSaltram.62
Theschemecomprisespaintingsandcolouredprintsonpaperaswellasasmallsectionofpaintedsilkwallpaper(probablyarepair).Thepictureshavebeenmountedonatextilelining.Detailsonsomeofthesmallerfigureshavebeenpickedoutingold.
40.
wateringress.However,asthesurvivingsectionsapproximatelyfittedtheBlueBowRoom,theywerecleaned,relinedandhungtherebyC.P.SharpeontheinstructionsofcuratorNigelNeatbyin1962–360.AtthistimeaEuropeanstampedmarkwasfoundontheoriginalscrimbacking,butitsmeaninghasnotyetbeendetermined.FromthenontheBlueBowRoomwaseffectivelyarecreationoftheCollopyBedroom,butwascalledtheChineseChippendaleBedroom(nowChineseBedroom).ThewallpaperagainreceivedfullconservationtreatmentincludingreliningbySandifordandMapesLtd.in1995.ItwasoriginallyframedbyanEnglishmulti-colouredblock-printedfloralborder,fragmentsofwhichsurvivealongthedadoandfrieze.
Left ThefiguralwallpaperonsilkintheChineseBedroomatSaltram.
The Catalogue 43
41.
Thecloudsintheskiesinsomeofthelargerpicturesmayhavebeenpaintedinatthetimeofhanging.Thereissignificantbrowndiscolourationtothebackgrounds.Fullconservationtreatmentofthewholescheme,includingreliningandtheinfillingofsignificantlosses,wascarriedoutbySandifordandMapesLtd.in1997.AtthattimeanumberofindividualpictureswerefoundtohaveChinesenumbersontheirbacks.
TheschemehangsintheStudy,whichacquireditspresentnamewhenitwasusedbyAlbertEdmundParker,3rdEarlofMorley(1843–1905)forhisParliamentaryduties.Intheeighteenthcenturyitwasprobablyafamilysittingroom.TheindividualpictureshavebeenseparatedbystripsofEuropeanpaperprintedwithablackkey-fretpatternonagreenbackground.
Figural wallpaper decorated with small-scale scenery of figures and architecture in mountainous landscapes interspersed with stylised clouds. National Trust Inventory No. 873001
Somescenesarerepeatedanumberoftimes.ThestylisedmannerinwhichthemountainsandcloudshavebeendepictedisreminiscentofalandscapewallpaperoriginallyatSchlossHof,inSchlosshof,Austria,nowinthecollectionofMAK,Vienna.
Thewallpaperispaintedonpaper.Theschemehasbeenmountedontextile.Theindividualsheetsareabout120cminheight.Someslightlylargercut-outfragments,includingfiguresengagedinaspectsofsilkproductionandbirds,havebeenattachedtothewallpaperinvariousplaces,perhapsindicatingthattheremayoriginallyhavebeenevenmoreroomswithChinesewallpaperatSaltram(seealsocats.38and39).Intheearly1960sNigelNeatbyhadthiswallpaperremovedfromthedressingroomadjacenttotheCollopyBedroom,relinedandrehungintheMirrorRoom,probablybyC.P.Sharpe.In situconservationtreatmentwascarriedoutbyMarkSandifordin2007.
ThewallpaperhangsintheMirrorRoom.Untilthenineteenthcenturythisroom–whichissituatednexttotheLibraryonthegroundfloor–servedasavestibuleandwasknownastheGreenRoom.ItwasgiventhenameMirrorRoomwhenthe
Far left OneofthepicturesusedaswallpaperintheStudyatSaltram.
LeftFragmentofapicturediscoveredatOudAmelisweerd.
44 Chinese Wallpaper in National Trust Houses
Chinesewallpaperandagroupofmid-eighteenth-centuryChinesemirrorpaintingswerehunghereintheearly1960s.Oneofthemirrorpaintingswasfoundtobebackedwithasheetofpaperinscribedwith‘Bird&fflowerscutout/ofIndiapaperforfilling/invacancysinotherpaper/March1757.’
Sudbury Hall Near Uttoxeter, Derbyshire
Wallpaper of unknown type.
Elizabeth,DuchessofBeaufort(1713–99),notedthepresenceofChinesewallpaperintheLibraryatSudburyin1751:‘HungwithIndiapaperthebookcasesinitarepartlyguilt&yeionicorderverypretty.’63ItisraretofindChinesewallpaperinalibrary.Thebookcases,probablydatingfromthelateseventeenthorearlyeighteenthcentury,arestillintheroom,buttheChinesewallpaperseemstohavebeenreplacedorpaperedoverbythelateeighteenthcentury.
ThewallpaperwasprobablyinstalledforGeorgeVenables-Vernon,1stBaronVernonofKinderton(1709–80),andhisthirdwifeMartha(néeHarcourt,1715–94),whomhemarriedin1744.
Tatton Park Near Knutsford, Cheshire
Pictures used as wallpaper.
In1768theBedChamberandDressingRoomofBeatrixEgerton(1754–79),theonlychildofSamuelEgerton(1711–80)andhiswifeBeatrix(néeCopley,d.1755),weredecoratedwithChinesewallpaper,asrecordedinareceiptfromthepainterWilliam
42.
43.
Left SectionofthefiguralwallpaperintheMirrorRoomatSaltram,togetherwithoneofthemid-eighteenth-centuryChinesemirrorpaintings.RightSectionofthefiguralwallpapersimilartotheSaltramMirrorRoomwallpaper,formerlyatSchlossHof,nowinMAK,Vienna.
45Chinese Wallpaper in National Trust Houses
Huntdatingfromthatyear:‘Paintingwithwatercoloursthebluepaperindittorooms[MissEgerton’sBedChamberandDressingRoom]stonecolourasagroundforIndiapaper.Materialsandtime0.10.6.’64Thefactthatitmentionsapaper‘ground’forthe‘Indiapaper’mayindicatethatthiswasadecorativeschemeofseparatelyhungChinesepictures,asatErddig(cat.16),ratherthanafull-scalewallpaper.
Uppark Near South Harting, West Sussex
Floral wallpaper decorated with trees and flowering plants, birds and rocks on a white ground.
Thebirdsincludepairsofpheasantsandquails,andtheplantsincludepeonyandmagnolia.
Theoutlinesareblock-printed,withcolouraddedbyhand.Thewallpaperwascoveredoverinabout1770withagreendistemperdiaper-patternwallpaper.AfragmentoftheChinesewallpaperwasondisplayinthe1980s,butmorefragmentswererevealedafterafirein1989.
ThewallpaperhungintheLittleParlour,whichwasusedasadrawingroombySarah,LadyFetherstonhaugh(1725–88),andbysubsequentladiesofthehouse.ItwasframedwithaEuropeanpaperfilletcutinachinoiseriefretworkpattern.65Amongthefurnitureintheroomisahybridcabinetthatcombinesjapanneddecorationandaminiaturetwo-tierpagodaflankedbytwopavilionsonthetopwithinsetItalianpietra durapanels.
LadyFetherstonhaughandherhusband,SirMatthewFetherstonhaugh,1stBt.(1714–74),wentonatwo-yeartourofItalybetween1749and1751.TheyemployedthearchitectJamesPaine(1717–89),whoalsoworkedatFelbriggHall(cat.17)andKedlestonHall(cat.23),toremodeltheinteriorsatUppark.LikeFelbrigg,UpparkisahousethatcombinesGrandTourandchinoiseriedecorationinitsinteriors.TheChinesewallpaperisthoughttohavebeenhungaround1750,duringPaine’sfirstphaseofwork
West Wycombe Park NearHighWycombe,Buckinghamshire
Fragment of floral wallpaper.
Thefragmentispaintedwithfloraldecorationonpaperandwasfoundduringconservationwork.
ThefragmentisfromwhatisnowthemasterbathroomoftheDashwoodfamilyapartmentinthehouse.Itspositioninthesuccessivelayersofwallpapersuggeststhatitwashungbetweenabout1760and1780,whentheroomwasabedroomordressingroom.Between1748and1756WestWycombewasenlargedandremodelledforthecolourfulSirFrancisDashwood,2ndBt,laterLordLeDespencer(1708–81)andhiswifeLadySarah(néeEllys,d.1769).The2ndBaronet’sfatheranduncle,SirFrancisDashwood,1stBt(c.1658–1724)andSirSamuelDashwood(c.1643–1705),respectively,wereactiveintheEastIndiatrade.
45.
44.
AboveFragmentofthefloralwallpaperformerlyatUppark.
46 Chinese Wallpaper in National Trust Houses
1Wappenschmidt1989,pp.48and77,andfigs.62and63.SeealsoOmanandHamilton1982,cat.666,specificallyforthewallpaperintheVictoria&AlbertMuseum(E.3017-1921).
2WearegratefultoStephenPonder,curatorintheSouthWestregionoftheNationalTrust,andDrRosamundCleal,curatoroftheKeillerMuseum,formuchofthisinformation.
3TheonlydiningroomsordiningparloursintheBritishIsleshungwithChinesewallpapersthatweareawareofwereataseatofthe4thEarlofCardigan(1742);atMarbleHill,Twickenham(1755);atWestportHouse,CountyMayo(1790s?);andatBletchleyRectory,FennyStratford,Buckinghamshire(1838).
4OtherexamplesintheBritishIslesofthisfigural/floraltypeofwallpaperareorwereatAbbotsford,Roxburghshire;CaledonHouse,CountyTyrone;KelmarshHall,Northamptonshire(originallyatKimberleyHall,Norfolk);Lockley’s,Hertfordshire;Longleat,Wiltshire;theVictoria&AlbertMuseum,London(exOldBreweryHouse,Watford,andShernfoldPark,EastSussex);andWrestPark,Bedfordshire.
5SeePeck(ed.)2013,cat.59(entrybyMelindaWatt),p.214.Forsimilarclimbingplantsseecats.19,22and34.
6Numbersvisibleare3and4(northwall),8(eastwall)and11,12,13,14,15and16(southwall).
7Wappenschmidt1989,p.58.
8E.25–31A–1912,seeOmanandHamilton1982,cat.674,theredatedlateeighteenthorearlynineteenthcentury.
9AnnualLedgers,BrownlowPapers,LincolnshireArchives.WearegratefultoAndrewBarber,curatorintheMidlandsregionoftheNationalTrust,forthisinformation.
10ReportbypaperconservatorMaryGoodwin,1983,inthepaperconservationfilesintheNationalTrust’scentraloffice,Swindon.
11ThewallpaperatHeadfortHousewassoldtoaDublindealercalledCohenintheearly1960sandwasthenpossiblysoldontoanAmericanbuyer.WearegratefultoMichaelBolton,teacheratHeadfortSchool,forthisinformation.
12ThetwosectionsofwallpaperinBreda’sMuseum(S06489)camefromahousecalledDeRodeHaen(TheRedCockerel)atGinnekenstraat10inBreda,wheretheyweresetinlateeighteenthcenturywallpanelling.Thehousewasdemolishedin1961.WearegratefultoindependentarthistorianSanderKarstforthisreference.ThewallpaperatCoppedHallwaslostinafirewhichguttedthehousein1917,butitisvisibleinanearlytwentieth-centuryphotograph.WearegratefultoGeorginaGreenoftheCoppedHallTrustforthisinformation.
13E.948A-C-1978,seeOmanandHamilton1982,cat.no.678.ThisborderisassociatedwithanunusualChinesewallpaperdecoratedwithapatternofribbonssurroundingauspicious
motifs(E.948-1978CT7745,seeOmanandHamilton1982,cat.no.677).ThereisanotherunusualChinesewallpaperintheVictoria&AlbertMuseumthatwasalsoformerlyatHampdenHouse,combiningChinesescenerywitharococodesignoriginallybyJean-AntoineWatteau(E.51-1968CT7739,seeOmanandHamilton1982,cat.653).
14WearegratefultoAnnaWu,PhDcandidateconnectedtotheRCA/V&AHistoryofDesigncourse,foridentifyingthemusicalinstrumentsandforalertingustothepaintingsonglassinthePeabodyMuseum(AE85995-1andAE85995-2).
15TheroomatMiltonHallappearstohavebeendecoratedinabout1750,seeCornforth2004,pp.264–65,fig.344.
16ThisbookwasoriginallyownedbyCharlesEchlinofnearbyEchlinsville,anditisnotclearexactlyhowandwhenthebookcametoCastleWard.SeePurcell2011,p.30.
17WearegratefultoMin-ZhengVeneauofMallettAsiaformakingusawareofthewallpaperintheGuangdongMuseum.Anadditionalfiguralwallpaper,alsodepictingalandscapebutwithlargerbuildingsandlessprominentmountains,washungatHarewoodataboutthesametimeandwasconservedandrehungin2008(seeGallimore2008).
18PaymentsfromtheEarlofCoventrytoCromptonandSpinnageandCo,WorcestershireRecordOffice,Coventryfamilypapers,F62/28.WearegratefultoJillToveyforalertingustothisdocument.
19AssolicitorHughRowcliffewrotetoColonelOsbertDudley-Smith,oneofthetrusteesoftheCroomeestate,on14October1948:‘WithregardtotheChinesewallpaper,[…]ifitisleftinCroomeitwilldeteriorateorifCroomeisletasaschoolitislikelytobedamaged,itshouldbesoldwithoutreservesothattheTrustmayreceivesomethingforitinsteadof,possiblyinafewyears’time,nothing.’(CroomeEstateTrustarchives).Thewallpaperwaslot152inthesaleatSotheby’s,NewBondStreet,London,on22October1948(ChineseCeramics,WorksofArtandWallpaper):‘Afineandraresetof18thcenturyChinesewallpaperhangings,paintedinpolychromewithimaginativescenessetinalandscapeofmountains,riversandislands;ontheislandsarenumeroushousesandpavilions,andthefiguresincludeladiesatvariouspursuits,mandarins,scholarsandsages,childrenatschoolandatplay,fishermen,gardenersandlabourers.Theapproximatesizeofeachpanelis:9ft4inby23ftwide;9ft4inby10ftwide;9ft4inby11ftwide;9ft4inby13ft6in;9ft4inby13ft6inwide.’Thewallpapersoldfor£50.WearegratefultoSarahKay,projectcurator,andJillTovey,archivistatCroomeCourt,forthisreference.
20Ibid.
21Wappenschmidt1989,pp.57–58.
22ThedropsinthecollectionoftheVictoria&AlbertMuseumhaveinv.nos.E.3674-1913toE.3682-1913(seealsoOmanandHamilton1982,cat.657,col.pl.p.241,andWappenschmidt1989,col.pl.VII).
Notes
47Chinese Wallpaper in National Trust Houses
23Yorken.p.d.,pp.49–50.WearegratefultoSusanneGronnow,housestewardatErddig,forthisreference.
24WearegratefultoAnnaWuandtotheartistNashunmenghefordecipheringthecharactersandsuggestingthelocation.
25OtherexamplesintheBritishIsleshavebeenrecordedatCliftonHall,Northamptonshire(c.1780?);FawleyCourt,Buckinghamshire(1771);HeatonSatchville,Devon(c.1800);KilnwickHall,EastYorkshire(1753);MawleyHall,Shropshire(c.1770);NewbridgeHouse,CountyDublin(1770s);andStoneleighAbbey,Warwickshire(1765).SeeWappenschmidt1989,pp.62–64.
26ConservatorJudithBohanhasdatedthehangingofthispapertoaround1770(wearegratefultoindependentarthistorianThomasBrainforthisreference).SeealsovanDam1993,p.230andcol.pl.12.
27SeeCornforth2004,p.265,fig.345.
28MentionedinconservationreportbySandifordandMapesLtd.,2002,inthepaperconservationfilesintheNationalTrust’scentraloffice,Swindon.
29Afragmentofanenvelopeinscribed‘18picturesofflowers/andbirds/[?]MrPayne’(NationalTrustInventoryNumber1401009)wasfoundbehindthewallpaperintheChineseBedroom.PainemayalsohavesuppliedtheChinesewallpaperatUppark(cat.44)
30LettertoMrFrary,24September1751(FelbriggHallpapers,WKC7/178464x5no.9,NorfolkRecordOffice).WearegratefultoEleanorAkinlade,houseandcollectionsmanageratFelbrigg,andtoBonnieLovelockandRogerSykes,volunteersatFelbrigg,forthisreference.
31AsrecordedinanoteintheFelbriggCashBookdated26April1752:‘Begantoworkthe30thMarchandFinishedthe9thMay’(Felbriggpapers,WKC5/217,400-GeneralLedger,1749–54,NorfolkRecordOffice).Scruttonreceivedatotalof£515s6d,althoughthatdoesnotappeartoincludehistravellingexpenses.WearegratefultoBonnieLovelockandRogerSykesforthisreference.
32ChristopherHussey,‘TownleyHall,Co.Louth,Ireland’,Country Life,30July1948,pp.228–31,atp.229.WearegratefultoStephenCrispandPamelaStrangman,respectivelyheadgardenerandpropertymanageratWinfieldHouse,forthisreference.
33SeePeck(ed.)2013,cat.59(entrybyMelindaWatt),p.214.Forsimilarclimbingplantsseecats.3,22and34.
34OralhistoryrecordingofLadyMaryMacRae,granddaughterofthe4thMarquessofBristol,1989.WearegratefultoAnnaForrest,curatorintheEastofEnglandregionoftheNationalTrust,forthisinformation.
35WearegratefultoTimButcher,directorofFromental,forprovidingapartialtranslationofthestamp.
36SeePeck(ed.)2013,cat.59(entrybyMelindaWatt),p.214.Forsimilarclimbingplantsseecats.3,19and34.
37WearegratefultoLynneAntwis,housestewardatIghthamMote,forthisinformation.
38 ForexampleElizabethMontagu’sChineseRoomat23(now31)HillStreet,Mayfair,London(c.1752);theChineseBedroomatBadmintonHouse,Gloucestershire(c.1754);andatOsterleyPark(1760s–70s,seecat.28).
39WearegratefultoAndrewBarber,curatorintheMidlandsregionoftheNationalTrust,forthisreference.
40Cowtanorderbook,p.27,Victoria&AlbertMuseum,London,96.A16E.1864–1946.ThesmallsampleofwallpaperattachedtothisentryappearstobesomewhatdifferentfromthepaperintheCrimsonBathroom,buttheorderbookdoessometimesincludesamplesfromcloselyrelatedwallpapersratherthanfromthewallpaperactuallysupplied.WearegratefultoAllysonMcDermott,wallpaperconservatorandownerofAllysonMcDermottHistoricInteriors,foralertingustothisreference,andtoChrisBlackburn,houseandcollectionsmanageratNostell.
41LetterfromAgnetaYorketoLadyBeauchampProctor,1772,includedinaprivatelyownedmanuscriptvolumeentitledExtracts of letters from my dear sister Y--- and other friends.WearegratefultoClaireReed,houseandcollectionsmanageratOsterleyPark,forthisreferenceandotherinformationaboutthecollectionatOsterley.
42ForexampleElizabethMontagu’sChineseRoomat23(now31)HillStreet,Mayfair,London(c.1752);theChineseBedroomatBadmintonHouse,Gloucestershire(c.1754);andtheWardrobeatKedlestonHall(1760s–80s,seecat.23).
43‘TheOsterleyChildsandtheEastIndiaCompany’,leafletproducedforOsterleyParkbyvolunteerresearcherPaulineDavies.
44WearegratefultohistoricinteriorsconsultantLucyJohnsonforthisreference.
45WearegratefultoAllysonMcDermottforalertingustothewallpaperatStoneleighAbbey,andtohistoricinteriorsconsultantJonathanGrationforshowingusimagesoftheBlauerChinesischerSalonatSchlossSchönbrunn.
46WearegratefultoAnnaForrestforsupplyingmuchofthisinformation,whichisbasedonareportonOxburgh’sbuildingfabricbyAdamMenuge(EnglishHeritage,2006),adissertationbyWendyAndrewsonthewallpapersatOxburgh(UniversityofCambridge,FacultyofArchitectureandArt,MastersinBuildingHistory,2013)andapaperontheuseofwallpapersatOxburghbyAllysonMcDermott(2013).
47Diaryentryfor31August1819,inCastle(ed.)1896,vol.2,pp.146–7.WearegratefultoAllysonMcDermottforthisreference.
48KeptamongtheNationalTrust’srecordsatOxburgh.
49AtthetimeofwritingthepolescreenwasundergoingconservationtreatmentandwearegratefultoNicholasBurnett,chiefconservatoratMuseumConservationServicesforthisinformation.
50SeePeck(ed.)2013,cat.59(entrybyMelindaWatt),p.214.Forsimilarclimbingplantsseecats.3,19and22.
51NoteinsurveybyJeanHamilton,1990,inthepaperconservationfilesintheNationalTrust’scentraloffice,Swindon.
48 Chinese Wallpaper in National Trust Houses
52ByJeanHamiltoninher1990survey(seepreviousnote),andbyMarkSandifordinhis2003conditionreport,alsointhepaperconservationfilesintheNationalTrust’scentraloffice.
53Johnson1997,p.8.
54ThecolouredprintswerepurchasedinAmsterdamin1765andwerehunginadressingroomandabedroomatSünchingby1766,seeWappenschmidt1989,pp.39,86and101–2.ThecolouredprintsatKasteeld’Urselwereusedasoverdoorsandchimneyboards,andwereprobablyinstalled1761–4;seeBungeneers,CheroutreandWisse2002,cats.1and6–9,pp.19–21;wearegratefultoKoendeVlieger-deWilde,housemanageratKasteeld’Ursel,andtoJonathanGrationforbringingthesetoourattention.ThepicturesintheHofmobiliendepotarethoughttohavebeeninstalledattheBlauerHof,Laxenburg,inabout1760;wearegratefultoJonathanGrationforalertingustothem.
55AsnotedbyPaulineWebberinherconservationreportonthisscheme,1987,inthepaperconservationfilesintheNationalTrust’scentraloffice,Swindon.
56Itisnotclearwhatkindofwallpaperthisisreferringto,orindeedwhetheritwasforSaltramorfortheParkerfamily’sLondonresidenceinSackvilleStreet.WearegratefultoMichaelFord,volunteeratSaltram,forthisreference.
57Berger,MétailiéandWatabe1996,p.97.WearegratefultoMartinWolthausoftheStiftungSchlossDyckforthisreference.SeealsoWintermann2003,pp.24–9and114–6.ForthesignificanceoftheYuzhi Gengzhituseetheintroductoryessay.
58Wappenschmidt1989,pp.73–8.
59Thenameofthisroomderivesfromitsuse,duringOctoberandNovember1795,asastudiobyTimothyCollopy,whowasdescribedbythe1stLordMorley’ssisteras‘alittlepainterwhoisinthehousecleaningpictures.’SeeSitwell1998,pp.130–1.
60AsdescribedintypescriptnotesbyNigelNeatby,dated1977,amongtheNationalTrust’srecordsatSaltram.WearegratefultoMichaelFordforalertingustothese.
61WearegratefultoindependentarthistorianSanderKarstandtoMoniqueStaalofXLpapierforalertingustothispicture,whichwasrecentlyfoundunderneathanotherChinesepictureatOudAmelisweerd.
62Cornforth2004,p.266.
63JohnHarris,‘TheDuchessofBeaufort’sObservationsonPlaces’,The Georgian Group Journal,vol.10(2000),p.36,quotedinCornforth2004,p.265.
64Item62,bundleEGT/3/7/5/1/4,EgertonofTattonMuniments,JohnRylandsUniversityLibrary,Manchester.WearegratefultoCarolineSchofield,mansionandcollectionsmanageratTattonPark,andLucyAmstrong,curatorintheNorthWestregionoftheNationalTrust,forthisreference.
65Analmostidenticalfretworkpatternwasfoundprintedonaborderpaperinno.10HenriettaStreet,Dublin.WearegratefultoDavidSkinnerofDavidSkinnerWallpapers,Dublin,forthisinformation.
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Acknowledgements
The National Trust gratefully acknowledges a generous bequest from the late Mr and Mrs Kenneth Levy that has supported the cost of preparing this book.
The authors are grateful to the following for their expertise, advice and assistance:
EleanorAkinlade,LynneAntwis,LucyArmstrong,AndrewBarber,ChrisBlackburn,MichaelBolton,JennyBond,ThomasBrain,PeterBrash,DrDavidBullock,NicholasBurnett,TimButcher,DrRosamundCleal,StephenCrisp,PaulineDavies,LizzieDeshayes,MichaelFord,AnnaForrest,MelissaGallimore,MikeGracie,JonathanGration,GeorginaGreen,SusanneGronnow,LucyJohnson,SanderKarst,BonnieLovelock,PhilippaMapes,AllysonMcDermott,MatthewOates,StephenPonder,ClaireReed,DrJoeRock,MarkSandiford,CarolineSchofield,DavidSkinner,MoniqueStaal,PamelaStrangman,MikeSutherill,RogerSykes,DrClareTaylor,JillTovey,Min-ZhengVeneau,PaulineWebber,KoenDeVlieger-DeWilde,MartinWolthaus,NicovanderWoude,AnnaWu.
MapbyMikeRenow–Clarkeconservationinformationmanager(NT),andChristopherMcMullin,intern(NT)
Illustrations:AndrewBushpp.1,4,16,21,24(top),28,30,31,33,35,39,43(left),backcover;ChrisCalnanp.37(top);EnglishHeritage/AlexanderKeillerMuseump.13;ClaireGaskellp.30;GuangdongMuseump.22(right);ImperialPalaceMuseump.7;MAKViennap.44(right);MarkSandifordp.29(right);PeabodyEssexMuseump.6;ProvincieAntwerpenp.40(right);SchloßSchönbrunnp.36(right);WoburnAbbeypp.15(right),38(right);WorcestershireArchiveandArchaeologyServicep.22(left);XLpapierp.43(right)
NationalTrustpp.18(right),20,23,27,36(left),45;NationalTrustImages:insidebackcover;NationalTrustImages:MichaelCaldwellp.38(left);AndreasvonEinsiedelpp.37(bottom),42,44(left);JohnHammondpp.2,14,19,24(bottom),26,40(left),frontcover;DavidKirkhamp.8;NadiaMackenziepp.18(left),29;MartinTrelawnyp.15(left).
ISBN978-0-7078-0428-6©2014NationalTrust.Registeredcharityno.205846TextbyEmiledeBruijn,AndrewBush,DrHelenCliffordEditedbyClaireForbesDesignedbyLEVEL•levelpartnership.co.uk
Discover the wealth of our collections - great art and treasures to see and enjoy throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland – see our website: http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/places/houses-and-buildings/collections/
Front coverDetailfromthefloralwallpaperintheStateBedroomatErddig(cat.15).
Inside front coverSectionofthefloral/figuralwallpaperintheChineseBedroomatBeltonHouse(cat.3).
Contents pageDetailfromthefloralwallpaperintheStateDressingRoomatPenrhynCastle(cat.34).
Back coverDetailsfromwallpapersat(clockwisefromtopright)Saltram(cat.39),FelbriggHall(cat.17),NostellPriory(cat.25),Ickworth(cat.19),Saltram(cat.39)andErddig(cat.15).
50Chinese Wallpaper in National Trust Houses
The enduring popularity of Chinese wallpaper in the west is an astonishing phenomenon. A fragile, exotic luxury product, it became fashionable from Ireland to Russia and from Sweden to Italy. Its imagery was consistently misunderstood, but its visual impact profoundly affected the development of European and American interiors.