Resource Pack (University)
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Resource Pack (University) This year’s exhibition marks a decade of restoration of this 500 year-old home. The exhibition celebrates the stories of those responsible for the restoration. We explore how they collected nature’s materials and managed the elements to form the house, garden and park. The North Drive introduces the exhibition with a display of raw materials such as clay, lead, stone and wood. These materials remind us of Chatsworth’s natural foundations and the expertise involved in their transformation. This pack will enhance your understanding of Chatsworth’s restoration on your journey through the house. The Painted Hall In the Painted Hall, created by the 1st Duke in the 17th century, you are introduced to one of four installations by our artist-in-residence, Linder Sterling. The sound of bells from the estate will ring out while incense based on a formula from the time of Julius Ceasar burns. On the balcony above you may also notice Sterling’s addition of two vinyl capes decorated with images of rock and roll’s king. The Grotto The Grotto is built entirely from stone and its primary purpose was about supporting the Great Stairs. The fountain in the Grotto, obtained by the 1st Duke in 1692, was built to demonstrate to visitors the provision of hot and cold running water— a rarity in the 17th century. The 1st Duke’s installation of the water supply continues to feed the fountains and flush the loos at Chatsworth today. The Veiled Vestal Virgin displayed in the centre of the Grotto was sculpted by Raffaele Monti and it arrived at Chatsworth in 1847. It appears to be made of one single piece of marble; however, it consists of four separate pieces. Can you spot the joins? The Courtyard and Chapel Corridor The Chapel Corridor holds a collection of artwork spanning over 4,000 years of human creation. A great example is the fragment of the Colossal Foot from an Acrolithic stature of a goddess; the sculpture dates back to the 1st century BC. As part of this year’s exhibition, visitors are granted a rare glimpse of the hidden pipes and workings of Chatsworth. Transparent panels are situated at either end of the corridor. Listen to the Audio Guide to learn more. As you walk through the Chapel Corridor you will notice the Courtyard outside. The original purpose of this was to impress visitors who would cross the space to enter the Painted Hall. As part of Chatsworth Renewed, the windows on the east-façade have been re-gilded with 24ct gold-leaf and the stonework has been cleaned and conserved. The impressive Inner Court is built with stone quarried two miles away from Chatsworth and the same stone was used to make repairs. The Oak Room The Oak Room demonstrates the influence of the 6th Duke of Devonshire. The detailed oak panelling comes from a German monastery and was fitted between 1839 and 1841. Wood is a central material here at Chatsworth. It is used in some of the most intricate and unique decoration; the pink cabinet displays a variety of samples if you would like a closer look. The carriage wheel in the centre of the Oak Room displays wood gathered from the estate in its raw form, including samples of oak, lime, cedar, ash, pine, elm, and alder. Pick them up, feel their weight, what do they smell like? 1 The Chapel The Chapel was built between 1688 and 1693 and has remained almost completely unchanged. The room is still used today for special occasions. The striking gold sculpture at the front of the Chapel is the figure of Saint Bartholomew, created by English artist, Damien Hirst. Standing at 2.5 metres tall, Hirst depicts the martyr with his own skin draped over his arm and a pair of scissors and scalpel in hand. Displayed in the centre of the Chapel is a model of Chatsworth. This was made in 1979 and it conveys the impressive scale of the building. The two benches in the Chapel offer a reflection on how different materials have contributed to the evolution of Chatsworth. The coal bench represents valuable mineral resources found on Devonshire estates and the quartz bench references minerals collected for study by Georgiana, the Duchess of Devonshire and her son, the 6th Duke. Amongst the fine artwork on the walls and ceiling of the Chapel are two depictions of Doubting Thomas, also known as Saint Thomas, the Patron Saint of Architects. The 1st Duke considered himself the architect of Chatsworth. The Great Chamber The Great Chamber is the first room in the State Apartment and it was completed in the 17th century to enable King William III to hold court at Chatsworth should he visit, he did not. The thrones you see were used during the coronation of George III and Queen Charlotte in the 18th century and they were carved by Katharine Naish. The uplifted floorboards reveal the progress made over the years during Chatsworth’s effort to mend the sinking floors and to keep the State Apartment in its impressive condition. Look into the garden at the Cascade, this was created 300 years ago and took seventeen years and two attempts before it was finished. The water for the Cascade comes from the moorland behind the top of the hill along a series of man-made streams and an aqueduct. Each step is created differently causing the sound of water to change as it falls. The Drawing Room The ‘withdrawing’ room was intended to allow select members of the Court to move away from the crowds in the Great Chamber. This room displays prized English Mortlake tapestries which date back to the mid-1630s. Hung here by the 6th Duke in the 1830s, the tapestries are a symbol of wealth and status and would take around 2 years each to make. Due to light exposure, the tapestries eventually lost their vibrancy and although they cannot be fully restored, they have recently been cleaned and conserved to honour the Flemish weavers’ expertise and skill. The embroidery ring shows close-up details of the tapestries—can you find them? Have a go on the looms, look at the detailed panels. The State Music Room The State Music Room, formally called the Second Withdrawing Room, has walls lined with stamped and gilded leather. The gilding was designed to impress the 6th Duke’s visitors. The 1st Duke had previously used gold to embellish and protect the most important window sills, balconies, and roof ornaments on the outside of the house. There are gold-leaf pads and tools displayed which are used by skilled decorators in the gilding process. This room celebrates the 6th Duke’s influence and brings furniture together in the manner of Andre-Charles Boulle, the French Cabinet maker who worked for Louis XIV, King of France. While the 6th Duke was redecorating Chatsworth, Boulle’s technique was mimicked by decorating the surfaces of furniture with pewter, brass, and turtleshell. Another interesting feature of the State Music Room is the painting of the violin which appears to hang from a peg in the doorway. It’s known as a ‘trompe l’oeil.’ This refers to the art technique which deceives the eye and causes a painting to appear 3D. 2 The State Bed Chamber The State Bed Chamber is the second most important room in the State Apartment and was therefore decorated more luxuriously than others; it continues to contain many rare and expensive items. Like the State Music Room, the State Bed Chamber also has leather wall coverings, but the current Duchess of Devonshire decided ‘one room of leather was quite enough.’ The original Brussels tapestry now hangs again to cover the leather. After the death and funeral of King George, the 4th Duke received this bed as a perquisite. Given the family’s enthusiasm for contemporary art, pieces of the 12th Duke’s ceramic collection are displayed around the house. The Duke’s collection celebrates material, unusual shapes, and bright colours. The installation seen in the State Bed Chamber is by an Australian ceramicist called Pippin Drysdale. It adds a modern flair to the State Apartment. As part of her residency, Linder Sterling has created a crinoline-type construction hovering above a gilded and carved wooden support, both are incomplete. Sterling intended the spatial relationship to generate an ambiguous structure, neither functional, nor purely decorative. The silver incense burner will burn incense created from aromatic woods and herbs from Chatsworth Estate twice a day. Please make your way through the next two small rooms to reach the South Sketch Gallery. The South Sketch Gallery The South Sketch Gallery celebrates the 5th Duke and the Duchess Georgiana. The Duchess, an amateur geologist, developed an extensive mineral collection which is displayed in various cabinets. There are three paintings of Duchess Georgiana displayed in the South Sketch Gallery. In one painting she is depicted as the Goddess Diana and is painted with one extra toe. In the second painting, Duchess Georgiana is seen wearing a large hat in a portrait by Thomas Gainsborough. Ask the guide the story behind this portrait. The South Sketch is a great example of how Chatsworth’s conservation honours the Chatsworth’s past and welcomes the future. In 2009, Friends of Chatsworth were invited to sign the walls before the new material went up. During the conservation, signatures of craftspeople were found under the floorboards. Workers are now encouraged by architects to leave their mark on Chatsworth, like a time-capsule. The West Sketch Gallery As you walk down the West Sketch Gallery look at the different types of marble used to create the table tops.