Bravehardt
0160 Inveraray Castle the State Dining Room
Inveraray Castle the State Dining Room
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The 3rd Duke had not set aside a room specially for eating in,but by 1770 fashions had changed and such a room was essential.That was,no doubt,part of the reason for the 5th Duke's change of plan through it was ten years before the final scheme was started.
Robert Mylne provided the surviving design in 1780 and the plasterwork was carried out in the following two years;the ceiling with decoration cast in London,England by John Papworth and the cornice and frieze by the Scottish John Clayton.The claborate painting was completed in 1784 by two French painters Girard and Guinand,whose work only survives at Inveraray.It is of a quality unparalleled in Britain at the time and it is little surprise to find that Girard was one of the principal decororative artists employed by the young Prince of Wales at Carlton House.Guinand who died at Inveraray in 1784,evidently painted the grisaille roundels of the Seasons over the doors and the ovals in the main panels;Girard's painting of the garlands of flowers over the pier glasses and details owls and squirrels in the narrow uprights is brilliantly done.On the ceiling it is difficult to tell at glance which ornaments of the central circle are raised and which painted flat.Almost all the oranamental painting is original but the area of plain colour were repainted in 1978,by Robert Stewart,of Inveraray.The chairs are part of a large set in the French style consisting of a pair of settees,berge'res (chairs with filled-in-arms),fauteuils (chairs with open arms) and side chairs,all with original Beauvais tapestry upholstery,probably ordered by the 5th Duke on one of his visit to France. Despite their French appearance the chairs were made in the Castle by two Edinburgh craftsman called Trail about 1782,working from a pattern chair that could have been a French original. Their gilding was also done in situ,by a French gilder called Dupasquier who first appeared in 1771 and who signed one of the chairs with date 1782,The tapestry was apparently put on by the local tailor and he also made curtains and liveries,such as the House of Argyll livery worn by the footmen.
The ormolu-mounted sideboards date from the late 18th Century and the dining table,probably by Gillow of Lancaster,from about,whilst the Warerford chandelier,the largest of a set of three,of which a smaller pair hang in the Tapestry Drawing Room,is circa 1830.The silver-gilt sailing ships or 'nefs' are German and were produced at the turn of the century primarily for use as table decorations.The decorated mosaic tops to the corner console tables are late 18th century Italian.The picture over the fireplace is that of the 4th Duke of Argyll in his Coronation Robes after Thomas Gainsborough.
0160 Inveraray Castle the State Dining Room
Inveraray Castle the State Dining Room
-------------------------------------------------------
The 3rd Duke had not set aside a room specially for eating in,but by 1770 fashions had changed and such a room was essential.That was,no doubt,part of the reason for the 5th Duke's change of plan through it was ten years before the final scheme was started.
Robert Mylne provided the surviving design in 1780 and the plasterwork was carried out in the following two years;the ceiling with decoration cast in London,England by John Papworth and the cornice and frieze by the Scottish John Clayton.The claborate painting was completed in 1784 by two French painters Girard and Guinand,whose work only survives at Inveraray.It is of a quality unparalleled in Britain at the time and it is little surprise to find that Girard was one of the principal decororative artists employed by the young Prince of Wales at Carlton House.Guinand who died at Inveraray in 1784,evidently painted the grisaille roundels of the Seasons over the doors and the ovals in the main panels;Girard's painting of the garlands of flowers over the pier glasses and details owls and squirrels in the narrow uprights is brilliantly done.On the ceiling it is difficult to tell at glance which ornaments of the central circle are raised and which painted flat.Almost all the oranamental painting is original but the area of plain colour were repainted in 1978,by Robert Stewart,of Inveraray.The chairs are part of a large set in the French style consisting of a pair of settees,berge'res (chairs with filled-in-arms),fauteuils (chairs with open arms) and side chairs,all with original Beauvais tapestry upholstery,probably ordered by the 5th Duke on one of his visit to France. Despite their French appearance the chairs were made in the Castle by two Edinburgh craftsman called Trail about 1782,working from a pattern chair that could have been a French original. Their gilding was also done in situ,by a French gilder called Dupasquier who first appeared in 1771 and who signed one of the chairs with date 1782,The tapestry was apparently put on by the local tailor and he also made curtains and liveries,such as the House of Argyll livery worn by the footmen.
The ormolu-mounted sideboards date from the late 18th Century and the dining table,probably by Gillow of Lancaster,from about,whilst the Warerford chandelier,the largest of a set of three,of which a smaller pair hang in the Tapestry Drawing Room,is circa 1830.The silver-gilt sailing ships or 'nefs' are German and were produced at the turn of the century primarily for use as table decorations.The decorated mosaic tops to the corner console tables are late 18th century Italian.The picture over the fireplace is that of the 4th Duke of Argyll in his Coronation Robes after Thomas Gainsborough.