Recent Redecoration at Alnwick Castle

Alnwick Castle.
Photo by James McDonald for The World of Interiors magazine.

This is a follow-up essay of sorts for The Devoted Classicist post John Fowler's Paint Scheme At Syon House, the palatial London estate of the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland.  Their primary residence is Alnwick Castle, pronounced "ANN-ick", the second largest inhabited castle in England (after Windsor Castle).  Apologies come at the onset for the size of this post, especially for those without high-speed connections, but it was just impossible to leave out any more images that I have, so The Devoted Classicist begs your indulgence.

The Duke and Duchess of Northumberland, Ralph and Jane Percy.

The current Duke of Northumberland inherited his title in 1995 when he was living with his wife and four children in a farm house on the estate.  The second son of the tenth duke, Ralph Percy, born 1956, became the twelth duke unexpectedly when his brother died of an accidental overdose.  (Once linked to Naomi Campbell's mother Valerie, he had a history of drug addiction according to the Daily Mail).

William Turner's Alnwick Castle, Northumberland, c1825-8, watercolour on paper.
National Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide.

Alnwick Castle has been home to the Percy family since 1309.  For more about the fascinating family history, the connection to the Smithsonian Museum, and the art from the house that has been sold in recent years, see The DiCamillo Companion.

The Madonna of the Pinks.
La Madonna dei Garofani, about 1506-7.
Photo from www.nationalgallery.org.uk

After his first visit to the castle, Sir Hugh Smithson, who had assumed the Percy name after his 1750 marriage and would become the first Duke in 1766, began a series of restorations and renovations.  This Gothic Revival construction, at the forefront of what would become a trend in England, continued through to the 1770s at great expense, beginning under the direction of Henry Keene, then James Paine, and later Robert Adam.  Extensive landscaping by 'Capability' Brown accompanied the work.

Plan of Alnwick Castle from "A Guide to Alnwick Castle 1856 by The late Rev. C H Hartshorne.  M.A. Rector of Holdenby"
Image from http://www.northofthelyne.co.uk/Alnwick.html

The fourth Duke, who succeeded to the title in 1847, hired architect Anthony Salvin to remove the Gothic in favor of a more medieval decor, but switched to a scheme in the manner of a 16th century Roman palace after meeting the archaeologist and classicist Luigi Canina and his assistant, Giovanni Montiroli.  The present Duke and Duchess have spent several years restoring this mid-19th century architectural and decorative scheme.

The Lower Guard Chamber.
Photo by James McDonald for The World of Interiors magazine.

The Lower Guard Chamber is at the entrance to the domestic apartments of the castle.  The room is decorated with the weapons of the Percy Tenantry Volunteers which was active from 1798 to 1814.

The Grand Staircase.
Photo courtesy of Alnwick Castle.

The Grand Staircase leads to the State Apartments.  The side walls are panelled in marble.

The Upper Guard Chamber at Alnwick Castle.
Photo courtesy of Alnwick Castle.

The Upper Guard Chamber.
Photo by James McDonald for The World of Interiors magazine.

The Upper Guard Chamber.
Photo by James McDonald for The World of Interiors magazine.

The Upper Guard Chamber shows the contrast of the Italian palazzo created within the shell of the medieval castle.  The marble mosaic floor was installed in 1864 by Luigi Malfatti to the design by Giovanni Montiroli.  The marble statues displayed in the niches are by Guiseppi Nucci and they represent Justice and Britannia.

The Dining Room.
Photo by James McDonald for The World of Interiors magazine.

The recent redecoration replaced the Dining Room wall hangings with a brilliant emerald green silk damask from Humphries Weaving Company.  The carpet is a new design by Bamford of Powys.  The chimneypiece was carved by Giovanni Taccalozzi.  Barely visible are the portraits over the fireplace of the first Duke and Duchess.  Also little is seen of the newly repainted carved frieze, but this and other decorative painting throughout the castle was done by Charles Hesp, who was trained under the legendary decorator John Fowler.

The Red Drawing Room as seen in 2009.
A new version of  Ambrosio Osmago's original silk from 1864 is shown being installed.
Photo by James McDonald for The World of Interiors Magazine.

The Red Drawing Room.
Photos from Country Life Magazine are available for sale at www.countrylifeimages.co.uk/

The Red Drawing Room features a Carrara marble chimneypiece carved by Giuseppe Nucci and painted decoration by Alessandro Montovani.  After two years of conservation work and display at both Versailles and the Victoria & Albert Museum, the famous pair of Cucci cabinets returned to the castle in the summer of 2011.  The cabinets were made for Louis XIV in the late 17th century by the Italian furniture maker Domenico Cucci to the designs by Charles Le Brun.  Delivered to the Palace of Versailles in 1683, each has a unique depiction -- one of a spaniel and one a monkey.

The Red Drawing Room.
Photo from www.alnwickcastle.com

One of the pair of Cucci cabinets in the Red Drawing Room.
Photo from www.journallive.co.uk

A detail of the Cucci cabinet featuring the monkey depicted in marble mosaic.
Photo from www.journallive.co.uk

The double height Library holds thousands of books and is used as a Sitting Room.  The extensive historical records of the Percy family estates are privately owned and maintained by their Collections and Archive department.

The Library at Alnwick Castle.
Photo by James McDonald for The World of Interiors magazine.

The Library at Alnwick Castle.
Photo by James McDonald for The World of Interiors magazine.

The giltwood armchairs were made by Morel & Hughes for the now-demolished London residence, Northumberland House.

The China Gallery at Alnwick Castle.
Photo by James McDonald for The World of Interiors magazine.

A detail of the Hanbury Williams dining service by Meissen, c1745.
Photo by James McDonald for The World of Interiors magazine.

The service corridor created for the State rooms during the Salvin renovation was redecorated as the China Gallery in 2006 to display the collection of Meissen, Chelsea, and Paris porcelain.  The detail photo shows part of the Hanbury Williams dining service by Meissen, circa 1745, depicting wild animals, including a version of Durer's rhinoceros.  The Devoted Classicist could not figure out the purpose of the dowels extending from the walls although it was suspected that they had something to do with protecting the porcelain.  As it was thought that my devoted readers would be curious as well, a few inquiries were sent out to see if an explanation could be found. 

Photo of the China Gallery from Country Life Magazine.
Prints of photos from the magazine may be purchased at www.countrylifeimages.co.uk/

A special thanks goes to Stanton Thomas, the Curator of European and Decorative Arts at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art who has been mentioned several times previously in this blog, for providing the answer.  The dowels provided support for protective Plexiglass covers that had been removed for The World of Interiors photo.

The Private Dining Room at Alnwick Castle.
Photo by James McDonald for The World of Interiors magazine.

The Private Dining Room features a Guiseppe Nucci chimneypiece.  The recent redecoration of the castle was done in consultation with Robert Kime as well as Lucy Manners.

The Bowood Room.
Photo by James McDonald for The World of Interiors magazine.

The Bowood Room with a painted George III bed features Robert Kime's fabric 'Jardinieres Cotton'.  Robert Kime was instrumental in having the furnishings about to be auctioned by the former Duke returned to the house.

The Grand Cascade in the garden of Alnwick Castle.
Photo from www.alnwickcastle.com

Jane Percy, the current Duchess, set out in 1996 to create a new public garden on the grounds of the castle.  The garden belongs to an independent charity, The Alnwick Garden Trust and reportedly cost 42 million by 2003.  The Duke donated the 42 acre site and GBP 9 million.  The design was developed by the Belgian landscape design firm Wirtz International with the first phase opening in October, 2001.  The centerpiece is the Grand Cascade.

A partial view of the Treehouse in the garden of Alnwick Castle.
Photo from www.alnwickcastle.com

In 2005, a gigantic Treehouse was completed by Napper Architects that includes a restaurant, retail store, and play area. 

The Poison Garden, opened in 2005 as well, requires a guide who warns visitors not to touch or even smell the plants.  Along with plants that would be expected today -- cannabis, opium poppies, magic mushrooms, and coca -- and those lethal by tradition -- nightshade, hemlock, and mandrake -- there are those one might find in any garden -- laburnum, wild clematis, azalea, and floxglove. 

The gates to the Poison Garden at Alnwick Castle.
Photo from www.alnwickcastle.com

Alnwick Castle was used as the school 'Hogwarts' in the first two Harry Potter films, and that has contributed to an increase in visitation.  In addition, the castle was used in many other films such as "Robin Hood Prince of Thieves" and many television shows.  But the latest thing to bring Alnwick Castle into the news is the dating of the eldest son and the sister of Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge.

George Percy and Pippa Middleton.
Image by Dave Benetti, US WEEKLY.

More information about Alnwick Castle can be learned from their website, www.alnwickcastle.com and from an article in Country Life Magazine, "The Lion of the North".   Subscriptions to The World of Interiors magazine may be ordered here.

John Fowler's Paint Scheme At Syon House

A detail of John Fowler's paint scheme for the Circular Closet, Syon House.
Photo: THE INSPIRATION OF THE PAST.

One of the great 20th century colorists was legendary decorator John Fowler of Colefax and Fowler.  Especially after World War II, he bought many of England's Stately Houses back to life with fresh decorating schemes.  Often that meant raiding the attics for forgotten furnishings, and dyeing old damask table cloths and blankets to make new curtains.  But perhaps most of all, we should acknowledge Mr. Fowler's use of paint to redefine the English Country House Style.

A view of the entrance front of Syon House.
Photo:  www.syonpark.co.uk/

John Fowler was familiar with the pigments available in the 18th and 19th century and the paint colors that could be produced.  Also, he collected bits of historic fabrics and papers to color-match popular schemes of various periods.  However, from what this writer understands, he was not so interested in recreating original paint colors, but rather to present a scheme that best suited the room while keeping history in mind.  But The Devoted Classicist pays tribute to John Fowler's eye for color despite the disregard for specific historical accuracy considering the museum status of many of these houses.  (For those who missed The Devoted Classicist essay on the restoration of historic paint color for the Dining Room at Monticello, click here).

John Fowler's color samples for exterior paint for The Georgian Group, 1947.
Photo:  THE INSPIRATION OF THE PAST.

John Fowler liked to name his colors.  Often they were linked to the house for which they were created, such as Ditchley White or Bowood Pink.  Sometimes the names were descriptive such as Sugar Bag Blue and Cooking Apple Green.  But Fowler got even more interpretive with Elephant's Breath, Shadow Colour, Straw Left Out In The Rain, and Mouse's Back.  And there were also imaginative names such as Caca du Dauphin and Vomitesse de la Reine.

Robert Adam's proposed plan for Syon House.  Several rooms, such as the central rotunda, were never realized.  The Circular Closet is in the upper left hand corner off the Long Hall.  The Great Hall, which serves as the entrance hall, is in the lower center of the plan.

At Syon House, in the London borough of Hounslow, a 1762-1769 renovation by Robert Adam enriched the interior for the 1st Duke of Northumberland although the whole scheme was never realized as proposed.  The property has a long and fascinating history with more information provided here.  The plan of the house is square with a central court and the principle rooms opening one after another as an enfilade.

The Circular Closet at Syon House showing John Fowler's paint scheme.
Photo:  THE INSPIRATION OF THE PAST.

Adam rooms were originally often intensely colored, and the Circular Closet, in a turret at the end of the Long Gallery, pays tribute to this in Fowler's paint scheme.  The walls are a strong pink with the columns, freize, and banding in pale blue.  Blocks over the dado and the background of strips on the walls are darker blue.  The flutes of the capitals are pale pink and the egg-and-tongue above the frieze has just a hint of pink.  The mouldings and decorations that are not white are gilded.

Robert Adam's design for the Great Hall at Syon, shown in a 1776 drawing.

A vintage photo of the Great Hall at Syon House.
Photo:  A.F. Kersting, from eb.com

As remarkable as the decoration of this small space is, the Great Hall at Syon, the Entrance Hall of the house, was given even an even more articulated scheme to highlight the architecture.  Adam gave the space a bold black and white marble floor as a base for the strong Roman architectural features and decoration with marble statues and grisailles rondels.  The paint was a single dead white when the Duke of Northumberland asked John Fowler to devise a scheme to paint the room.

The Great Hall at Syon House showing John Fowler's scheme.
Photo:  Country Life.

The Great Hall at Syon showing Fowler's scheme.
Photo:  THE INSPIRATION OF THE PAST.

The Great Hall at Syon showing Fowler's scheme.
Photo:  THE INSPIRATION OF THE PAST.

Fowler's scheme for the Hall was a great triumph of variations of white and blue that changed as the natural light changed.  As descriptions of color can be so subjective, and photography has so many variables, the presentation here of the scheme will use the John Cornforth analysis from THE INSPIRATION OF THE PAST.

The Great Hall at Syon showing Fowler's Scheme.
Photo:  Christopher Simon Sykes.

The Great Hall at Syon shown Fowler's scheme.
Photo:  Christopher Simon Sykes.

Fowler specified the Great Hall's main story walls to be warm white that changed from pink to lilac, and the upper story walls to be cool white.  The background of the main frieze, the ring band of the columns, the frieze above the upper windows, and the coffers were grey-blue.  The baseboard/skirting was painted blue-grey and the dado grey-white.  The ceiling was painted the same grey-white for the main border, with banding and cross-ribs of warm white same as the walls with a darker tone of warm white for the background to the rosettes in the ribs and the big roses.  The pedestals and the panels below the windows have the same warm white as the walls brought lower for a subtle contrast to the dado.  That is seven colors for those keeping count with the painting executed by the regular workers on the estate.  Thanks to devoted reader Toby Worthington for the photos by Christopher Simon Sykes from GREAT HOUSES OF ENGLAND AND WALES.

A detail of the upper wall and ceiling of the Great Hall showing Fowler's scheme.
Photo:  THE INSPIRATION OF THE PAST.

A detail of the pedestal with the dado and skirting beyond showing Fowler's scheme for the Great Hall.
Photo:  THE INSPIRATION OF THE PAST.

A December, 2010, post on the blog of paint analyst/specialist Patrick Baty mentions that he conducted a survey of Fowler's paint scheme for the Hall that would allow the colors to be reproduced.  Mr. Baty says that eight colors were used in the Fowler scheme and that several were identical to the 1950s Range of colors from Papers and Paints.  However, an October, 2011, post on the same blog reports that the Fowler scheme was painted over with no regard to the survey.

One of the color charts of the 1950s Range from Papers and Paints.

The Devoted Classicist has not visited Syon since the repainting.  It is difficult to determine true colors from a computer monitor, but the current scheme is believed to be represented below, utilizing a sunnier scheme, more yellow than the blue-ish haze of the Fowler scheme.

The Great Hall at Syon House.
Photo from Google Images courtesy of devoted reader APB.

The current Duke of Northumberland is the second son of the tenth Duke, inheriting the title in 1995 when his older brother died of an accidental overdose.  The repainting is just one of many projects, of course, with the largest change being the construction of a 137-room hotel/conference center in the park;  part of the terms for planning approval were the completion of several restoration and conservation projects including the Adam oval and carriageway in front of Syon House and the Duchess Gate.  (During construction of the hotel, remains were found of an ancient Roman village that served the crossing of the Thames River).  Although Syon now serves as the Duke and Duchess's London residence, Northumberland House was formerly the city residence;  it was razed in 1874 to enlarge the area around Trafalgar Square.  Changes at their principle residence, Alnwick Castle, will be presented in the next post.

A view of Syon House before the Robert Adam renovation.