The Painted Hall (3)
I am always surprised and impressed by the scale and ambition of Thornhill’s massive ceiling paintings in the Painted Hall at Greenwich. Won in competition in 1707, so sharing some of the nationalistic self-confidence following Marlborough’s victory at Blenheim. William and Mary preside:- Architecture is their hand-servant:- No wonder the architecture is so confident:
Ditchley
Last stop Ditchley. Not much to do with Vanbrugh, apart from being a wonderful house designed by his rival, James Gibbs, for George Lee, second Earl of Lichfield:- Fine plasterwork in the saloon:- And a wonderful chimneypiece in the entrance hall :-
Blenheim Palace (7)
Day five of the great Vanbrugh Tour. The fact that so much of Blenheim is still under scaffolding compels one to pay close attention to the detailing: the abstract qualities of the stonework and whether the detailing is by Vanbrugh or Hawksmoor. Much of it feels very characteristic of Vanbrugh who had such a strong…
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