Kensington Palace (2)
Last stop Kensington Palace which I should know better than I do, including the William Kent murals on the walls of the King’s Staircase with the picture of Peter the naughty Wild Boy:- And Kent himself who looks down from above, apparently in company with his mistresses:- George II in Roman mode by Rysbrack:- And…
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 :-
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