The western Marble Hall chimneypiece
probably George Moneypenny (fl.1740-1807)
Category
Architecture / Features & Decoration
Date
circa 1775 - 1778
Materials
Marble, painted plaster
Measurements
1760 x 2110 x 170 mm
Place of origin
Derby
Order this imageCollection
Kedleston Hall, Derbyshire
NT 108016.1.1
Summary
White marble and painted plasterwork, the Marble Hall western fireplace, possibly George Moneypenny (fl. 1750-1807) and Joseph Rose II (1744-99) after designs by George Richardson (c. 1738-1813), c. 1775-8. The western fireplace in the Marble Hall at Kedleston, designed by George Richardson, comprised of a marble chimneypiece probably carved by the Derby sculptor George Moneypenny and arabesque relief plasterwork painted white, probably executed by Joseph Rose & Co.
Full description
The chimneypiece carved of white marble to a design George Richardson (NT 109150). A moulded breakfront shelf, with intricate bead motif, dentil and egg and dart cornice moulding. The frieze with Adam-style bas-reliefs, incorporating arabesque scrollwork, anthemion on calyx pairs, and lambrequin with garland pendants. The bas-relief tablet at the centre of the frieze shows the coat of arms of Nathaniel Curzon, 1st Baron Scarsdale (1726-1804) flanked by the allegorical figures of Prudence (left) with her attribute of a snake coiling up an arrow, and Abundance (right), with her attribute of a cornucopia. The jambs are richly moulded with bellflower pendants hung from ribbons. The aperture with moulding incorporating palmette, bead and zigzag motifs. Symmetrical arabesque plasterwork painted white surrounds the roundel Diana and Arethusa (after Hubert Gravelot) by William Hamilton RA (1751–1801), 1768-71 (NT 108798). The plasterwork begins directly above the chimneypiece shelf, as if it were a continuation of the marble. A frieze of anthemion within a scrolled band supports a centralised bell-shaped pedestal and fluted lambrequin flanked by griffins; the pedestal decorated with an enclosed rosette and swags. The pedestal and lambrequin are flanked by two standing classical female figures in richly moulded drapery, turned away from but mirroring each other. The figures extend their arms above and behind them touching the edge of the roundel painting and the top of the lambrequin. Their individual fingers have been skillfully moulded around the edge of the roundel’s gilt frame, emphasizing sculptural, dimensional quality of the plasterwork. The roundel is crested with a relief lambrequin and a bellflower festoon suspended from ribbons. The festoon divides into two chains at the top centre of the roundel and the chains run along its top half before reaching plinths at either side of the roundel. Two finely wrought neoclassical urns stand atop the plinths. The bellflower chains hang from the plinths in dropping curves, connecting to torches held up by two kneeling classical female figures, turned away from but mirroring each other. Alice Rylance-Watson 2019
Credit line
Kedleston Hall, The Scarsdale Collection (acquired with the help of the National Heritage Memorial Fund and transferred to The National Trust in 1987)
Makers and roles
probably George Moneypenny (fl.1740-1807), sculptor probably Joseph Rose II (1744-99), plasterer George Richardson (Edinburgh c. 1738 - London 1813), architect George Richardson (Edinburgh c. 1738 - London 1813), designer
References
Harris 1987: Leslie Harris and Gervase Jackson-Stops (ed.), Robert Adam and Kedleston: The Making of a Neo-Classical Masterpiece, London 1987, pp. 60-63, no. 49.