The Stourhead bronzed Leopard 'Candelabriums'
Thomas Chippendale II (1749 - 1822)
Category
Furniture
Date
1802
Materials
Bronzed limewood, paint, glass shades, brass electrical fittings
Measurements
178 x 30.5 x 24 cm
Place of origin
London
Order this imageCollection
Stourhead, Wiltshire
NT 731599
Summary
A set of four bronzed limewood standard lamps, by Thomas Chippendale the Younger (1749-1822) London 1802, Commissioned for the anterooms adjacent to the Picture Gallery and the Library at Stourhead by Sir Richard Colt Hoare. Converted to electricity, now with a glass hurricane shade. With a leaf carved socket holder and waisted leaf carved dished top continuing to a fluted column and leopard monopodia, raised on a plinth base.
Full description
Chippendale's account dated October 16 1802 '2 high Candelabriums with carved tigers heads and fluted pillars. Mounted with glass vase lamps and finished in green bronze £12-12-' and '2 high candelabriums with carved tigers heads mounted with glass vase lamps and bronxes to match the others £12-12-' Charles Heathcote Tatham (1771-1842), the architect and designer returned from extensive travels across Italy between 1794-96. In 1799 he published 'Etchings, Representing The Best Examples Of Ancient Ornamental Architecture; Drawn From The Originals In Rome, And Other Parts Of Italy, During The Years 1794, 1795, And 1796' The design for Chippendale's leopard monopodia would most likely to have been drawn from Tatham's drawings, see V&A collection museum number D.1547-1898 for a tripod stand with three such monopodia. Other Regency cabinet makers and designers also drew heavily on these designs, in 1807 Thomas Hope published sketches of his furniture, in a folio volume, titled 'Household Furniture and Interior Decoration', which had considerable influence and brought about a change in the upholstery and interior decoration of houses. George Smith's (c.1786-1826) drawings were popularised in his pattern books including ‘A Collection of Designs for Household Furniture and Interior Decoration' 1808 Smith was the Prince Regent’s ‘upholsterer extraordinary’. Thomas Chippendale the Younger at Stourhead Sir Richard Colt Hoare employed Thomas Chippendale the Younger (1749-1822) from 1795 to 1820 to supply furniture and furnishings for Stourhead in Wiltshire. The accounts submitted for his work are the largest known archive relating to Chippendale’s work. Out of the 163 pieces of furniture described in the accounts, 103 are still in the house, mostly in the rooms for which they were made. There was a fire in 1902 which destroyed the central part of Stourhead but fortunately most of the pictures and furniture from the ground floor were saved, the majority of the contents of the upper floors were destroyed. Chippendale the Younger worked with his father Thomas Chippendale (1718-1779) for many years before the latter died. Much of the work he produced in the 1780s and 1790s continued the styles and techniques associated with the Chippendale firm. During these years he was completing or continuing commissions that the firm had been involved with including Harewood house, Nostell Priory, and Burton Constable amongst others. The furniture supplied for Stourhead shows the continued high quality and attention to detail that was expected from the Chippendale workshops, linked with simplicity of decoration and clarity of line. For further discussion and extensive published research see: Goodison, Judith ‘The life and work of Thomas Chippendale Junior’ PWP 2017 Goodison, Judith ‘Thomas Chippendale the Younger at Stourhead’ Furniture History Society 2005 (Vol. 41) pp. 57-116 Gilbert, Christopher ‘The life and work of Thomas Chippendale’ London 1978 Vol.1 pp.235, 267 Beard, Geoffrey & Gilbert, Christopher ‘The Dictionary of English Furniture Makers, 1660-1840’ Furniture History Society 1986 pg.169 James Weedon (January 2018)
Provenance
Supplied by Thomas Chippendale the Younger (1749-1822) London 1802, Commissioned for the anterooms adjacent to the Picture Gallery and the Library by Sir Richard Colt Hoare. The house and contents given to the National Trust in 1946 by Sir Henry Hoare (d.1947)
Makers and roles
Thomas Chippendale II (1749 - 1822), cabinet maker
References
Goodison, 2005: Judith Goodison. “Thomas Chippendale the younger at Stourhead.” Furniture History 31 (2005): pp.57-116, pp. 57-116 Gilbert, 1978: Christopher Gilbert. The life and work of Thomas Chippendale. London: Studio Vista: Christie’s, 1978., pp. 235, 267 Beard and Gilbert, 1986: Geoffrey Beard and Christopher Gilbert (ed), Dictionary of English Furniture Makers 1660-1840, 1986, pg.169 Goodison, 2017: Judith Goodison, The Life and Work of Thomas Chippendale Junior, PWP London & New York 2017 Hope, Thomas - Household Furniture and Interior Decoration 1807 Smith, George 'A collection of Designs for Household Furniture' London 1808