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Petworth House
The Little Dinning Room
In 1749/50 it was called 'The Red Leather Chair Room' after its '12 Stuffed
Back & Seat Chairs of Red Leather with brass Nails' (still here in 1764).
It then had a corner fireplace with shelves above for ornamental porcelain.
By 1764 it was known as the Oak Room, probably because of the panelling, which
was then presumably unpainted and dates from the 1690s.
Turner's sketches of this room reveal that it was used as a servery during
banquets in the Carved Room next door. One sketch shows an orchestra playing
here on such an occasion. In 1869 the room was a sitting-room and was subsequently
redecorated by the 2nd Lord Leconfield with a red flock wallpaper.
This must have been hung on battens over the panelling, and no trace of
it remains. The present pale blue and white decoration was commissioned by
the Trust from 'John Fowler' in the early 1950s.
The Little Dining Room
Principal Pictures
Sir Anthony Van Dyck (1599-1641). Lady Dorothy Percy, Countess of Leicester
(1598-1659)
The eldest daughter of the 9th Earl of Northumberland, sister of the 10th Earl, and the mother of Lady Dorothy Sidney,
Countess of Sunderland (1617-84), who was celebrated in the poems of Edmund Waller as 'Sacharissa'.
Sir Anthony Van Dyck (1599-1641). Katherine Bruce, Mrs William Murray,
Later Countess of Dysart (d.1649)
The redoubtable wife of William Murray, 1st Earl of Dysart, who was a childhood friend of Charles I and shared
his artistic interests. Part of the 1st Earl's collection survives in the Green Closet (1637-9) at Ham House, Richmond
(National Trust).
He would have known the 10th Earl of Northumberland, and this may explain the presence at Petworth of this portrait,
which was listed at Northumberland House in 1671.
Sir Anthony Van Dyck (1599-1641). Ann Cavendish, Lady Rich (1612-38)
Daughter of the 3rd Earl of Devonshire and wife of Robert, Lord Rich, later 3rd Earl of Warwick.
Simon Verelst (1644-1710). Prince Rupert of the Rhine (1619-82)
The son of Charles I's sister, Elizabeth, Queen of Bohemia ('The Winter Queen'), and
a dashing royalist cavalry commander in the Civil War. The elaborate frame was probably
made for the 6th Duke in the 1680s or 1690s.
Sir Godfrey Kneller (1646/9 -1723). Lady Elizabeth Percy, Duchess of Somerset
The Percy Heiress, daughter of the 11th and last Earl of Northumberland,
whose fortune paid for the rebuilding of Petworth by her husband, the 6th
Duke.
John Vanderbank (?1694-1739). Algernon Seymour, 7th Duke of Somerset (1684-1750)
Brief owner of Petworth after the death of his father, the 6th Duke, in 1748. When he died two years later, the
Percy inheritance was split between his three co-heirs: the 2nd Earl of Egremont, the future
1st Duke of Northumberland, and the 8th Duke of Somerset.
Gerard Seghers (1591-1651). St Sebastian
A late work by this antwerp artist painted under the influence of Van Dyck. Purchased by the 10th Earl of Northumberland.
The carved frame is exceptional for retaining its original black and silver decoration of 'c.1660'.
Over Chimneypiece
Around the large central painting are groups of 15th and 16th century French, Flemish, German and Netherlandish paintings,
including 'The Virgin Annunciate' and 'St James and a Donor', two fragments attributed to 'Rogier van der Weyden'
(1399-1464); and in the right-hand column two male portraits by 'Joos van Cleve' (active 1511-40/1).
Furniture
Pier-glass
In chinoiserie style is one of the group supplied by Whittle and Norman in the 1750s and early 1760s.
Pier-table
Italian, c.1700-25, and could well have formed part of one of the shipments from Italy organised on the 2nd Earl of
Egremont's behalf by Matthew Brettingham the Younger and Gavin Hamilton - 'Tables of Marble' were sent with statues and
busts in 1761, for example.
Giltwood side-table, English, c.1735.
Pair of side-tables, English, c.1710, and were repainted in the early 1950s.
Porcelain
Pair of tureens and covers
Of soft-paste porcelain painted in enamel colours with the flowers in the Meissen manner, is Chelsea
and is probably that referred to in the 2nd Earl's accounts for 24 December 1751. They are unmarked.
Pair of dishes
Soft-paste porcelain painted with flowers, is Chelsea, c.1760, with the gold anchor mark (1758-69).
Dishes from a Meissen dessert service, c.1735-40.
(marked), in hard-paste porcelain painted in enamels in the Japanese kakiemon style
(1596-1666), who is credited with introducing to Japan in 1644 the process of painting in
overglaze enamel colours on a flawless milk-white ground. The style was widely imitated
in Europe in the early 18th century.
Part of a Meissen service, c.1770.
(marked), with floral decoration painted in enamels. Probably acquired by
the 3rd Earl on his Grand Tour in 1770, when he visited Meissen and spent £55.2s on china.
Chandelier
Ormolu and cut-glass chandelier
The corona formed of interwined snakes, is one of a pair, c.1820.
they were hanging in the Marble Hall by 'c.1865', when they were
depicted in Mrs Wyndham's watercolour.
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