Picture Frames at
Ham House
Jacob Simon
Picture Frames at Ham House
by Jacob Simon
Contents
Introduction: Picture Framing in London in the 17th Century 3
Ham House in the 1630s: Home of William Murray, Later Earl of Dysart 4
.1TheGreatHall4
1
1.2TheGreatStaircase5
1.3TheHallGallery8
1.4TheNorthDrawingRoom9
1.5TheLongGallery9
1.6TheGreenCloset11
Ham House in the 1670s: Home of the Duke and Duchess of Lauderdale 12
2.1TheGreatStaircase12
2.2TheHallGallery16
2.3TheLongGallery17
2.4TheGreenCloset21
2.5TheQueen’sAntechamber22
2.6TheQueen’sBedchamber23
2.7TheQueen’sCloset23
2.8TheDuchess’sPrivateCloset23
2.9TheWhiteCloset26
2.10TheVolury26
2.11TheWithdrawingRoom26
2.12TheMarbleDiningRoom27
2.13TheDuke’sDressingRoom28
2.14TheDuchess’sBedchamber29
Ham House in the 1740s: Home of Lionel Tollemache, 4th Earl of Dysart 29
3.1TheGreatHall29
3.2TheHallGallery31
3.3TheGreenCloset31
3.4TheQueen’sBedchamber32
3.5TheVolury33
3.6TheWithdrawingRoom33
3.7TheMarbleDiningRoom34
3.8TheDuke’sDressingRoom34
Appendix: Cautionary Notes and Technical Terms 35
Further Reading 35
Acknowledgements 36
2
Picture Frames at Ham House
3
Introduction: Picture framing
in London in the 17th century
Theextraordinarychangesinpicture
framinginLondoninthe1620sand
1630s,fromsimpledesigns,oftenpainted
orstainedblack,toarangeofelaborately
carvedandgiltframescameabout
asaresultofthecollectingactivities
ofKingCharlesIandmembersofhis
court.Somepicturescollectedabroad
camewithelaborateframes,notably
fromItaly,whilemostwereframedhere
bycraftsmenwithcloselinkstothe
Continent,especiallytheNetherlands,
whetherbymigrationormarriage
orthroughthetransmissionofideas
throughtheimportofengraveddesigns.
ItwastheNetherlandsthatinspired
theauricularstyle,literally‘ofthe
ear’,ahighlystylisedfree-flowing
interpretationoforganicforms,usually
animalormarineinnature,sometimes
marriedwithfoliageandscrollsor
volutes.FramemakersworkinginLondon
embracedthisfashionwithenthusiasm,
usingitinoneformoranotherfor
picturesofalmostallsizesfromthe
1630stothe1680s.Theterm,‘auricular’,
isamodernone.Inthelater17thcentury,
someartistsandcraftsmencategorised
thepatternas‘leatherwork’,giventhe
appearanceofsuchframesashaving
beenmadeoutofmaterialthatcould
easilybecut,bentandrolled,likean
animalskin.
Therewereotherlessdemonstrative
stylesatthetime,withrepeatingleafor
small-scalefoliagepatterns,whetherused
inarchitecturalsettings(atHamHouse,
thefixedoverdoorframesandsomeof
theovermantelframes)orasindependent
pictureframes(atHamHouse,the
cushionandbunchedleafpatterns).
Tounderstandtheframingofthe
picturecollectionatHamHouse,the
readerisencouragedtomakethree
circuitsofthehouse,toappreciatethe
contributionsofWilliamMurrayinthe
1630s,ofhisdaughter,theDuchessof
LauderdaleandherhusbandtheDuke
inthe1670s,andofhergreat-grandson,
the4thEarlofDysartinthe1730s
and1740s.
Forcautionarynotesconcerningthis
guideandfortechnicalterms,seethe
Appendixonpage35ofthisguide.
Opposite
Sir Anthony van Dyck and Studio, c. 1637
King Charles I
Seepage9
4
Picture Frames at Ham House
Ham House in the 1630s: Home of
William Murray, later Earl of Dysart
HamHousewasbuiltin1610forSir
ThomasVavasour(1560–1620),Knight
MarshaltoJamesI.Hambecamethe
homeofWilliamMurray(c.1600–55)
in1626.HewasaclosefriendofKing
CharlesI,havingbeenhis‘whipping
boy’whenyoung,takingpunishment
onbehalfoftheyoungprince.He
accompaniedCharles,whenhewas
PrinceofWales,toSpainin1623,where
theSpanishRoyalcollectionexcitedthe
youngprince’sinterestincollecting.
Althoughnotaleadingcollector,
probablyduetohisfinancial
circumstances,Murrayplayeda
significantpartinthecourtcultureof
histime,givingorexchangingpictures
withtheKing,arrangingpaymentfor
theKingtoVanDyckin1637andtaking
aleadingpartontheKing’sbehalfin
negotiationswithJacobJordaensfor
paintingstodecoratetheQueen’s
CabinetatGreenwichin1639.Murray
supportedtheRoyalistcauseinthe
CivilWar,andwascreatedEarlof
Dysartforhisloyalty.Hediedin1655.
WilliamMurraycameintoHamin1626.
Heremodelledtheinteriorbetween1637
and1639,creatingtheGreatStaircase
andasuiteofsumptuousstaterooms
onthefirstfloor.Heemployedthe
little-knownjoiner,ThomasCarter,for
someofthefixedcarvinginthehouse,
includingtheoverdoorpictureframes,
butthecraftsmenresponsibleforthe
trophiesandmoreelaborateworkonthe
GreatStaircase,theambitiousfireplace
intheNorthDrawingRoom(thenthe
WithdrawingRoom)andthecarvingin
theGreenClosetremaintobeidentified.
TheinteriorswereplasteredbyJoseph
Kinsmananddecoratedandgildedby
MatthewGoodricke(?1588–1645),best
knownforhisextensiveworkforCharles
IandQueenHenriettaMaria.Goodricke
chargedtheveryconsiderablesum
of£320inApril1638forpaintingand
gildingworkinvariousroomsatHam.
AstotheoverallschemeatHam,
therearetwotheories,theonethatthe
artist,FrancisCleyn(1582–1658),may
haveadvisedWilliamMurray,giventhat
paintingsattributedtohimremaininthe
house,theotherthatthecraftsmenwho
workedforInigoJonesandtheOfficeof
Workswereperfectlycapableofcarrying
outworkatHamunderthesupervision
ofMurrayhimselfandhisagent.Itis
worthnotingthatoneofCarter’sbillswas
checkedandinitialledbyanunidentified
‘D.C.’insomesortofsupervisorycapacity.
1.1 The Great Hall
Ham’sfrontdoor,dated1610,belongsto
SirThomasVavasour’stime.Inside,the
GreatHallhasundergoneconsiderable
changesovertheyears.InWilliam
Murray’stime,theroomwassingle
heightandgavedirectlyontoaterrace
overlookingthegardenatrear,probably
throughthedoorwhichnowleadsto
theMarbleDiningRoom.Theceiling
wasopenedup,perhapsaround1700
andthepanellingaltered(see3.1).
ThomasCarterprovidedthe
chimneypiecefor‘thehall’for£2.10sand
in1638MatthewGoodrickechargedfor
‘paintinglykegrayMarbletheChimney
peece…andguildingtwomembersofthe
Cornicethereof’for£1.10s,butneither
mentionsafixedpictureframeoverthe
chimneypiece.Thepresentchimneypiece
ismadeofblackmarble,meaningthat
itisareplacement,aspresumablyis
theovermantelframewhichhasbeen
reducedinheight,asexaminationofthe
cornerleavessuggests,andadaptedwith
aninsertedinnermoulding.Therewasan
unidentifiedpictureabovethechimney
atthetimeofthe1655inventorybut
Ham House in the 1630s
nowinalate20th-centuryrecreation
ofa19th-centuryscheme.Theceilings
arebyJosephKinsman,1637–38.
Itwouldseemthatseveralofthecopies
afterItalianpaintingscametoWilliam
Murrayinthe1630sbycourtesyofthe
King,whoownedtheoriginalsorhad
accesstocopies.Thecopiesafterpictures
intheSpanishRoyalcollectionmay
havebeenbyMichaelCross,alsoknown
asMigueldelaCruz(active1633–60),
CharlesI’sleadingcopyisttowhomtwo
ofthepictureswereattributedin1683,
whenallofthepictureslistedbelowwere
includedinaninventory.Crosswasnot
theonlycopyistatworkfortheKing.
RichardGreenburyandDanielMytens
copiedpicturesinLondon(Greenbury
Correggio’sVenus, Mercury and Cupidin
1630/1andMytensTitian’sVenus del Pardo)
andCharlesIreportedlyhadanother
copyistworkingforhiminSpainin1635.
Asonemountsthestaircase,arather
bewilderingvarietyofimportantand
extraordinaryauricularframescomeinto
view,revealingarangeofelaboratestyles
fromthe1630stothe1670s.Noneof
themarenowgilt,whichsetsthemapart
frommostframesofthistype,although
afewhavetracesofgessosuggesting
thattheymayoncehavebeenpaintedor
gilded.Theframesareofoak,generally
withmortise-and-tenonpineback
frames.Astotheirmakers,therewere
workshopscapableofsuchworklikethat
ofthecarver,ZacharieTaylor,aclose
associateofMatthewGoodricke,butin
thepresentstateofknowledgeitisnot
possibletoattributetheoutstandingearly
1.2 The Great Staircase
framesatHamexcepttoseethemasthe
Thestaircasewithitsrichlycarvedswags workofmorethanoneleadingLondonbasedcarver.Thosepictureswhichare
andmilitarytrophiesisararesurviving
documentedschemefrom1638,supplied thoughttohavebeenframedforWilliam
Murrayarediscussedhereintheorder
inpartbyThomasCarter,andoriginally
paintedin‘walnut-tree’colourandgilded displayed,startingnearthefootofthe
byMatthewGoodrickefor£64.Itis
staircase.Forthelaterframes,see2.1.
otherwisetheroomwasnotinitially
usedforpictures.
Theovermantelframeisalmost
identicalindetail,butonagranderscale,
totheoverdoorsinthefirst-floorHall
Gallery(1.3),knowntohavebeencarved
byThomasCarterin1638.Indeed,so
greatarethesimilaritiesthatoneneeds
toaskwhetherthisundocumentedframe
couldhavebeenbroughtdownfromthe
HallGallery.Eithersidearefiguresof
MarsandMinerva,perhapsdatingtothe
1630s,butexactlywhentheycamehere
isuncertain.Forlaterframes,see3.1.
Elsewhereonthegroundfloor,there
werefamilyroomsinWilliamMurray’s
time,nowcompletelyaltered.Itis
theextraordinarysequenceofrichly
decoratedstateroomsonthefirstfloor
whichisthefocushere.FromtheGreat
Hall,thevisitorprogressedbyway
oftheimposingstaircasetotheHall
Gallery(thentheGreatDiningRoom),
followingtheElizabethanandJacobean
practiceofplacingtheGreatChamber
oritsequivalentonthefirstfloor.Asa
Thames-sidevilla,ratherthanagrand
countryhouse,thesequenceofrooms
atHamwascompressed.Fromthe
HallGallery,thevisitorwithdrewtothe
NorthDrawingRoomandcouldthen
progresstotheLongGalleryasaroom
ofparade,offwhichwastheinnerGreen
Closettowhichtheprivilegedmightbe
admitted.Here,thesequenceofstate
roomscametoanendatthattime.
5
6
Picture Frames at Ham House
Italian School
The Battle of Lepanto
NT1139664
Aone-offpatternofexceptionallylargedimensionsbutnarrowinwidth,deeply
carvedandundercut,ofpiercedandstainedoak.Itmayhavebeenmadetothis
widthspecificallytofitthespaceonthestaircase.Thereareslightlyuncomfortable
cutsinallfoursidesoftheframe,perhapsreflectingitsconstructionorhistory.
Whethertheoverlappingfoliageandauricularformsreallysuggestthewavesofthe
sea,ashasbeenputforward,isamatterofdebate.Notealsothefeatheredwings
towardsthebottomofeachside.Lookingatthestaircaseframesdescribedhere,this
oneandthatonVenus and a Satyr(page8)standapartfromthe‘leatherwork’frames
onthenextthreepictures.
After Correggio (original then
owned by King Charles I, now in
the National Gallery, London)
Venus with Mercury and Cupid
NT1139671
Theframewasclearlymadefor
thepictureandfeaturesMercury’s
wingedhelmetattopandCupid’s
arrowsandquiveratbottom.
Itwaspresumablyoncegiltas
gessotracesintheinterstices
wouldsuggest.Unusuallyfora
frameofthistype,thesidesare
symmetricalaboutthehorizontal
axis,andcentreonahighly
stylisedmaskwithvacanteye
sockets.Theratherflatorganic
forms,theinneredgesofwhich
arehighlightedbyadefiningline,
canbeinterpretedasdriedanimal
skins,turningupattheedges.
Ham House in the 1630s
Attributed to Michael Cross (original then in Spanish Royal Collection,
now in Prado, Madrid)
Venus and Adonis(afterTitian)
NT1139673
Anambitiouspatternwhichwasperhapsoriginallygildedinviewoftracesofgesso.
TheornamentaldetailswereperhapsintendedtoreflectthethemeofAdonisthe
hunter,withanimalmaskstopandbottom,alion’sheadtowardsthetopofeach
side,andropetiedcornersaccentuatingthesenseof‘leatherwork’,assuchorganic
carvingwasdescribed.Theuseofmasksandtherepeatednotchedscrollscanbe
foundonotherearlyframesatHam(see1.3,1.5).
Attributed to Michael Cross (original then in Spanish Royal Collection, now in
National Gallery of Scotland and National Gallery, London)
Diana and Actaeon (afterTitian)
NT1139669
Aboldelongationofthestandard‘grimacingmask’patternofthe1630sand1640s
(see2.3),butwithafantastichornedmaskatbottomcentreandexpandedornament
onthesides,theformsweightyandponderous.Thebottomsideoftheframecanbe
viewedasaroughlycutflatskin,curlingandscrollingatitsextremitiesoveritself.
7
8
Picture Frames at Ham House
Attributed to Michael Cross (original then owned by King Charles I,
now in Louvre, Paris)
Venus and a Satyr (The ‘Venus del Pardo’;afterTitian)
NT1139666
PerhapsbythesamehandastheframeonThe Battle of Lepantobutagainaone-off
pattern,clearlydesignedforthepicture,withacarvedsatyrheadatbottombeneath
eachsatyrinthepictureandwingedcherubattopaboveCupidinthepicture.The
bulbousanddeeplyundercutcarvingisleafyandfleshyincharacter.Thecheruband
theanimalmaskatbottom,withribboninmouth,arefeaturesfoundinsomeother
framesontheGreatStaircase.
1.3 The Hall Gallery (then the Great Dining Room)
WilliamMurray’sGreatDiningRoomwasremodelledin1637/8andhungwith
tapestries.ThefloorwaslateropeneduptooverlooktheGreatHall.Thedoor
surroundswerepaintedlikepolishedwhitemarble,therichlycarveddoorsinwalnuttreecolourandtheremainingwoodworkblue,withtheenrichmentsandcarvinggilt.
TheceilingisagainbyJosephKinsman,1637–38.
Theoverdoorframeshavefourrowsofcarving,withaninwardcurvingtopedge
offlatgadroonsanddarts,setabovearoundedfriezeofribbon-tiedbundlesofflat
leavesseparatedbythreeflowerheads.Theprofileanddetailingrecallsomelate
16th-centuryFlorentinework.Theframesmatchthepatternoftheovermantelframe
intheGreatHall(1.1).TheywerecarvedbyThomasCarterfor£2.10s,andgilded
byMatthewGoodrickefor£4,orasheputitinhisbillofApril1638,‘whollyguilt
over’,theonlyfeatureintheroomwhichwasnotpartlypaintedbutcompletelygilt.
Neithercraftsmanmentionsachimneypiece.
Therewerethreelandscapesby‘Decline’in1683,givingrisetotheattributionof
thepresentpaintingstoFrancisCleyn,oneoverthethenchimneyandtwooverthe
doors,asinthe1679inventory.Naked BoysorPutti with Lions,attributedtoFrancis
Cleyn,isprobablyoriginaltotheroomwhiletheill-fittingAdamElsheimercopy,
Tobias and Angelisalaterintroduction.Forlaterframes,see2.2and3.2.
Ham House in the 1630s
1.4 The North Drawing Room (then the Withdrawing Room)
Oncemore,thecarvingistheworkofThomasCarter,whiletheceilingisbyJoseph
Kinsman,1637–38.Certaindecorativemotifsarerecurrentinthisroom:nakedboys
canbefoundinboththepaintingsandsculptures,andfriezesoffruit-and-leaves
featureinKinsman’splastercorniceandalsoinCarter’scarvedoverdoors.The
originsoftheelaboratechimneypieceareunknown.Carter’sratherFrench-style
panellingwasprobablypaintedwhitefromthebeginningandtheroomwasoriginally
furnishedwithchairsinwhitesatin.Thewallswerehungwithtapestriesofadifferent
settothoseseenin-situtoday.TheoverdoorshaveframescarvedbyCarter,ata
costof£4,similarinsectiontotheprecedingroombutmuchricherwithribbon-tied
friezesoffruit-and-leavesandcornersfinishedwithprominentacanthusleaves.Note
thattheoverdoorframetotheleftofthefireplace,aninsertionofthe1670s,has
adifferentrhythmtotheribbonties.Aswiththepreviousroom,thefixedpictures
wereattributedto‘Decline’in1683.Therewerealsotwoovalperspectivepiecesin
giltframesin1679.
1.5 The Long Gallery
ThepanellingwasremodelledbyThomasCarterin1639,whointroducednew
mouldings,20Ionicpilastersandthe‘pedestal’panellingrunningaroundthelower
partoftheroom,atacostofsome£68.Evidenceastotheearlypicturehangis
limitedbuttheroomwouldhavebeenanobviousplaceforWilliamMurraytohang
paintings.Now,itishungthroughoutwithportraitsincarvedandgildedauricular
orsimilarframes.Twoframesdatingtothelate1630sarediscussedhere.Theyare
ofaqualitytohavebeenmadebyleadingLondonframemakersofthetime.Forthe
numerouslaterframesfromthe1640sonwards,see2.3.
Sir Anthony van Dyck and Studio
King Charles I
NT1139944
Veryprobablytheportraitof‘LeRoivestudenoir…avecsamollure’[TheKing
dressedinblack…withitsframe],asitwasdescribedbyVanDyckinhisbilltothe
Kingofabout1638.ItisthoughtthattheportraitwasagiftfromCharlesItoMurray.
Therareandoutstandingframe,ifnotchosenbytheartistpresumablymetwithhis
approval.Thescrollsandfoliage,thefantasticmasks,perhapsalionattop,andthe
tiedtripartitecornerscentringonapomegranate,arefeaturesfoundonotherframes
oftheperiodbutrarelytothisexceptionalquality.Notethedelightfuldetailofthe
impressionofropebeneaththeflatoftheframewhichthenemergestoactasatie
tothebottomcorners,continuingtheconceitofalargelyhiddenroperunninground
theframefromtoptobottom,holdingtheleatherworkofthefoursidestogether.
(shownonpage2)
9
10
Picture Frames at Ham House
After Anthony van Dyck, 1637
Queen Henrietta Maria
NT1139955
Theframewithitspairedvolutesatallfourcentresanddensescrollingfoliage
runningtotherope-tiedtriple-budcornersisagoodexampleofaclassic1630s
frametype.Itisfoundelsewhereonalargerscale(e.g.twofull-lengthframesat
Knole,nowhousingtheVanDyckstudioCountess of DorsetandSirPeterLely’s
Duchess of Cleveland).ThisisadistinctiveEnglishframestylewhichisdistantly
indebtedto‘Sansovino’andotherVenetianframes,characterisedbythesculptural
useoflarge-scalescrollsandvolutes,oftenwithfestoonsoffruit.
Ham House in the 1630s
1.6 The Green Closet
TheGreenClosetwasalreadyfinishedingreenby1655,whendescribedas‘thecloset
withinthegallerie’.Theunusualogeecornice,resetinplaces,withaflatformalised
leaf-and-anthemionpattern,issodifferenttoothercarvinginthehousethatitis
presumablyfromaworkshopotherthanthatofThomasCarter.TheGreenCloset
wasprobablyhungwithsmallpicturesfromanearlydate,onthemodelofcabinet
roomselsewhere.In1679therewere14pictureswithgiltframes,38inblackebony
andonewitharoundcarvedframe.
Some35ofthepicturesandminiaturesnowintheroomcanbeidentifiedasbeing
atHamin1683,andmanyofthemmayhavebeenhereeversinceWilliamMurray’s
time(seedownloadablecatalogueontheNationalTrustwebsite).Mentionismade
hereofalimitednumberofebonyframes,forthelaterlimewoodframes,see2.4,and
forthelatergiltpineframes,see3.3.
Inthetoprowonthelongwall,alltheworkshaveebonyframesoffinequality,
manyofwhichareoriginalorfairlycloseindatetothepictures.Themostelaborate,
eithersideofcentre,arethoseonJacquesStella’spaintingsonslate,Salome with the
Head of St John the Baptist,dated1637,andVirgin and Child with St John the Baptist and
Child Angels,bothwithflatframesinebony-veneeredpine,withripplemouldingsin
ebonyonthesightandbackedges,ofasortfoundinEuropeformuchofthe17th
century.Verydenseandblack,ebonywasanexpensivewoodwhichwasimported
fromIndiaandCeylonfromthelate16thcentury.
Inthesecondrowonthelongwall,thelittlecopperafterHansRottenhammer,Danaë
and the Shower of Gold,relatescloselytoapictureformerlyinCharlesI’scollection.It
ishousedinanebonyframemadeupofaseriesofmouldingsandexceptionallythe
framesidesareveneeredinebony,lendingthepictureaparticulardistinction.
Thefirst-floorcircuitofHamHouseinthe1630swouldhaveendedhere.Untilthe
roomsonthesouthfrontwereaddedinthe1670s,Hamwasrelativelysmallinscale
foragrandhouse.
Jacques Stella
Salome with the Head
of St John the Baptist
NT1139900
11
12
Picture Frames at Ham House
Ham House in the 1670s: Home of
the Duke and Duchess of Lauderdale
HampassedtoMurray’seldestdaughter,ElizabethMurray(1626–98),whenshe
inheritedasCountessofDysartin1655.Beautiful,learned,ambitiousandgreedy,she
marriedtwiceandhadnumerouschildren.In1648,shemarriedSirLionelTollemache
(1624–69),ofHelminghamHallinSuffolk.ItwastotheTollemachefamilythat
Hampassedafterherdeath.HersecondmarriagewastoJohnMaitland,Dukeof
Lauderdale(1616–82),SecretaryofStateforScotland.Inthedecadebetweentheir
marriagein1672andtheDuke’sdeathin1682,theyextendedandrefurbishedHam,
atacostofatleast£10,000,addingasequenceofroomsfacingontothegarden
onthesouthside,andrefurnishingthehouseasapalatialvilla,reflectingtheDuke’s
statusasoneofthemostpowerfulministersofKingCharlesII.JohnEvelynin1678
describedthehouseas‘furnishdlikeagreatePrinces’.
2.1 The Great Staircase
In1677,intheearliestLauderdaleinventory,therewereninepictureswithcarved
framesontheGreatStaircase,atleasttwoofwhichweregilt.Atsomestage,whether
thenorlater,thedecisionwastakentoavoidgiltframesonthestaircasealtogether,
anunusualbuteffectivearrangementwhichmayinsomewaybeinfluencedbythe
tasteforelaboratecarvingwithoutgildingusedinsomanyWrenCitychurchesandin
carvingdoneundertheinfluenceofGrinlingGibbons.
Perhapsfourofthestaircaseframeswereintroducedinthe1670saspartofthe
refurbishmentsatHam.Theyareratherdifferenttootherpictureframesofthe
period.Whileeachframehasitsowncharacter,theymayallfourcomefromthe
sameworkshop.Theyarerecognisablebytheirdarkwoodfinishandsometimes
ratheropengrain,bytheirelongatedcurvingsweeps,whetheroffoliageorplainer
leatherworkscrolls,bytheiruseofwingedcherubheadsoreagles,andbytheirrather
fussybutinsistentfestoons.Insomeways,theyhavemoreincommonwiththe
carvedworkfoundinWrenchurchesthanwiththegiltauricularframesoftheperiod,
suchasfoundintheLongGallery(2.3).
Theonlyevidenceastotheirmakercomesfromthepaymentof£10toHeinrick
Dominick,the‘Germancarver’,asauthorisedbytheDuchessofLauderdalein
June1673,for‘twogreatcarvedPictureFrames’.Whileherauthorisationmakesno
referencetoHam,acontemporarybillsubmittedbytheframemaker,JohnNorris,
dated29July1673,referstogoingtoHamandputtingthetwogreatpiecesupon
stretchingframesatacostof15s(stretchingpictureswasoneofNorris’sspecialities),
whileHenryHarlowthejoinercharged35sfortwostrainingframesfortwogreat
piecesonthegreatstairsinMarchthatyear,aswellasforsupplyingtwobackframes
andfittingthecarvedframestothemfor25s.Thiswouldsuggestthatatleasttwoof
thelargepicturesatHamwerepreparedandframedin1673.
Theearlierframeshavealreadybeendescribed(1.2).Laterframesareexamined
hereintheorderdisplayed,fromthefirstnearthefootofthestaircasetotheothers
muchfurtherup.
Ham House in the 1670s
Copy after
Abraham Bloemaert
The Angel appearing
to the Shepherds
NT1139663
Thisisaframeofthe1670s,
withwingedcherubheadson
thesidesandatbottom,picking
upontheflyingfiguresinthe
paintingitself,withfruit-andflowerfestoonsrunningthrough
thescrollsandsweeps.The
nearestparallelisthecarvedand-giltframenowseenon
JohnMichaelWright’spainting
Charles II(NationalPortrait
Gallery,London),withits
wingedcherubheads,similar
cornerdetailingandfestoons.
Dirck van Bergen
Landscape with an Old Herdsman and Young Market Girl, 1670s
NT1139667
Thisframe,presumablytheoriginal,isperhapsintendedtoevoketherichesofthe
landandfarminginresponsetothepicture’ssubjectmatter,withfruit-and-flower
festoonsofgrapesandflowers,intertwinedwithfoliageandscrolls,runningaround
theframefromthemaskattopcentre,withwingedcherubheadsonthesides,tobe
heldbyeaglesatbottomandfinishinginpairedcornucopiaatbottomcentre.Like
thepreviousframe,itappearstobemadeofoak,withaheavy,hot-colouredvarnish,
perhapsofrelativelyrecentdate.
13
14
Picture Frames at Ham House
Jacques de Gheyn II
Julius Caesar on Horseback (?fromDeGheyn’svisittoLondonin1622).
NT1139674
Quitedifferenttootherframesonthestaircase,thisisacushionframe,astandard
mid-centurypattern,laterthanthepicturebutapparentlymadeforit.Carvedfrom
pine,withstandardlapjoints,itischaracterisedbythehalf-openbudsonatwisting
ropereversingatclaspedcentres.Thetypeisusuallygilded(thereisanexamplein
theVolury,see2.10),buthereitispaintedorochred.Perhapsthisframereflectsthe
tastefor‘sadlute’colour(darkwarmyellow/orange),afinishusedforpaintedframes
inthe1630s.
Attributed to Michael Cross (original then in Spanish Royal collection,
now in Prado, Madrid)
Venus and Organ Player (afterTitian)
NT1139670
(continuedonthefollowingpage)
Ham House in the 1670s
Probablyaframeofthe1670s,itcanbecomparedwiththatonLandscape with an Old
Herdsman and Young Market Girl(page13),inviewoftherathersimilareagles,hereat
thesidecentres,andcornucopia-likeforms.Otherfeaturessuchasthepairedvolutes
recallearlierframesand,indeed,thecarvermayhavehadsuchearlierframesinmind
ifthecommissionspecificallyrelatedtoprovidingframesforadditionalpictureson
thestaircaseatHam.
Adriaen van Nieulandt
Diana with Nymphs, 1615
NT1139668
Aframeofthe1670s,thetopwithwingedcherub,scrollsandfoliage,thesidesnearly
symmetricalwithexceptionallylongsweepsfromcentretocorner(somewhatlike
thepreviousframe),thecornerstied,thebottomwithafantasticmaskheadholding
initsmouthaclothdrapedtoeachsideinswags.
15
16
Picture Frames at Ham House
2.2 The Hall Gallery
Theroomcontinuedtobehungwithtapestriesinthelate17thcentury.Onlyone
movablepicture,theLelydescribedbelow,waslistedhereinthe1679inventory.It
wasnotuntilafterthefloorhadbeenopeneduptoformthepresentHallGallery,
perhapsabout1700,thattheroomcametobeusedforpictures.Thefocushereison
the17th-centuryframesonthedoubleportraitsateitherendoftheroom.Forsome
ofthelaterframes,see3.2.
CorneliusJohnson’sWilliam Hamilton, 2nd Duke of Hamilton with John Maitland, Earl
(later) Duke of Lauderdale,paintedinHollandin1649,presumablydidnotcometo
HamuntilafterLauderdalemarriedElizabethDysartin1672.Theoakframeappears
tobetheoriginal,madeinEnglandratherthanHolland.Itcanbereadasfourpieces
ofleatherwork,tiedtogetheratthecorners,ontowhichareimposedfestoons
runningfrombelowthewingedcherubattopcentre,behindtheadjoiningvolutes,
forwardandthenouttothetriplebud-and-leafcorners,downthesidesinheavy
festoons,runningbehindthefoliageandscrolls,tothecornersandthentotheshield
atbottomcentre.Noteinparticularhowtheswagsseemtoemergefromthesurface
oftheframeatthebottomclosetothecorners,asiftiedthroughthe‘leatherwork’.
Theframe’sperishedsurfacesuggestsregildingoveranunstablesubstrateandraises
thepossibilitythatitsoriginalfinishmayhavebeenratherdifferent,perhapseven
partlypainted.
Sir Peter Lely
John Maitland, Duke of Lauderdale and Elizabeth Murray, Countess of Dysart
and Duchess of Lauderdale
NT1139789
SirPeterLely’sJohn Maitland, Duke of Lauderdale and Elizabeth Murray, Countess of
Dysart and Duchess of Lauderdale,paintedc.1675andhunghereby1679hasitsoriginal
carved-and-giltframeofbunchesofleaves,reversingatribbon-tiedcentres,alater
17th-centurypatternwhichcanherebelinkedtothealmostcontemporaryarchitectural
decorationintheQueen’sClosetandtheMarbleDiningRoom(2.7,2.12).Although
re-gilded,theframeisaparticularlyfineboldlycarvedexample,madeofmitred-andkeyedpine,thewoodusedformostpost-Restorationframes.ThisisaFrenchinspired
pattern,muchusedinpictureframinginthelate17thcentury.Moremodestexamples
ofthisframestylecanbefoundinroomsonthegroundfloor(2.9,2.14).
Ham House in the 1670s
2.3 The Long Gallery
Bythe1670s,theLongGallerywasestablishedasaspaceforhangingpicturesin
giltframes,whatHoraceWalpoleacenturylaterdescribedas‘anoldbrowngallery
fullofVandycksandLelys’.TheGalleryasnowdisplayedincludesvariousportraits
fromtheCommonwealthandtheRestorationbutthecollection’sgrowthisnotwell
documentedexceptbyapaymentin1666toSirPeterLelybythefutureDuchessof
Lauderdaleof£20foraportraitofhersister,Katherine.Theroomitselfunderwent
alterations,withthelossofthe‘twogreatfrontishpeeces’thatThomasCarterhad
suppliedin1639.Thepainteranddecorator,NicholasMoore,undertookextensive
gildingworkintheGalleryin1673(andgildedanunidentifiedpictureframeinthe
roomfor£2).
TheLongGalleryisashowcaseforcarved-and-giltauricularframes.Thevarious
typescoexisthappilyandcreatearemarkablespectacle,theirintricateforms
catchingtheavailablelight.Thetwoearliestframeshavealreadybeendescribed
(1.5).Theotherframesarediscussedhereintwogroups,firstlythestylesbelonging
tothe1640s,1650sand1660s,withstraightsightedges,andsecondlytheframes
intheso-calledSunderlandstyle,fromthe1660sand1670s,distinguishedbytheir
irregularsightedges.Thesepatternscouldbescaledupordownaccordingtothe
sizeofthepicture.Theyaremostlyofoakwithpinebackframes,somewiththeir
originalpeggedmortise-and-tenonjointsintact,butfurtherresearchisneeded
tobeconfidentaboutmaterialsandalsoabouttheprecisestatusofeachframe.
ResearchershavesuggestedthatvariousoftheSunderlandframesmaybe
laterindate.
Auricular Frames
Amongtheearlierauricularpatterns,withstraightsightedges,threedifferingframe
typescanbereadilydistinguished,despitethecomplexityofthecarving.
Sir Peter Lely
Elizabeth Murray, Countess of Dysart with black servant
NT1139940
Theframeislikelytobeoriginaltotheportraitsinceitsunusualsize,widerthan
standard,makesitunlikelythatthisframehasbeenswappedfromanotherpicture.
Itisanexampleofastandardframetypecharacterisedbythehighlystylisedlion
maskandpawsatthetop,theframesideslikeaflatskin,theedgesofwhichare
irregularandcurlingover.OtherframesofthistypeonLely’sworkcanbefoundon
theadjoiningportraitoftheCountess’syoungersister,Lady Margaret Murray, Lady
Maynard,c.1670(oakframe;pinebackframewithwell-preservedpeggedjoint),and
onthosecalledSir Henry VaneandcalledLionel Tollemache, 3rd Earl of Dysart.
(picturedoverleaf )
17
18
Picture Frames at Ham House
Above
Sir Peter Lely
Elizabeth Murray, Countess
of Dysart with black servant
Seepage17
Ham House in the 1670s
Unknown Artist
An Unknown Lady in Red, 1630s
NT1139938
Theportraitislikelytoretainitsoriginalframe
sinceitistoanon-standardnarrowformat.
Thisparticularframetypeisrecognisableby
thegrimacingmaskattopcentrecrestedby
awavyscroll.Ascaled-downversionistobe
foundonCorneliusJohnson’sJohn Maitland,
2nd Earl (later Duke) of Lauderdale,c.1642-3?(later
incorrectlyinscribedasEarlofDysart).
After Sir Peter Lely
King Charles II, 1660s
NT1139949
Theframeispossiblyearlierthantheportrait.It
istheonlyoneatHaminthesea-monster-andshellsstandardpatternsometimesfavouredby
Lelyinthe1650sandearly1660sbutalsofound
onworksbyotherartists.Itcouldbescaled
upordowntosuitthesizeofthepictureasa
comparisonwithLely’sEarl and Countess of Essex
and Earl of Sandwich(bothNationalPortrait
Gallery)shows.Thetypeisreadilyidentifiable
bythestylisednautilusshellsatthecorners,
scallopshellsnearthesidecentresandfantastic
masksofseamonsterattopcentreandwinged
monsteratbottom.
Sunderland Frames
Sunderlandframes,fashionablefromthe1660s
untilthe1680s,areafurtherdevelopmentof
theauricularstyle.Theytaketheirnamefrom
the2ndEarlofSunderland,manyofwhose
picturesatAlthorpareframedinthestyle,
butthenameisprobablyalate19th-century
one.Theframesarebewilderinglycomplex
inappearance,incorporatinghighlystylised
patternsofflowingstalks,leavesandscrolls,
centredattoponashieldandatbottomona
grotesquemask.InnootherEnglishframetype
doesthesightedgecutintothespaceofthe
pictureinsuchanirregularway.
Inthe1670s,thepaceofworkatHam
increasedwiththeenlargementofthehouse.
Oneofthoseactivewastheleadingcarverandgilder,JohnNorris(?1642–1707),who
workedfortheCrownandmanynotablepatrons.HevisitedHamtostrainpictures
intheGalleryandontheGreatStaircasefortheDuchessofLauderdale,andhe
providedpictures,framesandstretchersformovablepictures.In1673hereceived
£30forasetofcopiesafterPolidorodaCaravaggioon18–24April(nowinthe
19
20
Picture Frames at Ham House
MarbleDiningRoom,see2.12),£14forpictureframesandstrainingframesetcon
4July,£17forpictureframesandworkatHamonorafter9October,and£3.10sfor
asinglepictureframeon18October.In1675hewaspaid£8on19Julyand£13.10son
27Octoberforunspecifiedwork.
Cornelius Johnson
William Hamilton, 2nd Duke of Hamilton
NT1139948
SirPeterLely’sDuke of Lauderdale(toleftofCharles II)hasanoakframeattributedto
theleadingcarverandgilder,JohnNorris,whocharged£3.10sin1673foraframefora
portraitoftheDuke.Norrisbilledforfiveotherhalf-lengthcarvedandgildedframesat
£3eachsoitislikelythatsomeofthenumerousexamplesintheGalleryarehiswork.
Thepatterncouldbescaledupordown,ascanbeseenfromCorneliusJohnson’s
William 2nd Duke of Hamilton,paintedinHollandin1649butframedinEngland.
Ham House in the 1670s
Sir Peter Lely
Sir William Compton
NT1139946
SirPeterLely’sSir William Compton(oppositetheGreenCloset),fromthe1650s,is
housedinan18th-centuryvariationonaSunderlandframe,withrosettesatthetop
corners.IthasalreadybeenpointedoutabovethatseveraloftheSunderlandframes
arelikelytobelatercopies.
ThesequenceofnewroomsbuiltbytheLauderdalesinthe1670sbeginsatthefar
endoftheLongGallery.Theworkwassupervisedbythegentlemanarchitect,William
Samwell(1628–76).TheLondoncarver,JohnBullamore(b.c.1641)undertookmuchof
thecarvedwoodwork,andtheDutchpainter,DirckvanBergen(1640–95),previously
employedbyKingCharlesII,providedvariousoverdoorpaintings.
2.4 The Green Closet
Whiletheroomdatestothe1630s(see1.6),someoftheframesandmuchofthe
furniturebelongstothetimeofElizabethDysart,includingthesilver-mountedebony
table,whichisdatableto1655–72fromhercoronetandmonogram.
WhetherforworksintheGreenCloset,theDuchess’sPrivateCloset(2.8)orelsewhere,
WilliamNaylor,‘Ebonyframemaker’,receivedpaymentsfromtheDuchessof£7.1sin
May1675andafurther£1.12sforasingleebonypictureframeinOctoberthesameyear.
Attentionisdrawntotwoovalportraitheads,inelaboratelimewoodframes,
perhapsdatingtothe1670s(theportraitswereatHamby1683andpossiblyby
1679).TheyarebyunknowncarversinthestyleofGrinlingGibbons(suchframes
werebeingdescribedas‘Gibbonsmanner’asearlyas1690).
Theframeontheportrait,GerritDou’sHead of an Old Man,wasmadeforthe
picturesometimeafteritwaspainted,whereastheratherbetterframeonthecopy
ofHansHolbein’sDesiderius Erasmuswasapparentlymadeforanotherworkandthen
adaptedforthispicture.
21
22
Picture Frames at Ham House
After Hans Holbein
Desiderius Erasmus
NT1139904
2.5 The Queen’s Antechamber
ThisroombecametheantechambertotheQueen’sBedchamberasplansevolved
inthe1670s.Itisgrainedtoresembleolivewoodorsimilar,andhungwithfaded
bluesilk.Whiletherewere13or14movablepicturesintheroomin1679, somein
giltframes,othersinebony,theseweremovedelsewhere,leavingthethreefixed
landscapesbyDirckvanBergen,whichwereinstalledbetween1677and1679and
remaintothisday,framedinsimplegiltmouldings.Moreelaboratearetherichly
carvedandgiltswagsandfestoonsattributedtoJohnBullamore,completewith
ducalcoronet,aroundthechimneypainting.
Ham House in the 1670s
2.6 The Queen’s Bedchamber
Inthe1670s,theQueen’sBedchamberwaspreparedinanticipationofavisitby
CatherineofBraganza.Itwasdesignedastheclimaxofthesequenceofstaterooms,
withamagnificentstatebedstandingonaraiseddaisatthefarendoftheroom,set
behindabalustrade.Thisarrangementwasabandonedbythe1740s(see3.4).The
roomhadwinterandsummerfurnishings,includinginsummertheQueenMother’s
pictureinacarvedandgiltframe,presumablytheVanDyck,Queen Henrietta Maria,
nowintheLongGallery(1.5).Alsointheroomin1683werethetwopicturesin
framesinthestyleofGrinlingGibbons,nowintheGreenCloset(2.4).
Thesimplenatureofthefixedframingisincontrasttotheportraitframesofthe
LongGallerybutneverthelesstheribbonmouldingformsaneffectiveframingdevice.
TheornamentistheproductofadivisioninlabourbetweenHenryHarlowthejoiner,
JohnBullamorethecarverandNicholasMoorethegilder,Harlowprovidingthebasic
structure,BullamoretheornamentalcarvingandMoorethegildingandpaintedwork.
LookingattheribbonaroundVanBergen’stwooverdoors(therewereoncethree)
andthecopyoverthechimneypieceofAndreadelSarto’sVirgin and Child with St
John,wecanidentifythatHarlowchargedfor61½ftofpictureframesat1safoot,
Bullamorefor60ftof‘Ribbandaboutyepictureframes’at1safoot,andMoorefor
gildinginch-widemouldingsat3dafoot.Moreexpensively,theovermantelpainting
issurroundedbycarvedandgiltfestoonsandacoronet,forwhichBullamore
charged£6.10sandMoore£5.10s.
2.7 The Queen’s Closet
Thisinnersanctumsurvivesinmuchitsoriginalform
withrichlyornamentedwoodwork,carvedbyBullamore
in1673atacostofsome£35andgildedanddecorated
byMooreforabout£50.Oneofthemostprominent
featuresistherunofbunchesofleavesaboutthearch
whichwithadjoiningmouldingscostsome£2.11s,
centredonacherubim’sfaceat10s,abovewhichisa
shieldat£1.Bullamorealsochargedforthefoliageto
eithersideoftheshieldat£4,thelargeraffleleavesover
thefireplaceat18sandfortheribbonmouldingsaround
thepicturesandpanelling,respectivelyat1sand6dper
foot.
Shown:ThealcoveintheQueen’sClosetwithitsgilded
decorationcarvedbyJohnBullamore
2.8 The Duchess’s Private Closet
ThisisthesecondremarkablecabinetroomatHam,butagenerationlaterthanthe
GreenCloset(1.6).In1679, therewerefourpictureswithcarvedandgiltframes,two
smallinsize,apictureoftheDuchess’smotherinanebonycaseand17otherpictures
inebonyframesofseveralsizes.Manyoftheworksinebonyframeshereinthe
Duchess’stimeprobablyremainintheroomtothisdaybutitisnotpossibletolink
themwithconfidencetotheebonyframesthattheDuchessobtainedfromWilliam
Naylorin1675.
23
24
Picture Frames at Ham House
John Hoskins
Catherine Bruce, Mrs William Murray
NT1139682
JohnHoskins’sportraitoftheDuchess’smother,Catherine Bruce, Mrs William Murray,
1638,retainsitsoriginalebonycasewithfoldingdoors(theensemblenowhoused
withinalargermodernframe).
ThefamilyportraitdrawingsbytheScot,DavidPaton,togetherwithhisoldmaster
copies,hereandintheGreenCloset,somedated1668or1669,wereatHamby1683.
Theyappeartoretaintheiroriginalorearlyebonyframesofreversesection,probably
madeforthematthetimethedrawingswerecompleted,althoughamoredetailed
examinationoftheframeswouldberequiredtodistinguishwhethersomemaybeof
fruitwoodratherthanebonyandwhetherindeedtheyareall17thcenturyindate.
Edmund Ashfield
John Maitland, 2nd Earl and 1st Duke of Lauderdale
NT1140137
EdmundAshfield’ssuperbpastel,John Maitland, 2nd Earl and 1st Duke of Lauderdale,
1675,hasaremarkablecarvedandgildedframe,apparentlyofoak,perhapsthefinest
onanyEnglishpasteloftheperiodandsurelyspeciallycommissionedbytheDuke
orhiswifefromaleadingcraftsman.Tounderstandthelanguageoftheframe,it
isnecessarytoreadtheunusuallyshapedcornersasleatherwork,asitwascalled,
overlaidbyfoliageheldbytheeagleinitsclawsand,ornamentedwithacorns,
flowersandberries,runningoutbehindthecorners,downthesidesoftheframeto
meetinafloweratbottomcentre.
(picturedopposite)
Ham House in the 1670s
Above
Edmund Ashfield
John Maitland, 2nd Earl and
1st Duke of Lauderdale
Seepage24
25
26
Picture Frames at Ham House
2.9 The White Closet
By1679therewerefivepicturesinebony
framesheretogetherwithanoldman’shead
inagiltframe,perhapsBenedettoGennari’s
Head of St Paul,c.1675,whichretainsitslapjointedbunchedleafframe,withoriginalpale
gilding.Buttheframebreaksconvention,
sincetheleavespointupwards(incontrast
tothemoreusualarrangementinthefixed
carvingintheMarbleDiningRoom,2.12).
Benedetto Gennari
Head of Saint Paul
NT1140136
2.10 The Volury
Atapestryhungbedroominthemid-17thcentury,theroombecametheVolury,or
whatNorristheframemakerin1673describedas‘theBirdeCageRoome’.Indeed,
HenryHarlowchargedaconsiderablesumof£56forfourexteriorbirdcages,
suggestingquitesubstantialorelaborateconstructions.
TheEnglishschoolportrait,John Maitland, 1st Earl of Lauderdale,whetherpainted
c.1640orslightlylater,probablydidnotcometoHamuntilthe1670sorlater.Its
mid-centurycarvedandgiltcushionframeinpineisofatypewehavemetwithon
theGreatStaircase(2.1).
2.11 The Withdrawing Room
ThomasWyck’sAn Alchemist,c.1674,achoice
smallpanelpaintingonchamferedoak,has
acarvedandgiltreverse-sectionlap-jointed
pineframeofaveryfineleafpattern(much
morefinelycarvedthantheraffleleaves
ornamentingtheoverdoorframesinthe
nextroom).ThomasWyckandhisson,Jan,
alsosuppliedovermantelandoverdoor
picturesforHaminthe1670s.An Alchemist
isoneofthepictureswhichJanWyck
valuedfortheDuchessofLauderdaleinthe
1680sanditstillbearshisnumber,46,on
asquareofpaperonthereverse,andhis
valuation,A Chymists Shop. G… Wick £8: pret:
[=price].
Forthe18th-centuryframes,see3.6.
Thomas Wyck
An Alchemist
NT1140060
Ham House in the 1670s
2.12 The Marble Dining Room
JohnBullamore’sbillforcarvinginwhathecalledthe‘greatparlor’,dated23April
1673,providesanilluminatinginsightintocontemporaryterminologyandthecost
ofcarving.Heworkedinoakwhichwasleftunpainted.Hechargedfor127ft9insof
‘bunchesofleaves’aroundthedoors(ofwhichtherearesixincludingthealcoves).
Notehowthebuncheshangonropeswiththeirleavespointingdownwards,as
wasusual.Bullamorealsochargedfor6ft9insof‘greatRafleleaves’asafriezeover
thechimneypiece.Raffleleafframesofreverseorbolectionsectionwereoneof
thestandardframingdevicesoftheperiod,asweshallseeagainintheDuchess’s
Bedchamber.
Thechimneypictureitselfwasframedinleavesandguillocheat1s.8dperfoot,
totalling£1.8s.10d(larger-scaleguillochemouldings,intheformofacontinuous
bandoftwointerwovenspirals,formingaseriesofcircles,werelateraddedatthe
sideswhentheoriginalpicturewasreplacedbyThe Presentation of a Pineapple to King
Charles II,acopymadebyThomasStewartin1787).Theoverdoorframesareona
slightlysmallerscale,hencethereducedcostof1s.4dperfoot,totalling£3.18s.5dfor
58ft10insofleavesandguilloche.Fouroftheoverdoors,copiesfrompaintingsby
PolidorodaCaravaggioinKingCharlesI’scollection,canprobablybeidentifiedwith
the‘6PeecesafterPolydore’,boughtfromthecarver,JohnNorris,on18April1673
for£30(theothertwocanbefoundinthepreviousroom).
Thomas Stewart
The Presentation of a Pineapple to King Charles II (afterHenryDanckerts)
NT1139824
27
28
Picture Frames at Ham House
2.13 The Duke’s Dressing Room
Asfinishedin1679,theroomwashungwithcrimsondamaskandincludedHenry
Danckerts’soverdoors,River Landscape with Classical Ruins and a Castleand,The Gardens
at Pratolino,1673,aswellasJanWyck’sA Battlepieceoverthefireplace,allthreestillin
position.Theroomalsocontainedsevenpictureswithcarved-and-gildedframes,no
longerhere.Now,itishungwithtwopicturesinblack-and-giltframesofthe1630s,
describedbelow,andothersinframesofthe1730s(see3.6).
Thedelightfulearlyblackframesdecoratedwithappliedgiltcarvingontwo
picturesprobablyformedpartofthecollectionofWilliamMurray.FrancescoBassano
theyounger’sOrpheus Charming the Animals,andBartolomeusBreenbergh’sClassical
Ruins with Christ and the Woman of Samaria,1635,werebothapparentlyhanginginthe
AntechambertotheQueen’sBedchamberin1683.Whiletheseframesareunique,
theirdesignandornamentwouldsuggestthattheydatetothe1630s.
TheBassanoischaracterisedbytheshieldsandscrollsattop,fromwhichrun
festoonsoffruit,acornsandfoliage,hangingonribbonswithruchedribbontiesand
bows,meetingatabowloffruitatbottom,theedgeoftheblackframewaved.The
Breenberghhastiedpairedvolutesatthecentres,acommonfeatureinthe1630s,
andonasmallscaleatthecorners,withtrailingvinesandgrapes(thereisnoobvious
reasonforthechoiceofornament).Theirflatblacksurfaceshavebeenrepainted,in
thecaseoftheBassanocomparativelyrecently,withnotraceofgildingbeneath.For
thelaterframes,see3.6.
Bartolomeus Breenbergh
Classical Ruins with Christ and the Woman of Samaria
NT1139802
Ham House in the 1670s
2.14 The Duchess’s Bedchamber
Anurseryinthemid-17thcentury,theroomthenbecameapanelledbedroom,
grainedtoresemblewalnutwithgiltdetailing.Themostprominentcarvinginthe
roomistherunof‘greatrafleleaves’framingthealcove,providedbyJohnBullamore
at1s.8dafootin1673,whilethesimpleoverdoormouldingsweresuppliedbyHenry
Harlow.
Itseemsthatby1677theDuchesshaddecidedtoswapbedroomswiththeDuke,
hencetheoddarrangementbywhichherbedchamberissandwichedbetweenthe
Duke’sdressing-roomandhiscloset.WillemvandeVelde’sfouroverdoorSea-pieces,
dated1673,hadbeenpaintedfortheroomwhenitwasintendedfortheDuke’suse.
Theseshekept,addingherhusband’spictureoverthechimney,perhapsEdmund
Ashfield’scrayonportrait(see2.8),togetherwithafewotherpicturesingiltframes.
Now,itisherownportrait,anearlyworkbySirPeterLely,perhapsdatingtothe
late1640swhenshewouldhavebeeninherearlytwenties,thathangsoverthe
fireplace,inacarved-and-giltbunchedleafframe(forthistype,see2.9,2.12).The
frameisratherlaterindatethantheportrait.
Ham House in the 1740s: Home of
Lionel Tollemache, 4th Earl of Dysart
The18thcenturyistreatedheremoresimply.FollowingtheDuchess’sdeathin1698,
thehousepassedtoherson,LionelTollemache,3rdEarlofDysart(1649–1727).His
grandson,anotherLionelTollemache,4thEarl(1708–70),inheritedHamin1727and
onhisreturnfromtheGrandTourin1729,herepairedthefabricofthehouseandset
aboutrefurnishingtheinteriorsinaconservativemanner,remodellingtheQueen’s
Bedchamber,theVoluryandtheMarbleDiningRoom.Headdedtoandrestoredthe
picturecollection,especiallyinthe1730sand1740s,reframingsomeoftheoldmasters.
Paymentsbythe4thEarlforframescannotalwaysbelinkedwithconfidenceto
Ham,letalonetoindividualpictures.PaulPetit,knownforhiscontemporaryworkfor
FrederickPrinceofWales,waspaidforsevengiltpictureframesandvariousblackprint
frames,1732–5,includingexceptionallyalargetabernacleframefor£4.14sin1734.John
Hele,alesserfigure,undertookmanyrepairsatHamandHelmingham,1736–45,and
suppliednineortennewpictureframes,aswellassomeprintframeswithgiltsightedgemouldings.AlsoworkingforLordDysartwereJohnGreenandJamesDryhurstas
framemakers,WilliamBradshawandGeorgeNixascabinetmakers,andJohnArnoldas
apicturerestorerandoccasionalsupplierofpeartreeframes.Inthe1750sand1760s,
WilliamWattsprovidedfurtherframes,mainlyforprints.
3.1 The Great Hall
IntheGreatHall,theceilingwasopenedupsometimearound1700andthepanelling
renewed.Perhapsdatingtothiscampaignarethethreeblindoverdoorframes,without
pictures,ofreversesectionwithanarrowinnerhuskmoulding,arunningleaf-and-scroll
friezeandanoutertriple-bead-and-reel,withvariationsbetweenframes.
29
30
Picture Frames at Ham House
Ham House in the 1740s
JohnVanderbank’sfull-lengthstateportrait,Lady Grace Carteret, Countess of Dysart,
dated1737,retainswhatmaybeitsoriginalshowycarved-and-giltKentframe,
denselyornamented,withoutsetcorners,sidescrollsandfestoonsandcrowning
femalemasksetbetweenlarge-scalescrollingfoliage.Theadjacentpairedportrait
ofherhusband,Lionel, 4th Earl of Dysart,hasbeenreframedinamuchsimplerlater
Marattaframe.Onthewindowwall,GodfreyKneller’sHenrietta Cavendish, Lady
Huntingtower,c.1715,isalsohousedinaKentframebutofmuchplainerstyleand
presumablyareframingofthe1730s.WhatwecallaKentframe,namedafterthe
architect,WilliamKent,wasoftenknownatthetimeasatabernacleframe(thisterm
isusedinbillstoLordDysartinthe1730sfromJohnGreen,JohnHeleandPaulPetit).
Thelaterframesinthisroomfalloutsidethescopeofthisguide.
John Vanderbank
Lady Grace Carteret, Countess of Dysart
NT1139647
(picturedopposite)
3.2 The Hall Gallery
UpstairsintheHallGallery,someportraitshavemoreordinarycarved-and-giltKent
frames,presumablydatingtothe1730sor1740s,includingGodfreyKneller’sGeneral
Thomas TollemacheandtheadjacentLady Grace Carteret, Countess of Dysartwithachild
andservant,amatchingframebutoflesserqualityandwithsidefestoonsmisfitted
tofacesideon.Onthewindowwall,theanonymousWilbraham Tollemache, 6th Earl of
Dysart as a Boy,c.1750,hasanunusualrococoframewithdoublesweepsbetweenthe
centresandcorners.
3.3 The Green Closet
IntheGreenCloset,thereareseveralpictureswithrichlycarved18th-centuryframes.
Ontheendwallattop,theunusedfanpaintingwithastoryfromRinaldoandArmida
hasaveryfineKentframe(picturedoverleaf ),whilethepairofgouaches,below,
attributedtoJosephGoupy,tellingthestoryofGermanicusfromRomanhistory,
haverichlycarvedstraightsidedcentre-and-cornerframes.Bothframestyles
coexistedinthe1730s.Theremaybealinktoapaymentof£8.8stoJohnHelein1737
for‘TwoneatframesCarvdandGiltinBurnishGouldwithSandframesandGlases’.
Onthefireplacewall,thecopyofDanielMytens’James Iwaspresumablyreframed
whenitwasrelinedin1736.Almostidenticalproto-rocococentre-and-cornerframes
inpinecanbefoundontwoadjacentportraits,richlycarved,withleafsightedge,
sandedfrieze,leafcornersrunningintoC-scrolls,foliageandflowers,bossesatthe
centres,andshortgadroonedsweepsonthetopedge.
31
32
Picture Frames at Ham House
Unknown
The Embarkation of Carlo and Ubuldo with Rinaldo Deserting Armida
NT1140147
3.4 The Queen’s Bedchamber
TheQueen’sBedchamberwasconvertedinto
adrawingroombythe4thEarl.Whilethe
structureoftheroomremainedintact,he
commissionedtheWatteautapestriesandmuch
ofthepresentfurniturefromWilliamBradshaw,
aleadingcabinetmakerandupholsterer
whoownedhisowntapestryworksinSoho
Square.Thetapestrybordersarenotunlike
contemporarypictureframesinsomedetails.
InJune1743,Bradshawsuppliedthesplendid
pairofpierglassandconsoletables,specifying
‘2RichcarvedandgiltovalGlasses’at£28.10s
thepair.Theglassframes,withtheircresting
feathers,fruitfestoons,curvingbrackets,
oakleafcushionmouldingandshellbases,are
unlikecontemporarypictureframesbutrespect
theroom’searlierdecoration.
Shown:detailofpartoftheovalpierglassin
Queen’sBedchamber.Thepierglassisoneofa
pairbyWilliamBradshawc.1743,withcarvedand
gildedframes.
Ham House in the 1740s
3.5 The Volury
TheVolurywastransformedbythe4thEarlfromabedroomintoadrawingroom,
probablyinthe1740s,installingsecond-handtapestriesandcommissioningpier
glasses.TheworkmayhavebeencarriedoutbyWilliamBradshawbutisnot
documented.
3.6 The Withdrawing Room
IntheWithdrawingRoom,therearevariousoldmasterpaintingsinfinecentre-andcornerframesbyunidentifiedLondonframemakers,probablysuppliedwhenthe
pictureswererelinedinthelate1730s.TheboldlycarvedframeintheFrenchtaste
withprominentdoubleleafcornersandleafcentres,hollowsides,sandedfrieze
andgadroonedsightedgeontheAn Unknown Young Mancanbecomparedwiththe
morestandardcentre-and-cornerframeonAbrahamBloemaert’sBaptism of Christ.
Thelittlelandscape,Hagar and Ishmael(abovetable),acopyafterMola,waspossibly
acquiredin1748,perhapsinitspresentearly18th-centurygadroonedframe.
Abraham Bloemaert
The Baptism of Christ
NT1140058
33
34
Picture Frames at Ham House
3.7 The Marble Dining Room
IntheMarbleDiningRoom,thepierglassesare18thcenturyintroductions.Butfortheiropenscrollpediments
andcresting,theyaresimilarinformtocontemporaryKent
pictureframes.LordDysart’sapproachtothisroomwas
conservative,respectingtheearliercarvingbutreplacing
theleatherwallcoveringsin1756andapparentlylayingthe
marquetryflooratthesametime.However,thepierglasses
areratherearlier.Theyhavebeenassociatedbothwiththe
cabinetmaker,GeorgeNix,whochargedfortwopierglasses
at£12in1729,andwithWilliamBradshawwhosupplied
apairoflargeglassesfor£17.17sin1737,inbothcasesfor
unspecifiedlocations.WhatwedoknowisthatBradshaw
wascertainlyatworkintheroomin1737,whenhecharged
foralteringcurtains.
Shown:Giltwoodpierglass,oneofapair,intheMarble
DiningRoom
3.8 The Duke’s Dressing Room
IntheDuke’sDressingRoom,therearefurtherworksinparticularlyfinecarved-andgiltcentre-and-cornerframesofthe1730s.Severalofthepictureswererelinedin
1736andprobablyreframedatthesametime,includingJacobdeWet’sThe Hosts of
Pharaoh engulfed by the Red SeaandtheBassanoIsraelites gathering Manna
andDaniel in the Lion’s Den.
Franceso Bassano
The Israelites gathering Manna
NT1139800
Appendix and Further Reading
Appendix: cautionary notes and technical terms
Bythemid-17thcentury,thereweretwostandardportraitsizes,ahead-andshouldersformatat762x635mm(30x25in)andthehalf-lengthat1270x1016mm
(50x40in),makingitrelativelyeasytoswapframesfromoneportraittoanother.
Ontheotherhand,pictureswhicharenotinoneofthesestandardformatsaremore
likelytohaveretainedtheiroriginalframes.
Pictureshavebeenmovedfromonefamilyhometoanother,meaningthatthe
collectionhaschangedconsiderably.In1672,108pictures,63ofthemdescribedas
greatpicturesandothersaslesserorlittle,allbutfouringiltframes,weretakento
ScotlandfromHamandLauderdaleHouseinHighgate.Inabout1679sixgiltframes
fromthewardrobestoreatHamweregivenaway.
Itcanbedifficulttolinkreferencesin17th-centurybillsandHaminventoriesto
individualpictureswithconfidence.Nevertheless,aninventoryof1683isakey
documentinestablishingthehangofthecollectionafterthemanychangesofthe
1670s.
Manyframeshavebeenregildedandothersaltered.Ithasnotbeenpossibleto
examinethereverseofframesinworkshopconditions,necessaryforafullyinformed
judgement.
back edge:theouteredgeoftheframe,furthestfromthepicture.
gadroons/gadrooning:aseriesofconvexshapedridgesinarepeateddecorative
pattern.
lap joint:acornerjointwiththewoodofonesideoverlappingtheadjoiningside.
mortise-and-tenon:ajointwhereatenonortongueofonetimberisfixedthrougha
matchingshapedmortiseorholeinanothertimber.
mitre joint:adiagonaljointusedinthecornerofframeswiththeadjacentsides
abutting.
reverse section:aframewiththemostprominentmouldingnearesttothepicture.
sight edge:theinneredgeoftheframenearesttothepicture.
volute:aspiralscroll.
Further Reading
DUNBAR,JOHNG.‘Thebuilding-activitiesoftheDukeandDuchessofLauderdale.’
Archaeological Journal132(1975):202-30.
LAING,ALASTAIRANDNINOSTRACHEY,‘TheDukeandDuchessofLauderdale’s
picturesatHamHouse.’Apollo(May1994):3-9.
ROWELL,CHRISTOPHER,‘TheGreenClosetatHamHouse.’Apollo(April1996):18-23.
SIMON,JACOB.‘PictureFramingatHamintheSeventeenthCentury’,Christopher
Rowell(ed.)Ham House: 400 Years of Collecting and Patronage.(2013):144-57.
THORNTON,PETERANDMAURICETOMLIN.The Furnishing and Decoration of Ham
House. London:FurnitureHistorySociety,1980.
TOMLIN,MAURICE.‘PictureFramesatHamHouse’,International Journal of Museum
Management and Curatorship.vol.4(1985):129-40.
SeealsoHam House, Surrey,NationalTrustguidebook,1995andsubsequenteditions.
35
36
Picture Frames at Ham House
Acknowledgements
TheNationalTrustgratefullyacknowledgesagenerousbequestfromthelateMrand
MrsKennethLevythathassupportedthecostofpreparingthispublication.
JacobSimonextendshisthankstoChristopherRowell,whoinvitedhimto
participateintheHamHouseanniversaryconferenceandwhoprovidedthe
opportunitytoexaminethestaircasepicturesoffthewall.ToVictoriaBradleywho
joinedhiminexaminingsomeframesintheGreenCloset.Toallthosewhohave
studiedtheframesatHamincludingAlastairLaing,TimothyNewbery,NinoStrachey,
PeterThorntonandMauriceTomlin.ToSuePritchardandMalcolmSmutsforaccess
todocumentation.
Forfurtherinformationaboutpaintingsandframesfeaturedpleasevisit
http://www.nationaltrustcollections.org.uk/
Illustrations:NationalTrustImages/JohnHammondpp.5,6,7,8,10,11,12,14,15,
16,17,18,19,20,21,24,28,29, 30,32,34,36,37,38;NationalTrust/BillBattenp.26;
NationalTrust/ChristopherWarleigh-Lackpp.22,25,27,31,35,37.
©2014NationalTrust
Registeredcharityno.205846
TextbyJacobSimon( [email protected])
EditedbySarahOkpokam
DesignedbyLEVELPartnership
FrontCover:UnknownArtist,An Unknown Lady in Red,1630s(seepage19)
Discoverthewealthofourcollections–greatartandtreasurestoseeandenjoy
throughoutEngland,WalesandNorthernIreland–seeourwebsite:
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/places/houses-and-buildings/collections/