Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-01-30
A GRAND HOUSE oruSrouE INTEREST.


Tho Peacock Room Performance OF whist
Ter In the Leyiand Palace on Hyde Park
From the So. James Gazeste
Mr.. Frederick r. Leyland, the head O, the
weIl-known Liverpool Leyland line of steam
ors. whose sudden death we announced on
Tuesday, realized at his residence in the i'm
mediate neighborhood OF Princes Gate his
dream OF living the life OF an old Venetian
merchant in modern London On entering the
large entrance hall the first thing that strikes
the visitor 10 the staircase. with its fine baiu--
trade of gilt bronze which once adorned North
cumberland House. The color Of the hall aad
OF the staircase is green from tho foot 20 the
top of the house. The whole. is paneied in
shades Of willow. The dndo OF the
darker shades is enriched with PAN
els initiating aven;grine lacquer. decorated
with delicate sprigs OF pale rose ard white
flowers IN the japanese style. Those panels
were painted by J. Mcneil Whistler. On tie
walls OF the staircase arranged Burne Jones'
Gree, kossettis Loving Cup and Iegro's
Rehearsal. while on the walls o. the hall itself
are placed The Sea spell. .-Die Manibus"
and Ia Pa by RossoIu; Cupid Royering
Psyche. b! Burne Jones. A. r. A.. and a pOr-
trait by q. T. Watts L. A., Of Rossetti these
give the keynote 10 the late Mr. Ieyland's
tastes. The place OF honor ia his ho1sa Is di-
ylded between Dante, Rossotti and sandro
Botiicelli.
The dining room is famous in the art world
as the Peacock Room" This description IL
owes TO the decoration with which Mr. Whistler
has enriched the walls The general color
scheme of the room Is turquoise blue and gold,
and the only ornaments pieces of blue aud
white china. displayed on shelves Of carved aud
gilt wood. The room, az 10 Was originally con-
ceived, was hung with Spanish leather. and 10
was by mere luke that " his lcr came To dec
crate it, The story is as follows: Mr.. Ieyland,
having purchased picture by Whistler. repre-
sentinS damsel in a Japanese robe. hung 10
over fireplace. where it ETH remains. Mr..
whistler, having inspected the arrangement,
complained that the rcd flowers scattered over
the gold ground OF the spanish leather hurt
the harmony OF has picture, aud proposed 90
paint them out. Mr.. Leylaud gave a thos-
sand pounds for his spanish leather. but ne
nevertheless allowed the improssioulst leader
to have his way, whereupon Whistler went on
painting and painting until tie ~ anish leather
disappeared entirely and a new and absolutely
unique decorative scheme Of blue and gold IA
which the chlet motif peacocks and their
feathers, appeared in ats place. Malls wood
work ana ceiling are entirely covered with
these japanese compositions. Over the builst
at the end OF the room opposite the fire place
Is an oblong panel sixteen feet long, where Mr..
Whistler has depicted two peacocks in agsnes-
eiye attitudes, designed in gold on blue ground.
One peacock of unruffed elegance is supposed
by some subtle interlinear readers TO represent
the artist, and the other peacock. with dIsor-
dered plumage and irate mien. standing on a
pile Of shekels. is identified with the artists
patron. The background Is dotted with living
feathers and masses Of gold, and the whole
composition has reference. we are told, Co a
difference that arose between the artist and the
late Mr.. Ieyland with respect 10 the cost Of tie
work. This cryptic panel was the painters
vengeance, but Its hidden meaning is so dis
creetly concealed that 1t would remain lost IN
the spirited charm of the whole had not anec-
dotic memories treasured up the souvenir Of
the artists wrath and Of its ingenious mani
festatiou.
1t is a remarkable fact that besides estrnneing
Whistler and Mr.. Leyland the Peacock Room"
had a far more tragic consequence. Mr.. Jec-
XVII, who had designed and completely finished
the room when Mr.. Whistler appeared on the
scene, had already suffered several disappoint-
ments, owing TO accident having deprived him
of the credit of his work in Mr.. Leylands house.
When Mr.. Jeckyll saw the spanish leather dis
appear and the peacock harmony In blue and
gold become the talk of London he went home
and commenced TO paint the floor OF his bed
room gold, and in . few weeks hs died insane
in private lunatio asylum The pictures are
clOlce-