New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-06
HIDDEN PICTURES IN HAhPTON COURT
INTERESTING FIND IN THE FAMOUS QUEEN
ANNE'S DRAWING ROOM.
From The London News.

From The London News.
An interesting discovery has rewarded the
researches of Lord Esher and other oflclals al
Hampton Court Palace.
There had always Iurked a suspicion that the
walls of the famous Queen Annes drawing
room which is in the centre of the east wing
of Wren's famous building which room forms
the apex on which the three great avenues oil
trees known to the whole world converge; con.
tanned more than the second rate portraits OF
the Georges Never however, was 1t supposed
that an important work by that once FAMOUS
decorative artist Nerrio had been cohceal'h
from the public eyes since l'}I, owing To
stupendous act of vandalism. which II IS pre-
sumed, was carried out by queen 'droHhe III
lI:J probably to prevent the apOtheosIS oi
Queen Anne from meeting her eyes in her draw
ing room when she became Queen Ana again
in lS:, the beautiful paintings now discovered
were covered up. The date is known by the ex-
traordinary act of the paperhanSer OF mat 'iiile
who. in covering up NerrlU work. scTatcheu
on his name and the date OF the paperhanglng.
In taking down some Of the portraits OF the
Georges. which were intended for kensngton
Palace il was noticed by an Official that the
top right hand corner close to the ceiling seemed
abruptly cut off from the general scheme OF Iht
beautiful ceiling. which every one mas seen anu
admired and which represents Queen Anne, IN
the chariot of Justice. dressed in purple. Ihed
with ermine. over her head rs crown. held
by Neptune and Britannia. while surrounding
and floating in the clouds are various alleSorlca
figures reprcs nting Peace and Plenty. etc.
The discovery now made shows that the whole
Of the walls were originally painted by Eerrio
in the same manner. tn" subject being queen
Anne's apotheosis as Queen ~ the sea IN the
four great quarters Of the globe.
The importance OF the lind" was not really
known until IIain,s Sons the queen
uicturr r-storers began 10 clean away the cent
ury and 4 halfs dirt and dust which had ac-
,.umulated under the wall paper, when II was
seen that the very dirt that obScured the pct
urcs had really pr, served their beautiful colors
and designs. and it is only now, when the vans
have been nearly restored. that a true appre-
citation of the discovery can be made
ON carefully stripping the red colored paper Off
the walls 1t was found that the yandals who
first obscured the pictures had done immense
damage by cutting away much of Nerrio's
mural painting to insert the battens on which
they stretched the tough canvas 10 hold green
silk damask covering. BY carefully nursing
every bit Of the design, the reStOrers have been
able to reproduce those fragments of the picture
which were torn away by the workmans plaster
hammer.
The green damask silk covering was Queen
Carone'S George lis wife) design for the COW
criug of Queen Anue's pictures. and over this
she brought from kenSngton Palace. Many
shreds of this SILK covering were found attached
to the battens. In 1888 this silk became tat
tered and faded. and was taken down 10 give
place - ordinary heavy wall paper stretched
on rude canvas. The workmen at the latter date.
owing to the dirt may not have noticed the
spcndors OF the work on the walls; however.
no notice was taken of ii at the time.
In queen Carolines time it evidently was
forgotten that rich paintings were under the
silk covering for whenever it was necessary To
hang new picture or rehang another. or put
up a piece of tapestry. nails To hold these were
ruthlessy driven into the paintings at the back.
and the restorers have found thousands of holes
all over the works. Luckily. however. the holes
have mostly escaped the faces and figures of the
paintings.
Every one who has visited Hampton Court
Palace knows the Kings great staircase and its
heroic paintings by Nerrio representing the
Triumph of BacchUs. 1t may be safely said
that the new Nerrios i'm Queen Anne's drawing
room are infinitely better i'm color and design
than those on the staircase by the same artist.
The room is now closed 10 the public, but will
be open 10 all as soon as the restoration is COM
plcte.