The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-09-01
QUEEN ANNE'S ROOM.
Famous Old 0usl-coersd PICTURES Discovered Ia
Hampton Court After Long Hiding.

An interesting discovery has re
warded the researches OF Lord Eshei
and other officials at Hampton Court
| Palace.
There had always lurked a suspicion
| that the walls of the famous Queen
Anne's drawing room, which is in the
center OF the east wing Of Wren's fa-
nous building, which room forms the
apex on which the three great avenues
of trees known 10 the whole world con-
verge, contained more than the second
rate portraits of the Georges. Never.
however was ii supposed that an i'm
portant work by that once famous dec
orative artistNerrio had been concealed
from the public eyes since 1895, owing
10 stupendous act OF vandalism.
which. IL is presumed, was carried out
by Queen Caroline in 1875, probably 30
prevent the apOthecsis of Queen Anne
from meeting her eyes in her drawing
room when she became Queen, says the
London News. And again in 1888 the
beautiful paintings now discovered
were covered up. The date is known ~
the extraordinary act OF the paper
hanger OF that time. who, i'm covering
up Nerrio's work. scratched on his
name and the date OF the paperhanging.
In taking down some Of the por-
traits Of the Georges. which were in
tended for Kensington 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 the beautiful ceiling which
every one has seen and admired, and
which represented Queen Anne. in the
chariot or Justice, dressed In purple.
lined with ermdne over her head is n
crown, held by Neptune and Britannia.
while surrounding and hoating In the
clouds are various. allegorical figures
representing Peace and Plenty. etc.
The discovery now made shows that
the whole OF the walls were originally
painted by Nerrio in the same manner.
the subject being Qaeen Annes apOeh-
costs as Queen OF the Sen i'm the four
great quarters OF the globe.
The Importance OF the find" was not
really known until Haines d Sons. the
Queens picture rcstorers. began to
clean away the century and half's
dirt and dust which had accumulated
under the wall paper when IL was seen
that the very dirt that obscured the
pictures had really preserved their
beautiful colors and designs. and t rs
now, only when the walls have been
nearly restored, that IA true apprecia-
tion Of the discovery can be made.
ON carefully stripping the red colored
paper Oft the walls 10 was found that
the vandals who first obscurcd the pic
turcs had done Immense damage by
cutting away much Of Nerro's mural
painting 20 insert the battens on which
they stretched the tough canvas 90
lOli green silk damdsk covering. by
'arefully nursing every ~ Of the de-
'ign. the restOrers have been able ia
'eproduce those fragments OF the pie
ure which were torn away by the
plaster hammer
The green damask silk covering was
queen Caroline's Gcorgc IFS wife).
lesign FOR tho covcring of Oueon Nnr~'s
pictures and over this SHE hung the
pictures of her own people, which she
brought from kensington Palace Many
'hreds of this silk covering were found
attached Co the hattens. In iSSS This
SIX became tattered and faded ard
vas taken down 60 give place 60 ordi-
nary heavy wall paper stretched on
rude canvas.