- Museum number
- 1971,0724.3
- Description
-
Design for the decoration of the staircase at Petworth; Elizabeth, Duchess of Somerset riding in a triumphal chariot, lightly indicated, attended by her children, with richly decorated columns and emblems
Pen and brown ink with grey wash over black chalk, squared in graphite
- Production date
- 1663-1721
- Dimensions
-
Height: 242 millimetres
-
Width: 379 millimetres
- Curator's comments
- Stainton & White 1987
Laguerre was commissioned by Charles Seymour, 6th Duke of Somerset, to decorate the new Grand Staircase at Petworth, the old one having been destroyed by fire in 1714. The lower part is painted with scenes from the story of Prometheus - perhaps an allusion to the fire - the landing with the Muses, and the ceiling with a scene showing the Assembly of the Gods. This is a study for the painting that occupies the south wall: Elizabeth, Duchess of Somerset (1667-1722), the Percy heiress whose patrimony had included Petworth, rides in a triumphal chariot attended by her children and, in the painting, by her spaniel. Vertue considered the staircase at Petworth to be one of Laguerre's finest achievements, "a noble great work" (II, p. 81).
In this drawing, Laguerre was principally concerned with the setting for the painting. The figures in the Triumph are only sketchily indicated, and he has drawn a detail of the staircase over the horses. The richly decorated columns, particularly the one on the right, are drawn in more detail. As executed, the trompe I'oeil and grisaille details are different.
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
-
1972, BM, Modern/Recent Acquisitions
1974 May-Jul, Marble Hill House, Twickenham, 'English Baroque Sketches, no.11
1987 June-Aug, BM Hilliard to Hogarth no.179
1987 Sept-Nov, New Haven, Hilliard to Hogarth
- Acquisition date
- 1971
- Acquisition notes
- Sale, Puttick and Simpson, 7 May 1936, lot 135, as by Thornhill; Sir R. Witt; sold by order of the Rev. F. N. Vavasour on behalf of a charitable trust (sale, Christie's, 15 June 1971, lot 78)
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1971,0724.3
