watercolour
Date
1874-1910
Level of description
Item
Extent and medium
204 mm x 257 mm
Creator
Scope and content
Watercolour drawing of a chair, with a portcullis surrounded by 'Honi Soit qui mal y pence' the motto of the order of the garter and at the top the Duke of Westminster's motto 'Virtus non stemma', stamped 'Painting Room'.
Red velvet embroidered chair design, watercolour on paper. The design is in an illustrative format often used to show work to potential clients or record special commissions in the early part of the twentieth century by the Royal School of Art Needlework (later Royal School of Needlework).
Possibly commissioned by Hugh Lupus Grosvenor, 1st Duke of Westminster who was admitted to the Order of the Garter and created Duke of Westminster in Gladstones resignation honours in 1874.
Grosvenor rebuilt his family seat Eaton Hall in Cheshire with work by Albert Waterhouse (Manchester Town Hall and Natural History Museum) finishing in 1881, the RSN had worked (to HRH Princess Louise's designs) on the curtains for Manchester Town hall, designed by Waterhouse in the 1870s. We know that the Royal School of Art Needlework also worked a number of panels for the redecoration of Eton Hall which were designed by Gertrude Jekyll between 1875 and 1880, one panel is now in the National Museum of Northern Ireland (https://collections.nationalmuseumsni.org/object-belum-t2024-3-11). These chairs may have been related to that commission or have been part of a later one.
As well as the motto of the Duke of Westminster ‘Virtus non Stemma’, the design shows a twining plant, possibly a rose with buds and a ‘W’ monograph. The design is likely to have been worked on red velvet with silk embroidery similar to the throne chairs also embroidered by the RSN for the coronation of George VI (see Royal Collection Trust RCIN 2604)
Red velvet embroidered chair design, watercolour on paper. The design is in an illustrative format often used to show work to potential clients or record special commissions in the early part of the twentieth century by the Royal School of Art Needlework (later Royal School of Needlework).
Possibly commissioned by Hugh Lupus Grosvenor, 1st Duke of Westminster who was admitted to the Order of the Garter and created Duke of Westminster in Gladstones resignation honours in 1874.
Grosvenor rebuilt his family seat Eaton Hall in Cheshire with work by Albert Waterhouse (Manchester Town Hall and Natural History Museum) finishing in 1881, the RSN had worked (to HRH Princess Louise's designs) on the curtains for Manchester Town hall, designed by Waterhouse in the 1870s. We know that the Royal School of Art Needlework also worked a number of panels for the redecoration of Eton Hall which were designed by Gertrude Jekyll between 1875 and 1880, one panel is now in the National Museum of Northern Ireland (https://collections.nationalmuseumsni.org/object-belum-t2024-3-11). These chairs may have been related to that commission or have been part of a later one.
As well as the motto of the Duke of Westminster ‘Virtus non Stemma’, the design shows a twining plant, possibly a rose with buds and a ‘W’ monograph. The design is likely to have been worked on red velvet with silk embroidery similar to the throne chairs also embroidered by the RSN for the coronation of George VI (see Royal Collection Trust RCIN 2604)
Transcription
Painting Room
Reference code
D4/29
© Royal School of Needlework