A malachite clock presented by Czar Nicholas I |
On my tour of Chatsworth House, having had a good look at the reredos in the Chapel, I retraced my steps along Chapel Passage back to the Painted Hall and then walked up to the Great Stairs, which were built by William Talman from 1689 to 1690.
A view up the Great Stairs |
Pausing to take a single photograph of the view down into the Painted Hall, I then looked up to the top of the stairwell, where more fine stonework by Samuel Watson – carved in Ashover Grit - surrounds niches that are filled by Italian white marble statues by Caius Gabriel Cibber.
A black and white marble basin |
Stopping half way up the stairs, there is a basin made in black and white marble that has similar characteristics to the bianco e nero di Portoferraio and the giallo e nero di Carrara, which form part of the Faustino Corso Collection.
An alabaster doorcase and carved niches with statuary |
At the top of the stairs, I just took a couple of photographs of an ornate doorcase, which was also made by Cibber using alabaster from the family estate at Tutbury, and a window sill made of Derbyshire fossil marble with crinoids.
A Derbyshire fossil marble window sill |
The State Rooms are full of masterpieces, but not noting any interesting decorative stone used in the structure, I quickly walked through them to the South Sketch Gallery, where a pair of large glass cabinets contain the mineral collection of the Duchess Georgiana.
A part of Duchess Georgiana's mineral collection |
A special exhibition was being held at the time of my visit but, with general visitors not being allowed to take any photographs allowed; however, having explained to the guide that I had been invited to specifically photograph objects that I would use for my talk at St. Peter’s church in Edensor, I managed to take a furtive general view.
The Oak Stairs |
Continuing along the West Sketch Gallery and carrying on to the Oak Stairs, the large malachite clock that was presented to the 6th Duke by Czar Nicholas I - a good friend and fellow minerals enthusiast, forms the centrepiece of the landing.
A malachite table presented by Czar Nicholas I |
This distinctive green mineral has been applied as a veneer with long strips laid in a book matched pattern, which is normally seen on expanses of marble walling. This , and this technique is also used in a table at the top of the stairs, which was also given by Czar Nicholas I and the urn on the stairs.
A square urn on the Oak Stairs |
Behind the balustrade, on each side of the stairwell, there is also a row of three white marble busts, which have pedestals that may be made of ‘oriental alabaster’- a banded calcite deposited in hot springs that probably comes from Italy.
White marble busts on pedestals of 'oriental alabaster' |
Another table at the top of the stairs is made of what I think of as typical serpentinite used as a decorative stone - perhaps verde di Polcevera from Genoa. It has large dark green clasts in a lighter green serpentine and calcite matrix, with the whole rock traversed by calcite veins.
A serpentinite table |
Nice tour, thank you. So much malachite! Reminds me of the palace in St. Petersburg -- not that I've been there, but I've seen a film of its malachite room, so perhaps not surprising that the ones here are from a Russian czar. Also especially like the serpentine table and the crinoid bench.
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