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1807.05.01

Thomas Hope

Household Furniture and Interior Decoration

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Statue Gallery. As this room is defined solely for the reception of ancient marbles, the walls are left perfectly plain, in order that the back-ground, against which are placed the statues, might offer no inferior ornaments, or breaks, capable of interfering, through their outline, with the contours of more important works of art. The ceiling admts the light through three lanterns, and is divided into cassons by means of rafters, which imitate a light timber covering.

Picture Gallery. In this room the center part of the ceiling is supported by small columns, which divide the lights, and which are imitated from tose that are seen at Athens, in the upper division of the octagon building, vulgarly called the temple of the Winds. Rhese columns rest on massy beams, similar to those in marble, which lie across the peristyle of the temple of Theseus, also at Athens. The larger columns which support the entablature offer the profiles of those of the Propylaea.

Along each side of this rooms extends a cornice, from which are suspended curtains, destined occasionally to protect from the sum the several compartments of pictures, hung against the walls; and these curtains are here represented as actually let down over the pictures.

At the farther end of this gallery stands an organ, the Ionic order of whole columns, entablature, and pediment, has been copied from the exquisitely beautiful specimen displayed in the temple of Erectheus, in the Acropolis of Athens. The car of the god of music, of Apollo, glides over the center of the pediment. The tripods, sacred to this deity, surmount the angles. Laurel wreaths and other emblems, belonging to the son of Latona, appear embroidered on the drapery, which, in the form of an ancient peplum or veil, descends over the pipes o fthe instrument, and gives it the appearance of a sanctuary.

Large tables, destined for portfolios of drawings and books of prints, occupy the middle of the gallery, and a few antique implements and remains are placed along its sides.

Room Containing Greek Fictile Vases. As these vases were all found in tombs, some, especially of the smaller sort, have been placed in recesses, imitating the ancient Columbaria, or receptacles of Cinerary urns. As they relate chiefly to the Bacchanalian rites, which were partly connected with the representations of mythic death and regeneration, others, of a larger size, have been situated in compartments, divided by terms, surmounted with heads of the Indian or bearded Bacchus.

Second Room Containing Greek Vases. The scenic mask, the Thyrsus, twined round with ivy wreaths, the panther's muzzle and claw, together with other insignia of Bacchus, decorate in several places the furniture of this room. A range of rounded reeds support the lower tier of shelves; ranges of square rafters sustain the two upper tiers.

Third Room Containing Greek Vases. A table supported by chimaeras in bronze, similar to some limbs of ideal animals, adapted to the same purpose, which have been found among the remains of Pompeia; a bronze lamp, bronze candelabra, and a few other utensils, of a quiet hue and of a sepulchral cast, analogous to the chief contents of the this room, form the principal ornaments which accompany the vases.

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