I am ashamed to say I have never been to Apsley House, home of the Duke of Wellington, so that was my goal this day – Ron had never been either, so we met there [right at the Hyde Park Gate, address is One London as you exit from Hyde Park] – and if you had a doubt as to whose home this was [and is], the number of portraits, sculptures, and paraphernalia of the Duke would certainly give you a hint… not to mention the statue of said Duke in the park across the street…
And the Wellington Arch: it is crowned by the largest bronze sculpture in Europe: the Angel of Peace descending on the Chariot of War. You can read about its history [and controversy] here.
One of the many portraits of the Duke
Your basic dining room…
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I loved it here – and art collection beyond compare – I could have spent many more hours. But for a man who by all accounts liked the simple life of being on a campaign, the extent of elaborate decorative arts and sumptuous décor seems to belie that – the color RED everywhere, and YELLOW…
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One of two great surprises at Apsley is the extensive Spanish art collection in the Waterloo Gallery, “one of the great palatial interiors of Britain” [the Apsley House Guidebook by English Heritage] – a gift of King Ferdinand of Spain in 1816, the 165 paintings were found in an abandoned baggage carriage of Napoleon’s brother Joseph Bonaparte, then King of Spain. I give one fine example: “The Gambler,” by “a follower of Caravaggio”:
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The other grand surprise was to find on entering the house a large nude statue of all people Napoleon! Napoleon as Mars the Peacemaker by Canova. It had been commissioned by Napoleon but had been covered up at the Louvre – after Waterloo Britain bought it for 66,000 francs and the Prince Regent [George IV] gifted it to Wellington. The entry stairwell was the only possible location and the floor had to be reinforced to support the great weight. Wellington admired Napoleon and there are several paintings of him in the art collection here. You can see the stairwell and the size in my more modest photo (!) here – this better picture of the whole statue is from the guidebook [it actually looks much larger than this image conveys – I did burst out laughing when I saw it was Napoleon…]
A friend of mine went several years ago to Apsley House for one of their occasional Regency balls – I can only imagine the swoosh of the dresses and music all around … you can see such a one in this youtube: https://www.facebook.com/ApsleyHouse/videos/2444115022311548
Alas! I had to content myself with an audio guide and a vivid imagination…
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Next up was Henry Austen! Ron and I were off to Sloane Square, where I served as a grateful listener for one of Ron’s walking tours of Austen sites. I had done this part of Henry Austen’s life before but Ron’s history of it all added much to my knowledge, not to mention another glorious weather day… all followed by lunch in a crowded outside eatery right in the middle of the weekend Sloane Square market – made one feel like a real Londoner!
Henry’s house in Hans Place…
What Henry’s house would have looked like then…
And the requisite Blue Plaque so we know it’s true…
adding this sketch from Constance Hill’s book JA: Her Homes and Her Friends (1902):
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Another great day with Ron…we bid adieu ’til a next visit [we have already lined up an itinerary…] – and I had a fine dinner later at my hotel [that is water not vodka!]:
Next up: the beginning of the JASNA Tour starting in Windsor!
Good Morning Readers: Two weeks worth today – had another post to do last week – so here is an array of items from Hogarth, the Ladies of Llangollen, Benedict Cumberbatch, Mr. Carson, book exhibits, birding, Carrie Chapman Catt, Astley’s Amphitheatre, the uses of the Bugle, and a few items about Jane Austen…
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We know Jane Austen knew her Hogarth, so we should know about him too:
The Tête à Tête, 1743, the second in the series called Marriage A-la Mode by William Hogarth.
Hogarth: Place and Progress(Oct 9, 2019 – Jan 5, 2020) will unite all of Hogarth’s surviving painted series for the first time, along with his engraved series. The Museum’s own Rake’s Progress and An Election will be joined by Marriage A-la-Mode from the National Gallery, the Four Times of Day from the National Trust and a private collection, as well as the three surviving paintings of The Happy Marriage from Tate and the Royal Cornwall Museum. The exhibition will also include engraved series lent by Andrew Edmunds prints such as The Four Stages of Cruelty, Industry and Idleness and Gin Lane and Beer Street.
[Creamer with an image of the Ladies of Llangollen] and Ladies of Llangollen figurine, pottery, 1800s]
“500 Years of Women’s Work: The Lisa Unger Baskin Collection” is on exhibit at the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library at Duke University through June 15, 2019. It then moves to the Grolier Club in NYC. The collection includes all manner of books, art works, decorative arts, ephemera, lots on slavery, women suffragettes – even offers a look at Virginia Woolf’s writing desk.
Read about the Letters Live shows, a celebrity-filled reading of literary correspondence that has taken the world by storm: http://letterslive.com/
Think Benedict Cumberbatch, who is now a producer of the show, reading your favorite author’s letters – the next will be in London’s Victoria and Albert Hall on October 3, 2019.
Beginning March 22 through June 14, 2019 at the Library at the University of Otago (Dunedin, NZ) – just hop on down! – Special Collections will be exhibiting “For the Love of Books: Collectors and Collections” – a very selective overview of all the types of materials within their Special Collections. It highlights the type of books amassed by collectors such as Willi Fels, Esmond de Beer, Charles Brasch, and the Rev. William Arderne Shoults, as well as those discrete collections such as the Scientific Expedition Reports, and the Pulp Fiction Collection. I’ll post more when the exhibition goes live this week… You can follow them on facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/otagospecialcollections/
To play “Wingspan,” up to five players step into the shoes of ornithologists, bird watchers and collectors. Balancing bird cards, food tokens and multi-colored miniature egg pieces, competitors build avian networks by acquiring and deploying resources related to a specific species card. Take the roseate spoonbill, for instance: As Roberts observes, the species carries a value of six points. Placed in its native wetland habitat (rather than grassland or forest), the spoonbill can lay two point-generating eggs. Settling down comes at a cost, however, with players forced to cover a food requirement of one invertebrate, one seed and one fish. A special power conferred by the card is the chance to keep one of two extra bonus cards drawn from the deck.
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As we are still in Women’s History Month, see this Library of Congress now digitized collection of the papers of Carrie Chapman Catt:
“The papers of suffragist, political strategist, and pacifist Carrie Love Chapman Catt (1859-1947) span the years 1848-1950, with the bulk of the material dating from 1890 to 1920. The collection consists of approximately 9,500 items (11,851 images), most of which were digitized from 18 microfilm reels. Included are diaries, correspondence, speeches and articles, subject files, and miscellaneous items, including photographs and printed matter. The collection reflects Catt’s steadfast dedication to two major ideals–the rights of women, particularly the right to vote, and world peace.”
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Astley’s Amphitheatre:
Philip Astley – NFCA
Austen mentions Astley’s in a letter to Cassandra in August 1796:
“Edward and Frank are both gone out to seek their fortunes; the latter is to return soon and help us seek ours. The former we shall never see again. We are to be at Astley’s to-night, which I am glad of.”
And in Emma: He [Robert Martin] delivered these papers to John, at his chambers, and was asked by him to join their party the same evening to Astley’s. They were going to take the two eldest boys to Astley’s… and in the next chapter: Harriet was most happy to give every particular of the evening at Astley’s, and the dinner the next day…
-Some of my favorites this time around: anti-suffragism (only added now???); bampot; puggle; Weegie; and a word Austen would have used: sprunting (sounds awful but it’s not…)
I thought Belgravia (the book was a good read – I expect the mini-series to be even better… what’s not to like in a “tale of secrets and scandal set in 1840s Lonon”?!)
No matter who plays Mr. Knightley (Johnny Flynn has the honors this time around – he played William Dobbin in the latest Vanity Fair, the long-suffering Amelia-does-not-love-me sad-sack) – it is a darn shame that Richard Armitage never did so – he would have been perfect, IMHO… but I love Bill Nighy as Mr. Woodhouse – he’ll be the perfect weather-obsessed, self-absorbed hypochondriac ….
Richard Armitage in “North & South”
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And more on Austen movies by Graham Daseler here at the Los Angeles Review of Books– a very spot-on take on all the adaptations and which is the best (Persuasion 1995 – I agree whole-heartedly) and worst (Mansfield Park 1983) – though I don’t agree with his nasty bit about Clueless – he gives high marks to Olivier as Darcy, etc… – you can read it yourself here: https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/jane-austen-on-film/
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Happy surfing all … let me know what you find this week!
New Haven, Connecticut is the scene for the Elegant Arts Society’s Regency Assembly, taking place on Saturday, October 17; further events on Sunday, October 18:
“Please join the Ladies and Gentlemen of The Elegant Arts Society for a weekend of the delightful dances of the era of Jane Austen, Napoleon, Lords Nelson and Byron, and Beau Brummel.” There will be country dances done in period style, quadrilles, waltzes (including the bouncy sauteuse waltz), and reels, including the lively nine-person Country Bumpkin. “Spare Parts” provides the music.
This is part of a weekend of events that includes a park stroll, and tea-and-games on Sunday. Venues are Trinity Lutheran Church and St. Thomas Episcopal Church, both in New Haven. Advance reservations are strongly recommended, as the Assembly has a limit of sixty attendees.
We include the flyer (in PDF): page 1 and page 2; and a registration form.
As well, for further information, dance-instructor Susan de Guardiola’s website (www.kickery.com) and an email address for the Elegant Arts Society (info at elegantarts dot org).
A dance workshop takes place on the Saturday from 2:00 to 4:30, with the Assembly Ball beginning at 7:30 p.m. Period costume is admired and encouraged, but not required (though they will assist you in proper attire should you desire!); otherwise, dress is formal for the ball, informal (no jeans or T-shirts) for the card party, and casual for the workshop.
Jane Austen in Vermont 