Joseph Nash (1809-78)
The State Drawing-Room, Stowe dated 1845
Pencil, watercolour and bodycolour | 31.7 x 44.5 cm (whole object) | RCIN 920174
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A watercolour depicting the opulent interior of the State Drawing-Room at Stowe, papered in red silk, with gold decoration on the ceiling and a large chandelier. A lady in black, perhaps meant to represent Queen Victoria, is seen seated to the left. Signed and dated "J Nash/1845".
Queen Victoria and Prince Albert stayed at Stowe, the seat of the Duke and Duchess of Buckingham, for three days in January 1845. Victoria noted in her journal that on arrival she thought it "an immense house, which is quite like a Palace". This watercolour is the only record of the appearance of this room at this period, as the contents of Stowe were sold in 1848 following the Duke's bankruptcy.
After their visit, Victoria and Albert commissioned two watercolours from Nash relating to their visit to Stowe; this one and RCIN 920173, which depicts the royal couple descending the front steps at Stowe with their host and hostess.
This watercolour (along with RCIN 920173) was originally mounted in View Album II. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert compiled nine View Albums during their marriage. These albums contained watercolours and drawings documenting their life together and were arranged in chronological order. The albums were dismantled in the early twentieth century and rebound in new volumes both in a different arrangement and with additional items, but a written record of their original contents and arrangement still exists.Provenance
Commissioned by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert for their View Albums
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Medium and techniques
Pencil, watercolour and bodycolour
Measurements
31.7 x 44.5 cm (whole object)
Other number(s)
RL 20174