“Houghton Hall: Portrait of an English Country House” Concludes U.S. Tour at Frist Center

NASHVILLE, TN (December 16, 2014)—The Frist Center for the Visual Arts presents Houghton Hall: Portrait of an English Country House, a remarkable assemblage of paintings, furniture, porcelain, silver, costumes and other decorative arts from the 18th-century Norfolk estate of England’s first prime minister, Sir Robert Walpole. Concluding its landmark tour of the U.S., the exhibition will be on view in the Center’s Ingram Gallery from February 13 through May 10, 2015.

Organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, in collaboration with Houghton Hall, the exhibition features more than 150 objects that tell a captivating story of three centuries of British art, history and politics. Many of the objects will be presented in vignettes with large-scale photographic murals designed to re-create the key architectural spaces of the house, such as the impressive Stone Hall, with its white marble ornamentation; the gilded Saloon, covered in crimson velvet; the Marble Parlour dining room, dedicated to the Roman god Bacchus; and the mahogany-paneled Library.

The house’s extravagant design and furnishings—chiefly of the Palladian style—were meant to reflect the social and cultural aspirations of its owner, Sir Robert Walpole (1676–1745), and were a testament to his sophistication and wealth as well as to his new position in government. In reference to the dual nature of the country house, a contemporary of Walpole’s described the ground floor as “dedicated to fox-hunters, hospitality, noise, dirt and business,” and the state floor as a tribute to “taste, expense, state and parade.”

Assembled by eight generations of Walpole’s descendants, including the seventh and current Marquess of Cholmondeley (pronounced “Chumley”), the objects on view offer a rare glimpse into the private interior of one of Britain’s grandest country houses. “Houghton Hall is indeed remarkable because it was one of the first homes in Britain in which the architecture, furnishings, art, and gardens were fully integrated,” says Frist Center Curator Katie Delmez. “Through this exhibition, largely organized by room, visitors in Nashville will be able to experience Houghton’s interiors as if they were walking through the actual home in Norfolk and see sumptuous décor similar to what we enjoy watching on Downton Abbey.”

Highlights of the exhibition include family portraits by William Hogarth, Sir Joshua Reynolds and John Singer Sargent; Sèvres porcelain and Garrard silver; and furniture designed by one of the stars of the exhibition, William Kent. “Kent is credited with transforming the look of a nation,” Ms. Delmez says. “Although a majority of his work was influenced by the Italian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio, he brought a fresh style to Georgian England that did not look Continental European.” Houghton was one of the first homes in which Kent took a holistic design approach, considering everything from the chimney surrounds to the ceilings to the furniture to the way the paintings were hung. “He is celebrated for creating a fully unified design scheme in his buildings in the same way that Frank Lloyd Wright would work two hundred years later in America.”

Although Houghton Hall is renowned for its design cohesiveness, the collections have evolved over time with the addition of new objects. “Each generation of residents brought into the house various items of interest to them, and Houghton in the 21st century reflects this family history and tradition of collecting,” Ms. Delmez says. “Many family members collected Sèvres porcelain, for example, so there are numerous examples spanning a wide time period on view.” Seen together, the items in the exhibition demonstrate the rarified taste and access to great makers that such aristocrats had.

The Marquess and Marchioness of Cholmondeley in Nashville

To celebrate the opening of the exhibition at the Frist Center, the Marquess and Marchioness of Cholmondeley will attend several events. On Friday, February 13, Lord David will participate in a Collector’s Perspective program with personal friend Gary Tinterow, director of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. As current Houghton Hall residents, Lord David and Lady Rose continue to care for and add to the estate. Lord David has brought Houghton’s collection into the present by adding works by contemporary artists such as James Turrell and Richard Long.

Paintings and Sculpture

The exhibition includes paintings made by artists such as Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones, Thomas Gainsborough, Théodore Géricault, Frans Hals and Anthony van Dyck, among many other notable figures. There are also portraits of family members by Pompeo Batoni, William Hogarth, Paul Manship, Sir Joshua Reynolds and John Singer Sargent. Roman antiquities from the second century include marble busts of Zeus and Hadrian.

Furniture

Decorated by influential architect, landscape architect and designer William Kent, the interior rooms in Houghton Hall were settings for elaborate furniture integrated seamlessly with the space. Highlights include gilt-wood armchairs and stools with original upholstery and beautifully carved mahogany benches designed by Kent; Sir Robert Walpole’s walnut daybed and side chairs; a pair of japanned (lacquered) tables and chairs; and a carved gilt-wood throne made in 1847 for Queen Victoria’s eldest son, the future King Edward VII, which is still used today by His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales.

Decorative Arts

The French Sèvres Porcelain Manufactory is well represented in the exhibition by a magnificent matching set of bleu nouveau vases, four rare snail-shaped potpourri vessels, and a pair of bulb vases, as well as a wine cooler and sets of plates, cups, and saucers. Other notable objects include a silver-gilt punch bowl commissioned by King George I, a remarkable set of seventeenth-century woven tapestries depicting various seasonal activities, and three rolls of a brilliant blue chinoiserie wallpaper.

Historical Background of Houghton Hall

Sir Robert Walpole’s Houghton Hall was designed by the architects Colen Campbell and James Gibbs, and construction began in 1722. Located in Norfolk, one hundred miles northeast of London, the 106-room residence is recognized as one of the finest examples of Palladianism—a style evoking the idealized classical world—and once housed one of the most extensive art collections in Britain. After Sir Robert Walpole’s death in 1745, the grand collection of Old Master paintings was sold by his grandson to Catherine the Great of Russia in 1779, which caused public outrage. The house and its furnishings, however, remained intact. Shortly thereafter, the estate was inherited by the Cholmondeley family through the grandson of Sir Robert’s daughter Mary, but it was rarely occupied during the nineteenth century.

The estate came alive again in the early twentieth century when the 5th Marquess and his wife (born Sybil Sassoon) made the house their permanent home in 1919 and carefully restored it to its former splendor. Lady Sybil’s patronage and close relationship with many artists, including John Singer Sargent, brought new works into Houghton as did the inheritance of treasured objects from her brother, the notable collector Sir Philip Sassoon.

Interactive Virtual Tour Kiosks and Audio Guide

The Frist Center’s presentation of Houghton Hall: Portrait of an English Country House will include interactive kiosks featuring an iPad application that will give visitors the opportunity to virtually tour the magnificent estate. The app was made by CyArk, a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating digital archives of historic sites, using cutting-edge laser scans Houghton Hall. Seeing objects in the exhibition in their original context sheds light on how these paintings and other treasures fit into designer William Kent’s elaborate interiors. Other interpretive elements include an audio guide that was written and produced by the Frist Center for Houghton Hall: Portrait of an English Country House. The tour will introduce key individuals in the history of Houghton Hall and highlight paintings and decorative arts objects in the exhibition. Ocean Way Recording Studios and Belmont University donated studio time and recording expertise to the production of this audio tour.

Publication

The exhibition is accompanied by a 158-page illustrated book published by Skira Rizzoli.

Support

This exhibition was organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, in collaboration with Houghton Hall. An indemnity has been granted by the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities.

Platinum Sponsor: The HCA Foundation on behalf of HCA and TriStar Health

Hospitality Sponsor: Union Station

The Frist Center for the Visual Arts is supported in part by the Metro Nashville Arts Commission, the Tennessee Arts Commission, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Public Programs

Friday, February 13
Collector’s Perspective: Houghton Hall: Portrait of an English Country House A Conversation with the Marquess of Cholmondeley and Gary Tinterow, director of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
6:30 p.m.
Frist Center Auditorium
Gallery admission required; members free
Seating is first come, first seated

Houghton Hall is one of the finest English country houses in existence. It has remained in the hands of the direct descendents of Sir Robert Walpole, England’s first prime minister, for over three hundred years. Join Houghton’s current owner, the 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley, and Gary Tinterow, director of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and longtime friend of the Cholmondeleys, for a conversation about what it means to be the steward of this architectural gem and its collections. Houghton Hall: Portrait of an English Country House is on view in the Ingram Gallery from February 13 through May 10, 2015.

Friday, February 20
Art After Dark: Houghton Hall: Portrait of an English Country House Presented by Megan Robertson, associate curator of interpretation
6:30–7:15 p.m.
Meet at the exhibition entrance
Gallery admission required; members free
Reservations recommended, but not required; call 615.744.3355 for reservations.

Enrich your Friday nights. Join in an open-ended discussion in the galleries to heighten your appreciation and understanding of the visual arts by exploring one work of art in depth with an educator in the galleries. The chosen work of art changes every session, making each visit a new experience. Space is limited to 15 participants to encourage visitor participation. Visit fristcenter.org for additional dates. Houghton Hall: Portrait of an English Country House is on view in the Ingram Gallery from February 13 through May 10, 2015.

Thursday, March 5
Curator’s Tour: Houghton Hall: Portrait of an English Country House Presented by Katie Delmez, Frist Center curator
12:00 p.m.
Meet at the exhibition entrance
Gallery admission required; members free

Join Curator Katie Delmez for a tour of the exhibition Houghton Hall: Portrait of an English Country House, on view in the Ingram Gallery from February 13 through May 10, 2015. The tour will include a look at paintings and decorative arts objects that reflect three centuries of one aristocratic family’s collecting habits and tastes.

Thursday, April 16
Curator’s Perspective: “Houghton Hall: Portrait of an Exhibition” Presented by Christine Gervais, associate curator of decorative arts and Rienzi, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
6:30 p.m.
Frist Center Auditorium
Gallery admission required; members free
Seating is first come, first seated

Houghton Hall is one of the finest Palladian houses in Great Britain. Built by the renowned eighteenth-century designer William Kent for Sir Robert Walpole, Britain’s first prime minister, this 106-room house is filled with paintings, tapestries, furniture, porcelain, silver, and other treasures amassed by Sir Robert’s descendants over the past three centuries. Christine Gervais serves as associate curator of decorative arts at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and Rienzi, its associated house museum for European decorative arts and paintings. Working with Lord David Cholmondeley, the home’s current owner, Gervais devoted two years to distilling the essence of Houghton Hall’s grandeur into a museum exhibition. Gervais discusses the challenges of conveying the magnificence of Houghton Hall’s palatial architecture in a gallery environment, why certain objects were chosen for the exhibition and others not, and the many behind-the-scenes curatorial decisions that were made to bring Houghton Hall to America.

Friday, April 24
Food and Film: House Party Whodunit? Featuring Gosford Park
Dinner begins at 6:00 p.m., with film to follow at 7:00 p.m.
Frist Center Auditorium
Admission cost and ticketing information available at fristcenter.org on February 1
Seating is first come, first seated
Advance registration required. Registration for this program begins February 1; call 615.744.3355 before Friday, April 17, to secure your reservation.

In honor of the exhibition Houghton Hall: Portrait of an English Country House, the Frist Center invites you to join in a special evening of food, film, and murder most foul. Enjoy a catered, film-inspired meal, followed by a screening of the award-winning film Gosford Park. Set in an English manor house, this murder mystery offers a witty and absorbing look at the foibles of the British class system. Period costume is encouraged. Written by Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes and directed by Robert Altman, Gosford Park features an ensemble cast of stars, including Michael Gambon, Kelly Macdonald, and Dame Maggie Smith. Rated R. 137 min. 2001.

Online registration and menu options available at fristcenter.org beginning February 1. Participants over 21 years old with valid ID may purchase beer and wine at this event.

Saturday, April 25
Studio Workshop: “Creative Crowns: Head Dressing and Hat Making”
10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Frist Center Studio A
$60 members; $75 non-members. Lunch, gallery admission, and materials included.
Advance registration required. Call 615.744.3355 before Friday, April 17, to secure your reservation.

Join Nashville artist Mark Sloniker as he leads a one-day millinery course devoted to the tastes of eighteenth-century aristocrats and the unconventional hats and fascinators favored by their contemporary counterparts. Workshop participants will create their own headwear, drawing on the exhibition Houghton Hall: Portrait of an English Country House for inspiration. Participants age 18 and over and of all levels of artistry are welcome. Visit fristcenter.org for more information about this workshop.

CONTACT:
Buddy Kite: 615.744.3351, ”
Ellen Jones Pryor: 615.243.1311, ”

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About the Frist Center
Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, the Frist Center for the Visual Arts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit art exhibition center dedicated to presenting and originating high-quality exhibitions with related educational programs and community outreach activities. Located at 919 Broadway in downtown Nashville, Tenn., the Frist Center offers the finest visual art from local, regional, national, and international sources in a program of changing exhibitions that inspire people through art to look at their world in new ways. The Frist Center’s Martin ArtQuest Gallery features interactive stations relating to Frist Center exhibitions. Information on accessibility may be found at fristcenter.org/accessibility. Gallery admission is free for visitors 18 and younger and to members; $10 for adults; and $7 for seniors, military, and college students with ID. College students are admitted free Thursday and Friday evenings (with the exception of Frist Fridays), 5:00–9:00 p.m. Discounts are offered for groups of 10 or more with advance reservation by calling 615.744.3247. The galleries, Café, and Gift Shop are open seven days a week: Mondays through Wednesdays, and Saturdays, 10:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.; Thursdays and Fridays, 10:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m.; and Sundays, 1:00–5:30 p.m., with the Café opening at noon. Additional information is available by calling 615.244.3340 or by visiting fristcenter.org.

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