The Holland House of the time of James I. was commenced in the year 1607, as "Cope Castle," by Sir Walter Cope, who then owned the extensive "Manor" of Kensington. Cope's daughter married Sir Henry Rich, who became Earl of Holland in 1624, and was executed by the Parliamentarians in 1649. He it was who added to the house the wings and arcades. Princess Liechtenstein tells us the story of "the solitary ghost of its first lord, who, according to tradition, issues forth at midnight from behind a secret door, and walks slowly through the scenes of his former triumph with his head in his hand."
There is some good old woodwork of the early part of the seventeenth century, and the panelling and chimney piece of the famous "white parlour" are of the times of James I., the work, still in good preservation, being in the best Jacobean taste. The panels are formed by bold uncarved mouldings, separated at intervals by flat pilasters with fluted shafts and carved capitals; the panels in the frieze, between the trusses, which support a "dentilled" cornice, are enriched with fretwork ornaments in relief, and the whole has a simple but decorative architectural effect of the best English rendering of the Renaissance. The "gilt room," where the ghost is said to commence its nocturnal promenade, was decorated by Francesco Cleyn, an Italian, who also worked for the King.[9] The room was prepared for a ball which was purposed to be given in honor of the marriage of Prince Charles to Henrietta Maria. There are now on the chief staircase of Holland House, two chairs with their backs carved as shells, and with legs shaped and ornamented with scrollwork, and masks with swags of foliage, which are also attributed to Cleyn. Horace Walpole, in a reference to Holland House, has mentioned these chairs in "Anecdotes of Painters." "Two chairs, carved and gilt, with large shells for backs ... were undoubtedly from his designs, and are evidences of his taste." Walpole also mentions a garden seat of similar design by Cleyn. A drawing of one of these chairs forms the tail piece of this chapter.
There is another Jacobean house of considerable interest, the property of Mr. T. G. Jackson, A.R.A. An account of it has been written by him, and was read to some members of the Surrey Archæological Society, who visited Eagle House, Wimbledon, in 1890. It appears to have been the country seat of a London merchant, who lived early in the seventeenth century. Mr. Jackson bears witness to the excellence of the workmanship, and expresses his opinion that the carved and decorated enrichments were executed by native and not by foreign craftsmen. He gives an illustration in his pamphlet of the sunk "Strap Work," which, though Jacobean in its date, is also found in the carved ornament of Elizabeth's time.
It is very probable that had the reign of Charles I. been less troublous, this would have been a time of much progress in the domestic arts in England. The Queen was of the Medici family, Italian literature was in vogue, and Italian artists therefore would probably have been encouraged to come over and instruct our workmen. The King himself was an excellent mechanic, and boasted that he could earn his living at almost any trade save the making of hangings. His father had established the tapestry works at Mortlake; he himself had bought the Raffaelle Cartoons to encourage the work—and much was to be hoped from a monarch who had the taste and judgment to induce a Vandyke to settle in England. The Civil war, whatever it has achieved for our liberty as subjects, certainly hindered by many years our progress as an artistic people.
COUCH, ARM CHAIR, AND SINGLE CHAIR.
Carved and Gilt.
Upholstered in Rich Silk Velvet. Part of Suite at Penshurst Place.
Also an Italian Cabinet.
PERIOD: CHARLES II.