The canopy is of crimson velvet, exquisitely covered with needlework in gold and colours, in groups of figures, trees, animals, and insects;—here, a goat, a stag, a fox, a rabbit, a pig, dogs both leashed and single, a horse, an eagle, and a swan; there, butterflies, flies, and innumerable other devices around; while inside the top a group of three figures within a border is in the centre, and the rest dotted with animals, flowers, &c., with a border of figures and foliage. The back of the canopy bears, above the chair, the arms of Cavendish (sable, three bucks’ heads caboshed, argent, attired or) impaling those of Bruce of Kinloss (or, a saltire and a chief, gules, on a canton, argent, a lion rampant, azure), with mantling, helmet, crest, &c. Supporters, dexter, a stag, proper, gorged with a wreath of roses, argent and azure, attired or, for Cavendish; sinister, a wild man, proper, wreathed round the head and loins with laurel, vert, for Bruce. Motto, Cavendo Tvtvs Fvimvs; the first part, “Cavendo Tvtvs,” being the Cavendish motto, and the latter part, “Fvimvs,” that of Bruce; the rest of the velvet is covered with flowers, animals, &c., and surrounded by a border of groups and flowers. The chair is of the same character, Christiana, Countess of Devonshire, to whose fair hands is owing this charming piece of embroidery, and to whose good taste the arrangement of these blended armorial insignia is due, was the daughter of Edward, Lord Bruce of Kinloss, and sister of the first Earl of Elgin, from whom the present ninth Earl is lineally descended. The armorial bearings upon this canopy are therefore peculiarly interesting as showing, not only the impaled arms themselves, but the blended supporters and motto, of Cavendish and Bruce. In this room are also preserved the coronation chairs and foot-stools of George III., and Queen Charlotte, and of William IV. and Queen Adelaide; and a wardrobe which is said, whether correctly or not, to have belonged to Louis XVI.
The State Music-room, like the others, contains some exquisite wood-carving. Over one doorway are flowers, fruit, wreaths, wings, &c., and a ribbon with the family motto “Cavendo Tvtvs;” over the other, flowers, fruit, and cornucopia; and over the chimney-piece are heads, festoons, flowers, fruit, corn, foliage, &c., all true to nature. Over the central door is a group of musical instruments, and in the centre of the frieze is a garter and monogram. The walls are hung with embossed leather, richly gilt and heightened with blue, and the frieze has the medallion heads, crest, and monogram of the late Duke, as in the apartment just described. The ceiling is splendidly painted with mythological subjects, and several interesting pictures, busts, and other objects, are arranged in the room. One of the features of this apartment remains to be noticed. It is a curious piece of deceptive painting on one of the double doors leading to the gallery—a fiddle painted so cleverly on the door itself as to have, in the subdued light of the half-closed door, all the appearance of the instrument itself hanging upon a peg. The tradition of Chatsworth is, that this matchless piece of painting was done by Verrio to deceive Gibbons, who, in his carvings, had deceived others by his close imitation of nature.
The State Drawing-room has its walls hung with tapestry from Raffaelle’s cartoons, and its carved ceiling is splendidly painted with mythological and allegorical subjects, in the same manner as the rest of this suite of rooms. The carving over one of the doors is a military trophy, consisting of swords, drum, battle-axes, shield, helmet, with dragon crest, foliage, &c.; and over the other, military music and foliage. Above the chimney-piece, around an oval in which is a portrait of the first Duke, are Cupids, trophies, shells, foliage, masks, helmets, arms, &c., and an owl; beneath these are two carved banners with the Cavendish arms, tied together with a snake (the family crest). Among the furniture and adornments of this room are some fine examples of china and earthenware, and a remarkably large malachite table.
The State Drawing-room.
The State Dining-room, which forms the south-east angle of the building, is a splendid apartment, the ceiling of which, by Verrio, is of the most masterly conception, and represents, among an assemblage of gods and goddesses, the Fates cutting the thread of life, &c., and on one side of the coving is a monogram of the letter D.
The State Dining-room.
The carvings in this noble apartment are of matchless character, and hang in a profusion that is almost bewildering. In the panels of the wainscoted walls are festoons of flowers, &c.; over one doorway is a group of leaves and corn, and over the other two are splendid groups of crabs, lobsters, fish, and shells, all “as true to nature as nature itself.” Over the fire-place, across the top, and hanging down the sides of an octagonal tablet, is the richest of all the rich carvings of this suite of rooms. It consists of dead game—heron, pheasants, &c., at the top; over and around these a net is loosely thrown, which, hanging down the sides, forms a groundwork of festoons, on which hang pheasants, woodcocks, grouse, partridges, snipes, and other birds, so true to life that it is only by careful examination that the spectator can discover that they, with the net and all the mouldings, are carved out of solid wood. In this room are several busts in marble by Chantrey, Nollekens, and others. Among these are the Emperor Nicholas of Russia, and his Empress; Fox; Canning; Francis, Duke of Bedford; Lord G. H. Cavendish, &c. There are also cabinets of rare old china. On the central table will be noticed, among rare and valuable articles, the rosary of King Henry VIII.; a fine set of carved ivory chessmen; ivory-carvings, rare glass and china; and silver filigree and other ornaments. And there is also the malachite clock presented to the late Duke by the Emperor Nicholas of Russia, and an exquisitely sculptured marble model of the Victoria Regia.