A VICTORIAN BLACK AND GILT-DECORATED PAPIER-MACHE OCCASIONAL TABLE

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VICTORIA, ALBERT AND THE CULT OF THE HIGHLANDS Initially stirred by the romances of Sir Walter Scott, Laird of Abbotsford, who had helped heal the wounds of Culloden by masterminding King George IV's emotional visit to Scotland in 1822...the 'discovery' of the Highlands was furthered by the British aristocracy's love of sport and the coming of the railways (Charlotte Gere). This romantic sporting portrait of Prince Albert depicts him on the Balmoral Estate, Scotland, which had been purchased in 1848 by Queen Victoria. Through her acquisition of the estate on Royal Deeside, Queen Victoria immediately became an enthusiastic and ardent, if unexpected patron of both Scotch Baronial architecture and its support trades of taxidermists, granite polishers and tartan weavers. The Prince is portrayed in Highland dress as featured in his portrait by the Bavarian artist Carl Haag (d.1915), which was executed in 1853, the year that the foundation stone was laid for Balmoral Castle. The Castle itself was designed by the Aberdeen architect William Smith and furnished in part with the Royal Stuart tartan. Here the Prince is portrayed in Highland dress in the Balmoral tartan, as worn by his son Bertie at the opening of the Great Exhibition in London in 1851. Amongst the contributors to this International Exhibition were the London and Birmingham papier-mâché manufacturers Messrs. Aaron Jennens & John Bettridge. Their contribution to 'this imporant branch of the industrial arts' , particularly their sumptuous 'Victoria Regia' cot and gorgeous floriated 'Lotus-Table', designed by the sculptor J. Bell, received particular notice in the Art-Journal's Illustrated Exhibition Catalogue.

A VICTORIAN BLACK AND GILT-DECORATED PAPIER-MACHE OCCASIONAL TABLE

MID-19TH CENTURY, IN THE MANNER OF JENNENS AND BETTRIDGE

Details

A VICTORIAN BLACK AND GILT-DECORATED PAPIER-MACHE OCCASIONAL TABLE
MID-19TH CENTURY, IN THE MANNER OF JENNENS AND BETTRIDGE
The lobed tilt-top painted and inscribed 'His Royal Highness Prince Albert, Deer Stalking in the Highlands', on cast-iron feet
20 in. (71 cm.) high; 22 in. (56 cm.) wide; 26 in. (66 cm.) deep

Provenance

Acquired from Colefax & Fowler, London, 23 June 1988.

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis

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