拍品专文
Dromore Castle was commissioned in 1865 by William Hale James Charles Perry, 3rd Earl of Limerick, and the building with its interior was the largest scheme that Godwin was to undertake. The castle was completed in the summer of 1869, after which Godwin set about creating the interior, which was to include all aspects of the final furnishings - not only furniture, but also fabrics, tiles, stained glass and sculpture. Despite his patron's taste for the mediaeval, (reflected in Godwin's design for the building itself), much of Godwin's interior scheme would seem to reflect his own passion for Japanese art. However, a closer examination of the scope of his designs shows a wider eclecticism, with references to the Mediaeval, Gothic, near Eastern, Chinese and Celtic.
The basic form of the present chair, the design for which was intended for the Library at Dromore, may initially be compared with Godwin's simple 'Mediaeval' councillor's chair designed by Godwin for Northampton Town Hall in 1861; however its 'currule' form shows an understanding of Roman furniture forms, and the wings carved on the tablet rail hark back to an even earlier, Egyptian style, further evoked by the carved birds heads on the uprights, a possible reference to the hawk-headed gods of Horus and Ra. The naturalistic interpretation of these heads follows closely the sketches of a goshawk's head executed by Godwin in 1861.
Godwin's 'Eagle' chair pattern was featured in William Watt's Art Furniture Cataloguei of 1877, and the sketch in that publication indicates that the original leather upholstery was embossed with the same 'sun' motif as appeared on the Dromore Dining Room chairs of 1867, (See E. Aslin. The Furniture Designs of E.W.Godwin, London 1986, fig.5). Watt was responsible for producing all the furniture for Dromore through his Art Furniture Company, and this successful association led to a number of Godwin's designs being his featured in the 1877 catalogue. There is no indication of how many, Eagle chairs were produced for sale as a result of the 1877 catalogue; certainly very few have survived.
Godwin's detailed design specification for the present chair survives in the permanent collection of the British Library at the Royal Institute of British Architects, and is here reproduced with their kind permission.
See: Dromore Castle, County Limerick: Archaeolgoy and the Sister Arts of E.W. Godwin, Architectural History, no. 30, 1987.
Elisabeth Aslin. The Furniture Designs of E.W. Godwin, London, 1986, Cat no. 5
Jill Lever. Archtiects' Designs for Furniture, London, 1982, pp.80/81
For examples of items of Godwin's furniture from Dromore Castle sold at auction, see: Christie's 15 February 1989, lot 55; Christie's 8 June 1993, lots 105, 106 and Christie's 16 February 1994 lots 37 and 38
The basic form of the present chair, the design for which was intended for the Library at Dromore, may initially be compared with Godwin's simple 'Mediaeval' councillor's chair designed by Godwin for Northampton Town Hall in 1861; however its 'currule' form shows an understanding of Roman furniture forms, and the wings carved on the tablet rail hark back to an even earlier, Egyptian style, further evoked by the carved birds heads on the uprights, a possible reference to the hawk-headed gods of Horus and Ra. The naturalistic interpretation of these heads follows closely the sketches of a goshawk's head executed by Godwin in 1861.
Godwin's 'Eagle' chair pattern was featured in William Watt's Art Furniture Cataloguei of 1877, and the sketch in that publication indicates that the original leather upholstery was embossed with the same 'sun' motif as appeared on the Dromore Dining Room chairs of 1867, (See E. Aslin. The Furniture Designs of E.W.Godwin, London 1986, fig.5). Watt was responsible for producing all the furniture for Dromore through his Art Furniture Company, and this successful association led to a number of Godwin's designs being his featured in the 1877 catalogue. There is no indication of how many, Eagle chairs were produced for sale as a result of the 1877 catalogue; certainly very few have survived.
Godwin's detailed design specification for the present chair survives in the permanent collection of the British Library at the Royal Institute of British Architects, and is here reproduced with their kind permission.
See: Dromore Castle, County Limerick: Archaeolgoy and the Sister Arts of E.W. Godwin, Architectural History, no. 30, 1987.
Elisabeth Aslin. The Furniture Designs of E.W. Godwin, London, 1986, Cat no. 5
Jill Lever. Archtiects' Designs for Furniture, London, 1982, pp.80/81
For examples of items of Godwin's furniture from Dromore Castle sold at auction, see: Christie's 15 February 1989, lot 55; Christie's 8 June 1993, lots 105, 106 and Christie's 16 February 1994 lots 37 and 38