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Lot Essay
A preparatory study for King George IV's sitting room at Windsor, part of a large scheme to restore and modernize Windsor Castle, which had been left largely unaltered since King Charles II's remodelling of the Upper Ward and the Royal Apartments in the 1670s.
In 1823 Parliament appointed a group of Commissioners to oversee this, John Nash, Jeffrey Wyattville, Robert Smirke and John Soane were invited to submit designs for the remodelling of the castle. Wyattville won the commission and was effectively in overall charge of the improvements at Windsor. Although he was involved with the planning and interior design of the Private Apartments, Wyattville had a firm belief of the point where his responsibilities ceased and the furniture maker or upholsterer took over. Doors, ceilings and shutters, for example, belonged under part of the architect's remit, the rest not.
In July 1826 Nicholas Morel (fl.1790-1830) was awarded part of the commission to furnish the King's Apartments. He was asked to 'prepare plans and Drawings of the Furniture and Decorations for those apartments and Estimate for the Expense thereof' (H. Roberts, op. cit., p. 27).
Nicholas Morel was apparently the King's own choice, Morel had been regularly supplying furnishings to him from the 1790s. Morel supplied preliminary designs to the Furnishings Committee fairly soon after his appointment and the present drawing must have been executed as part of these.
In May 1827, Morel entered into partnership with George Seddon III (1769-1857), who was a leading member of a family of furniture makers, founded by George Seddon I in 1753. In order to complete the Windsor commission Morel must have presumably felt the need for the assistance of a company as large and well-equipped as Seddon's. The partnership was successful as they continued to work together beyond Windsor.
Morel refers to these drawings in a letter dated April 1830, saying how difficult it was in the early stages to get accurate information about the rooms in order to 'make miniature designs for His Majesty's inspection of which His Majesty was graciously pleased to express his entire approbation' (H. Roberts, op. cit., p. 29).
Many of these 'miniature designs', including the present example, were inscribed in King George IV's hand to show his approval of the scheme (Fig. 1). The King was closely involved in all aspects of the scheme and thus not only is the Windsor scheme one of the most complete examples of late Georgian taste, but records the King's personal preferences in detail.
In 1823 Parliament appointed a group of Commissioners to oversee this, John Nash, Jeffrey Wyattville, Robert Smirke and John Soane were invited to submit designs for the remodelling of the castle. Wyattville won the commission and was effectively in overall charge of the improvements at Windsor. Although he was involved with the planning and interior design of the Private Apartments, Wyattville had a firm belief of the point where his responsibilities ceased and the furniture maker or upholsterer took over. Doors, ceilings and shutters, for example, belonged under part of the architect's remit, the rest not.
In July 1826 Nicholas Morel (fl.1790-1830) was awarded part of the commission to furnish the King's Apartments. He was asked to 'prepare plans and Drawings of the Furniture and Decorations for those apartments and Estimate for the Expense thereof' (H. Roberts, op. cit., p. 27).
Nicholas Morel was apparently the King's own choice, Morel had been regularly supplying furnishings to him from the 1790s. Morel supplied preliminary designs to the Furnishings Committee fairly soon after his appointment and the present drawing must have been executed as part of these.
In May 1827, Morel entered into partnership with George Seddon III (1769-1857), who was a leading member of a family of furniture makers, founded by George Seddon I in 1753. In order to complete the Windsor commission Morel must have presumably felt the need for the assistance of a company as large and well-equipped as Seddon's. The partnership was successful as they continued to work together beyond Windsor.
Morel refers to these drawings in a letter dated April 1830, saying how difficult it was in the early stages to get accurate information about the rooms in order to 'make miniature designs for His Majesty's inspection of which His Majesty was graciously pleased to express his entire approbation' (H. Roberts, op. cit., p. 29).
Many of these 'miniature designs', including the present example, were inscribed in King George IV's hand to show his approval of the scheme (Fig. 1). The King was closely involved in all aspects of the scheme and thus not only is the Windsor scheme one of the most complete examples of late Georgian taste, but records the King's personal preferences in detail.