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Lot Essay
This antique-fluted bench is designed in the Greek-revival manner, made fashionable through the publication of The Antiquities of Athens and Other Monuments of Greece in 1762 by James 'Athenian’ Stuart and Nicholas Revett. A set of three very similar benches, possibly including this bench, was photographed in April 1915 by Country Life in a classical folly, the Island Temple, in the park at Croome Court, Worcestershire, the country seat of the Earls of Coventry (from circa 1751 until 1949) (10 April 1915, p. 487, 'Temple Seat on Island'). A closely related bench sold Sotheby’s, London, 15 November 1996, lot 65, and subsequently, Christie’s, London, 23 May 2013, lot 37, £27,500. The latter and the present bench have identical dimensions suggesting they are part of the same set.
The folly, dated circa 1800, was reattributed to the celebrated architect and furniture designer, James Wyatt (d. 1813) by English Heritage having formerly been designated as either 'Capability' Brown or Robert Adam, both of whom predated Wyatt at Croome as architect to George William Coventry, 6th Earl of Coventry (d. 1809). Wyatt, like fellow architect Sir William Chambers, drew on Roman sources for the exteriors of his buildings, manifested in the decorated stonework frieze of the Island Temple of foliate swags, ribbons, classical urns and rosettes. His interiors, however, were light and fanciful with furniture designs inspired by Roman and Greek antiquity (J.M. Robinson, James Wyatt Architect (1746-1813) to George III, 2011, pp. 55 and 148).
Wyatt is also known to have designed furniture for the 6th Earl, and was possibly responsible for designing the three benches for the folly. The benches represent the triclinium or three couches found in Roman dining rooms, and are arranged accordingly. A single bench from the set appears indistinctly in a photograph taken in the mid-late 19th century of the 'Saloon’ at Croome Court (Worcestershire CRO, BA14450/279/6-7).
With tapering pilaster legs capped by oval paterae tablets the design of this bench is very similar to those featured in a drawing by Wyatt for the loggia at Syon House, Middlesex for the 1st Duke of Northumberland (Robinson, op. cit., p. 45, fig. 44). It is also comparable to sideboard tables in the Dining Room at Wyatt's celebrated commission, Heaton Hall, Lancashire, and also to a design by Wyatt for a sideboard for no. 41 Grosvenor Square, London (ibid., p. 150, fig. 143).
The paterae tablets are closely related to designs featured in Mrs. Coade's printed catalogue (1784). Wyatt, despite being unacknowledged in the catalogue, was one of the most prolific authors of designs for this publication (ibid., p. 128, fig. 120). Furthermore, the interior of the Island Temple also features Coade stone plaques that include the Aldobrandini Wedding supplied by Mrs. Coade in July 1778 (ibid., p. 129). 'Mrs. Coade and the Wyatts were closely involved from as early as 1771 with both James and Samuel Wyatt using Coade stone more extensively than other English architects throughout their career' (ibid.).
Equally, the present bench together with the companion pair may have been acquired by George Coventry, 9th Earl of Coventry (d. 1930) who was a prolific collector buying from antique dealers in the late 19th/early 20th centuries.
The folly, dated circa 1800, was reattributed to the celebrated architect and furniture designer, James Wyatt (d. 1813) by English Heritage having formerly been designated as either 'Capability' Brown or Robert Adam, both of whom predated Wyatt at Croome as architect to George William Coventry, 6th Earl of Coventry (d. 1809). Wyatt, like fellow architect Sir William Chambers, drew on Roman sources for the exteriors of his buildings, manifested in the decorated stonework frieze of the Island Temple of foliate swags, ribbons, classical urns and rosettes. His interiors, however, were light and fanciful with furniture designs inspired by Roman and Greek antiquity (J.M. Robinson, James Wyatt Architect (1746-1813) to George III, 2011, pp. 55 and 148).
Wyatt is also known to have designed furniture for the 6th Earl, and was possibly responsible for designing the three benches for the folly. The benches represent the triclinium or three couches found in Roman dining rooms, and are arranged accordingly. A single bench from the set appears indistinctly in a photograph taken in the mid-late 19th century of the 'Saloon’ at Croome Court (Worcestershire CRO, BA14450/279/6-7).
With tapering pilaster legs capped by oval paterae tablets the design of this bench is very similar to those featured in a drawing by Wyatt for the loggia at Syon House, Middlesex for the 1st Duke of Northumberland (Robinson, op. cit., p. 45, fig. 44). It is also comparable to sideboard tables in the Dining Room at Wyatt's celebrated commission, Heaton Hall, Lancashire, and also to a design by Wyatt for a sideboard for no. 41 Grosvenor Square, London (ibid., p. 150, fig. 143).
The paterae tablets are closely related to designs featured in Mrs. Coade's printed catalogue (1784). Wyatt, despite being unacknowledged in the catalogue, was one of the most prolific authors of designs for this publication (ibid., p. 128, fig. 120). Furthermore, the interior of the Island Temple also features Coade stone plaques that include the Aldobrandini Wedding supplied by Mrs. Coade in July 1778 (ibid., p. 129). 'Mrs. Coade and the Wyatts were closely involved from as early as 1771 with both James and Samuel Wyatt using Coade stone more extensively than other English architects throughout their career' (ibid.).
Equally, the present bench together with the companion pair may have been acquired by George Coventry, 9th Earl of Coventry (d. 1930) who was a prolific collector buying from antique dealers in the late 19th/early 20th centuries.