Edited by Patricia Stammers, Sunday, 22 Sep 2013, 16:08
The best exhibits were two fallow deer wandering around the curly wurly entrance gates to Houghton Hall as though they couldn't care less.
Next best was the stables with a brick floor and a row of immaculate wooden stalls, the tack room complete with burnished carriage driving harnesses, an array of sparkling bits as well as a collection of saddles. The house was outwardly magnificent with domes, pillars and statues but the exhibition of paintings rather dull. There were no major works and many of them, structurally weak, lost in the shadow of ages and overwrought gold frames.
There was a copy of Laocoon and a couple of other statues that owed much to Bernini. Of the paintings,Titian was another obvious influence. The unexpectedly cosy library stacked from floor to ceiling with leather bound tomes was well illuminated with long windows.
The total effect was of monumental upper crust solidity.
Full House
The best exhibits were two fallow deer wandering around the curly wurly entrance gates to Houghton Hall as though they couldn't care less.
Next best was the stables with a brick floor and a row of immaculate wooden stalls, the tack room complete with burnished carriage driving harnesses, an array of sparkling bits as well as a collection of saddles. The house was outwardly magnificent with domes, pillars and statues but the exhibition of paintings rather dull. There were no major works and many of them, structurally weak, lost in the shadow of ages and overwrought gold frames.
There was a copy of Laocoon and a couple of other statues that owed much to Bernini. Of the paintings,Titian was another obvious influence. The unexpectedly cosy library stacked from floor to ceiling with leather bound tomes was well illuminated with long windows.
The total effect was of monumental upper crust solidity.