New Exhibitions Unveiled At The Treasure Houses Of England For 2014

From artistic masterpieces to fascinating historical exhibitions, The Treasure Houses of England look set to deliver a captivating programme of exciting events this year.

Bluebird CN7

Beaulieu 2014 marks the 50th anniversary of the successful World Land Speed Record by Donald Campbell in Bluebird CN7. A new display in the National Motor Museum, For Britain & For The Hell Of It, features Beaulieu’s four iconic Land Speed Record cars and tells the story of British pluck, technological mastery and national pride – alongside new vehicles with a more alternative Land Speed heritage. Another brand new display is The Motorcycle Story which immerses you in a journey through the evolution of two-wheeled transport from bicycles to production motorcycles. Featuring some of the most iconic motorbikes on Britain’s road and racetracks through the years, it will also showcase biking in modern culture including Mod and Rockers and the Ace Cafe.

WWI Exhibition Blenheim Palace

Blenheim Palace’s World War One Exhibition (February 15 - April 21) will unveil the intriguing story of how the men and women who lived and worked at Blenheim Palace survived the war, including life-size models, replica trench, original props and costumed characters.  For something decidedly different, Tom Hiscocks’ The Queen’s Beasts Exhibition (1 May - 30 June) comprises heraldic animals depicting the genealogy of Queen Elizabeth II first characterised in 1953 and recreated for the Diamond Jubilee Tour in 2012 – will be proudly on show at Blenheim Palace.

Meanwhile, the second Blenheim Palace Flower Show (June 20-22) will present a spellbinding scene with over 150 floral and gardens exhibitors, a grand floral marquee with RHS judges, ten garden landscapes and lots more - including food, refreshments and a bevy of fun family activities.

Burghley Film Festival

Culture vultures should head to Burghley Film Festival 2014, which returns once more to the South Gardens with an extended 5 days of fabulous films along with a best of British BBQ. Running from Wednesday, 30th July to Sunday 3rd August, the full programme will include some family favourites, action dramas and retro classics.  At Burghley Food markets - meet more than 30 local suppliers in a celebration of local produce with handmade cheeses, artisan breads, organic vegetables, luxury sweet treats and rare breed meats. Held in the Courtyard at Burghley, both entry and parking are free of charge. Food markets take place: Spring: 12th & 13th April Summer: 24th & 25th August Christmas: 29th & 30th November.

Michael Craig-Martin sculptures

Chatsworth presents a packed programme of exhibitions for 2014. Kicking off in supreme style, Michael Craig-Martin at Chatsworth (16 March - 29 June) sees a major display of contemporary sculpture in the garden with new works specially produced for this year’s event. Inside the house, Michael Craig-Martin brings his own approach to highlighting sculpture from the Devonshire Collection.  From 16 March onwards, Jacob van der Beugel’s permanent contemporary ceramic installation will sit in the North Sketch Gallery alongside displays of historic ceramics from the Devonshire Collection.

Chatsworth in Wartime (4 April - 23 December) marks the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War and the 75th anniversary of the outbreak of the Second World War and will be complemented by Conflict in Art (1 July – 7 November): a selection of Old Master Drawings from the Devonshire Collection.

Castle Howard

Exploring the castle’s wartime narratives, Duty Calls: Castle Howard in Time of War (22 March - 2 November) catalogues the impact of war at home; where between 1815 and 1944 five Howards were killed in action. Belgian refugees, enemy prisoners, evacuees, fire, crashed aircraft and horses commandeered for the front meant that the war deeply affected Castle Howard and its inhabitants. 

Harewood House

This year, Harewood House plays host to exhibitions by French and British masters: from the iconic sculptures of Yorkshire artist Henry Moore to exquisite porcelain owned by the ill-fated Queen Marie Antoinette of France. In Pursuit of the Exquisite: Royal Sèvres from Versailles to Harewood (18th April – 2nd November) includes delicate and fragile objects which survived the downfall of their original owners, the tumult of the French revolution, alongside contemporary work combining video, sound and ceramics, making connections between the past and present (Terrace Gallery, 18th April – 2nd November 2014). The season is completed with a celebration of the great sculptor Henry Moore whose work can be seen against Harewood’s elegant backdrop (exhibition dates 21st June – 2nd November 2014).

Yorkshire will be the focus of the world’s media on 5th July 2014, when the greatest annual sporting event on earth, the Tour de France, starts in England’s finest county for the first time. To celebrate the occasion, Harewood is hosting the inaugural Dare 2b Yorkshire Festival of Cycling (4 – 6 July), offering visitors the rare opportunity to stay in its magnificent grounds and witness the peloton ride past the front of the house.

Hatfield House

Taking place in the West Garden at Hatfield is ‘The Great British Sculpture Show’ from 5 April – 30 September. Curated by award-winning artist Andrew Sinclair, one of the foremost figurative and surrealist sculptors in the UK today, and his partner, artist Diane Coates, the exhibition will feature their work and that of 22 other prominent sculptors. These include acclaimed artists David Goode, Geoffrey Dashwood, Hamish Mackie, Ian Rank-Broadly and Etienne Millner, President of the Society of Portrait Sculptors. Over 70 works will be brought together with the aim of bringing beauty, technical skill and craftsmanship back to the world of art.

Holkham Hall

Duty Calls: Holkham 1914 to 1918 is a new exhibition to commemorate the 100 year anniversary of the start of WW1 and will reveal the story of the war’s impact on the Coke family and Holkham village. Personal letters, archives, books, photographs and artefacts will relate the family’s experiences, illustrate the war poets’ works and showcase the soldiers’ striking trench art.

Leeds Castle

Leeds Castle hosts a magnificent mix of events this year, from Jousting with the Knight’s of Royal England (27 May – 1 June) featuring action displays of daredevil stunts, falls, fights and galloping horses to brand new Royal Armouries Medieval Festival (23 – 31 August), which celebrates the colourful Middle Ages at the 900 year old castle.  And don’t miss their fantastic Festival of Flowers (22-28 September), where the State Rooms will be spectacularly transformed into floral works of art by local florists, flower societies and clubs.

Chinese Dairy Soldiers And Nurses

Opening in April, two exhibitions at Woburn Abbey: Valiant Hearts: World War I Exhibition commemorates the centenary of the outbreak of The Great War, exploring the variety of roles played by the 11th Duke and Duchess, the Abbey and the people from the Estate and surrounding villages.  Discover fascinating stories and a range of artefacts, photographs and archive materials that detail the incredible and moving wartime stories of men and women from Woburn during the poignantly historical time.  Peeling Back The Years: Chinese Wallpaper at Woburn Abbey - Get close to beautiful hand-painted Chinoiserie papers and explore how these were made, sold and hung during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. This exhibition tells the fascinating story of a decorative element with which we all live, in its most inventive and luxury form.

www.treasurehouses.co.uk

One of the most compelling features of the Treasure Houses is they offer visitors a living history.  Most are still home to the families that have lived there for generations.

But forget old-fashioned images of historic houses, today’s Treasure Houses offer exciting new experiences for everyone to enjoy. Uncover hidden gems and dark secrets, follow cycle trails or stroll in beautiful gardens, enjoy contemporary sculpture and relax over afternoon tea.

The Treasure Houses change with the seasons, move with the times and always have something unexpected to offer, something new to discover making it a perfect day out.
Treasure Houses are:  Beaulieu, Blenheim Palace, Burghley, Castle Howard, Chatsworth, Harewood, Hatfield, Holkham, Leeds Castle and Woburn Abbey.

Everyman’s DNA Takes Centre Stage at Devonshire Dynasty’s Aristocratic Home - Chatsworth

Chatsworth, one of England’s most celebrated houses, has added to its collection of masterpieces by making ‘Everyman’ the centrepiece of its most important art installation since the creation of the Sculpture Gallery in 1832.

Jacob van der Beugel

The walls of the North Sketch Gallery have been completely covered with 659 textured, handmade ceramic panels in ‘The North Sketch Sequence’ by the artist Jacob van der Beugel. Raised ceramic blocks represent the DNA strand of ‘Everyman’ in the central portrait, which is flanked by the personal DNA profiles of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, their son Lord Burlington and his wife, Lady Burlington.

Chatsworth reopens to the public on the 16th March and on entering the Gallery (20 metres long, 4m high, 3m wide) visitors see the DNA profiles stretching, floor to ceiling, along one wall while they themselves are reflected back into the installation by the ceramic, framed mirror panels on the opposite wall. With mitochondrial DNA passed through the maternal line the installation plays with ideas around ancestry and inheritance as past, present and future members of the family are linked to the wider pool of humanity in an unusual and creative take on the traditional portrait.

'Everyman DNA'

DNA samples were taken from members of the Devonshire family and the results were translated onto ceramic panels, whilst aspects of each individual’s personality are captured on glazed pieces in their DNA sequence (see ‘notes to editors’). The Duke chose his favourite walk around Chatsworth’s garden; the Duchess chose her favourite piece of music, John Rutter’s ‘A Gaelic Blessing’; Lord Burlington surrounded himself with his wife, three children and two sisters; Lady Burlington chose stitching patterns she did as a girl with her grandmother.

The culmination of nearly four years work, each of the ochre-coloured panels is unique, and has been hand assembled and mounted by Jacob van der Beugel.  ‘The North Sketch Sequence’  will fit only in the North Sketch Gallery and is a groundbreaking fusion of art and architecture at Grade I listed Chatsworth, home to the Devonshire family for more than 400 years.

All of the ceramic panels, measuring
approximately 500mm x 350mm, have been handmade

Installation began in November 2013 when the North Sketch Gallery was closed to visitors. Van der Beugel, his engineer and a team of craftsmen have worked for four months to complete the work.

All of the ceramic panels, measuring approximately 500mm x 350mm, have been handmade by van der Beugel himself, and because of their large size he invented a new process to prevent them ‘curling’ while drying. As no comparable installation has been attempted before he has also had to build bespoke tools and engineer a unique fixing method.

Van der Beugel came up with the concept for an entire ceramic space embedded with the Devonshire family’s DNA after several discussions with the family. Excited and impressed by his vision and technical brilliance the Duke and Duchess and the Chatsworth House Trust commissioned him to undertake this major artistic and technical challenge.

Still only 35 years old Jacob van der Beugel was a pupil of the ceramicist Edmund de Waal and a bold choice for a commission of this importance. A thorough search by ceramics curator and consultant Joanna Bird narrowed to a six-strong shortlist to present to the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire and the Chatsworth House Trust.

The original project was for two floor to ceiling ‘chimney pieces’ in the North Sketch gallery but asked what he would really like to do van der Beugel went away and developed concepts for a complete ‘ceramic room’ and ‘The North Sketch Sequence’ was conceived. Following consultation with the architects Inskip & Jenkins, final plans were drawn up for approval by both the Duke and Duchess and English Heritage.

Woburn Abbey unveils Rembrandt Masterpiece

A newly authenticated Rembrandt masterpiece has been revealed for the first time at Woburn Abbey in Bedfordshire.  Until recently the original oil painting entitled Portrait of an Old Man or The Old Rabbi had hung in a private room at the home of the 15th Duke and Duchess of Bedford.  On public display from 30th March, visitors to Woburn Abbey will have an unparalleled opportunity to view this ‘new’ Rembrandt up close.

Professor Ernst van de Wetering, acknowledged as a world authority on Rembrandt, was invited to Woburn last year to study the portrait.  His conclusion was that the quality and style of work proves it could only have been painted by the Dutch old master Rembrandt Harmenszoon Van Rijn.

Woburn Abbey General Manager Jonathan Irby said: “This is a discovery and a fine addition to the Abbey’s wonderful collection of Dutch art.

“We are very excited about bringing this exquisite painting into the public eye, especially since visitors will be able to get within a few inches of it.  The opportunity to discover a ‘new’ Rembrandt will provide an even more memorable day for our visitors in 2012.”

The first written reference to the painting in the Abbey records is in 1791, showing it was cleaned that year.  Along with two other portraits, it was initially accepted as a Rembrandt.  Over time studies of the three portraits resulted in uncertainty.  However, curatorial staff believed Portrait of an Old Man had virtues that made it stand out as something special.

As Professor van de Wetering has highlighted: “This painting is one of Rembrandt’s most impressive evocations of dignity in old age. The way the light makes the figure emerge from the dusky space and illuminates the wrinkled skin of the face, and the hands resting on a stick, makes it an outstanding specimen of Rembrandt’s art.”  It is therefore implied that this is more than a study of old age.   It is believed that the Woburn picture and a painting in the Gemaldegalerie, Berlin (thought to be a portrait of Rembrandt’s wife, Saskia) were intended as a pair.  Both were painted in 1643 on a mahogany panel taken from the same sugar case.  This along with the similarities of design and biblical style: the prominent hands each displaying a ring on the little finger, the black hat with fine decoration and the decorative chains has led to the suggestion from Professor van de Wetering that the pair are depicting the Old Testament biblical story of Boaz and Ruth.

For more information on Woburn Abbey, visit www.woburn.co.uk/abbey or call 01525 290333

Woburn Abbey’s outstanding art collection

Woburn Abbey has been the family home of the Earls and Dukes of Bedford for nearly 400 years and is currently the home of the 15th Duke and his family.   The Abbey houses one of the most important private art collections in the world with over 250 works by artists including Gainsborough, Reynolds, Van Dyck and Cuyp. 

  

The most popular painting in the collection is the iconic portrait of Elizabeth I attributed to George Gower in 1588.  Known as 'The Armada Portrait' it commemorates the great victorious sea battle the same year against the Spanish invasion fleet.   A statement of power and authority, Elizabeth is portrayed as Empress of the world and commander of the seas.  

The Dining Room at Woburn Abbey contains the largest private collection of Venetian views by Canaletto (1697 – 1768), being 21 paintings displayed in one room. The future Fourth Duke of Bedford visited Venice while on the Grand Tour in 1731 and the paintings were subsequently commissioned. These outstanding paintings remind us of the fascination of this beautiful city for the traveller.

2012 is the third year of the Woburn ArtBeat exhibition.   The village of Woburn and Woburn Abbey join together to promote high quality original art by transforming the village into an art gallery from the 6th April until the 27th April and a large contemporary outdoor sculpture exhibition in the gardens of Woburn Abbey from the 6th April until 31st August.    Works on display in the Abbey Gardens are by artists as varied as Maurice Blik, Philip Blacker, Nicolas Moreton, Paul Vanstone, Peter Randall-Page and William Peers.

Location

Just south east of Milton Keynes, Woburn Abbey is signposted from junctions 12 and 13 of the M1. It is also easily accessible from the A5.

Woburn Abbey Timeline

1145

Hugh de Bolebec founds Woburn Abbey, with monks from Fountains Abbey

1538

Abbot Robert Hobbes executed for treason by Henry VIII and Woburn Abbey dissolved

1630s

Francis, Fourth Earl builds two-storey north wing, with the grottos. Both still part of the house today

1647

Charles I twice previously visited as a guest but this time as a prisoner and had a fateful meeting with Oliver Cromwell

1683

Execution of Lord William Russell for involvement in the Rye House Plot

1694

Posthumous pardon issued for execution and Earldom elevated to Dukedom

1731

4^th Duke’s Grand Tour takes him to Venice.   Commissions paintings by Canaletto as a souvenir.

1763

4^th Duke negotiated the Treaty of Paris, which ended the Seven Years’ War. Louis XV gifts Sèvres porcelain service in appreciation

1747

4^th Duke employs Henry Flitcroft to rebuild the West Wing, turning Woburn Abbey into a graceful Palladian house

1802

John, 6^th Duke employs Humphrey Repton to landscape the park

1816

The gardens are the site of the world’s first ecological experiments and results will later influence Darwin’s argument on the origin of the species

1832

Lord John Russell passes Reform Bill through parliament and twice becomes prime minister during Queen Victoria’s reign

1841

Royal visit by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert

1872 – 1891

Hastings, 9^th Duke contributes to agricultural experiments, school improvements and tenant welfare

1914

Mary, wife of the 11^th Duke takes on role of nurse and turns Woburn Abbey into a military hospital

1937

After several record breaking flights in previous years, Mary disappears on solo flight to Norfolk

1939 – 1945

Woburn estates taken over as centre for black propaganda and billeting of Wrens from Bletchley Park

1955

The Abbey opens to public visitors

1970

Woburn Safari Park opens to the public on the 20^th May 1970

1974

The 14^th Duke creates a world class golf facility with Woburn Golf Club.   1976 saw the opening of the first of the three courses: The Duke’s.

1999 – 2002

The 14^th Duke and Duchess become television favourites on the TV series ‘Country House’

2003

Andrew, the 15^th and present Duke inherits the Estate

Cohen Collection of Modern British Masterpieces Goes on Show at Chatsworth

A new exhibition of modern British masterpieces, many unseen in public for decades, will open at Chatsworth on 19 March 2012.

‘Frank and Cherryl Cohen at Chatsworth’ is drawn from their private collection, described by curator Robert Upstone as “one of the finest and most definitive private collections of modern British art”.

Running until 10 June the exhibition includes more than 40 works from artists such as Stanley Spencer, LS Lowry, Frank Auerbach, Leon Kossoff, William Roberts, William Scott, Paula Rego and Edward Burra, and sculptures by Kenneth Armitage, William Turnbull, Eduardo Paolozzi and Reg Butler.

•    Stanley Spencer: Christ Preaching at Cookham Regatta: Conversation between Punts 1955 – one of the major figures of 20C British Art and a key work from later in Spencer’s career, ‘Cookham Regatta’ brings Christ into the modern world and is rooted in the artist’s vision of the spirituality of English rural/village life.

• Matthew Arnold Bracy Smith: Connie Martin 1915 – Matthew Smith was a key member of the British avant-garde. His picture of Connie Martin subverts traditional stereotypes of portraiture by adopting the bright, pure colours of European Expressionism - highly unusual in Britain at the time.

• William Scott: Upright Abstract 1957 – Scott developed his style from figurative still lives into ever greater abstraction and this is one of his finest paintings, using minimal colouring and expressive modulation of the paint to render an abstract image of objects on a table top. 

•  Edward Burra: Striptease, Harlem c.1934 – one of the most distinctive of 20C British artists, Burra had a totally unique vision of everyday life and here he presents the gritty and the magical side-by-side in character studies drawn from his time in Harlem, New York in the 1930’s.

Paintings from their private collection were selected by Frank and Cherryl Cohen in conjunction with Robert Upstone, the exhibition’s curator. Robert was previously Curator of Modern British Art at Tate Britain and is a Director of The Fine Art Society, while Frank Cohen has commissioned Booker prize-winning author Howard Jacobson to write an essay for the exhibition catalogue. 

Internationally known as major collectors of contemporary art, Frank and Cherryl Cohen’s collection of modern British paintings has never before been exhibited publicly. The first modern British painting they acquired was ‘My Family’ by LS Lowry, bought in the early 70s, with further works added regularly over subsequent years. 

Frank Cohen said: “Cherryl and I have spent some 40 years putting together our Modern British Collection so it’s very personal to us. We wanted a setting that would match the quality of the paintings and when the New Gallery opened at Chatsworth in 2011 we could see that it would be a perfect fit.”

The Cohen’s share a passion for modern British art with the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire and having met at many exhibitions over the years the Duke suggested a display of their private collection at Chatsworth: “It’s a wonderful collection of modern British paintings and I’m delighted Frank and Cherryl have agreed to share it with a wider audience. I am sure that visitors will be delighted to see paintings of such remarkable quality.”

Matthew Hirst, Head of Art and Collections at Chatsworth said: “‘Frank and Cherryl Cohen at Chatsworth’ is the first in a new programme of loan exhibitions being brought into Chatsworth to give our visitors the chance to enjoy a wide ranging artistic offer alongside our permanent collections.  We hope to stage at least one such exhibition every year.”

Chatsworth also has a long association with 20th-century art and the Devonshire Collection includes important works by artists such as Lucian Freud, David Hockney, John Hoyland, Michael Andrews, Allen Jones and Paula Rego. Works from the contemporary art collection are on permanent, rotating display, particularly in the North Sketch gallery at Chatsworth while other works are loaned for exhibitions around the world.

Entry to ‘Frank and Cherryl Cohen at Chatsworth’ is included in the price of a standard  ‘House and Garden’ ticket. House, garden, farmyard and adventure playground reopen on 11 March 2012. For more information and ticketing options including a 10 percent discount for online booking, visit www.chatsworth.org

Further information

The Cohen collection of Modern British works has been taken out of storage specifically for this exhibition. The Cohen collection of contemporary art and design is based in Wolverhampton where elements of it are exhibited in rotation. They also lend extensively from their collection to museums and galleries all over the world.

The Chatsworth House Trust is an independent charity (no 511149) set up by the 11th Duke of Devonshire in 1981, to ensure the long-term survival of Chatsworth for the benefit of the public.  All admission and event income from visitors, together with a percentage of income from shops and restaurants, goes directly to this Trust, and can only be spent on the upkeep and improvement of the house, collections, garden, farmyard and park.

Chatsworth won Gold in the Enjoy England Awards for Excellence 2011 'Large Visitor Attraction' category organised by Visit England, the national tourism body. Chatsworth underwent a rigorous independent assessment before being chosen by a board of tourism industry experts including previous Small Visitor Attraction winner Victoria Emmanuel of the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter and experienced travel journalists Alison Rice and Sally Shalam.

Chatsworth is a member of the Treasure Houses of England, 10 of the most magnificent palaces, stately homes and castles in England. www.treasurehouses.co.uk

Chatsworth is 16 miles from the MI, 10 miles from Chesterfield, and 8 miles north of Matlock, in the heart of Derbyshire’s Peak District National Park and is well served by transport links throughout the UK.