PROBABLY NORTH-EUROPEAN, LATE 17TH CENTURY

Kimbolton Castle, Huntingdonshire, a medieval home, was the final residence of the Catherine of Aragon, first wife of Henry VIII and daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain. She died there in 1536. In 1683, the house came into the possession of Charles Montagu, 4th Earl and later 1st Duke of Manchester, as descended from his grandfather, Sir Henry Montagu. Under the direction of Sir John Vanburgh, the house was remodelled in the current fashion of the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. Vanburgh, with whom Montagu appears to have had a strong friendship and active correspondence, was also responsible for the remodelling of Castle Howard and Bleinheim Palace (Country Life, 23 September 1911, pp. 440-448 and 30 September 1911, pp. 474-486).

The 4th Earl also undertook the refurnishing of Kimbolton in the contemporary style and was undoubtedly influenced by the current popularity of the Huguenot designer and architect to William III, Daniel Marot. Much of the furniture is in the manner of Marot and relates to designs published in his Oeuvres in 1703. In addition to this, Manchester was appointed as the Ambassador to the Court of Louis XIV in 1699. His tenure in France during this period may well have also influenced his decision for a suite of chairs which closely follow the fashionable styles popular in France at this time. In 1708, Manchester had returned from France and had undertaken his second position in Italy as the Queen's Ambassador Extraordinary to Venice. He obviously took a keen interest in his remodelling of Kimbolton and at this date was known to be buying velvet and other textiles for the interiors. In a letter to Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough, who was then involved in the furnishing of Blenheim Palace, he wrote 'It is better to have rather more than less than you shall want, for in measuring of the rooms they may be mistaken. Besides, there must be chairs, window curtains and for doors according to the manner of Italy, which looks very handsome' (F. Lenygon, Decoration in England, London, 1914, p. 216). The present lot certainly seem to encapsulate this desire for pieces conceived in 'the manner of Italy' incorporating exuberantly carved ribbon-tied fruits and flowers to the apron.