Faithful readers may recall that a strike closed Brighton's Royal Pavilion when we were here in July. [See my blog, Part 5.] The opportunity has come up to try again. It proves to be well worth the visit.
My official photo, from Old Steine, in front of the Pavilion. The Prince of Wales, who became George IV in 1820, had employed John Nash in 1815 to transform his Brighton farmhouse into a lavish Oriental palace as a seaside resort. Completed in 1823, the exterior has remained largely unaltered. Maintenance is underway on the entire right wing of the building, and it seems, in the gardens. (Apparently, one can rent part of the facility for weddings, as a young bride is led from her limousine into the Pavilion for her wedding. I tuck that possibility away for future consideration.)
The inside continues to undergo restoration and renovation. One thing that I did not know is that Queen Victoria did not like the Pavilion at all. When it became hers, she sold it to Brighton, removing all ornaments and furnishings, fixtures and even the wallpapers. Having seen her favoured resort at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight, I understand her preference for Indian and classical styles over Oriental or Asian. Nevertheless, the Pavilion is gorgeous. Queen Victoria eventually returned some items that she had removed, and over the decades, other furnishings have been procured, some on loan from Queen Elizabeth II and from other collections. The Pavilion is once again very close in appearance and decor as it looked in the 1820s.
Once again, photography is forbidden, so I won't go into too many details. But my own experience confirms the design plan of the Prince Regent. The entrance rooms are low-key in design, quite plain and simple. I enter the Long Gallery, richly decorated in pink, pale greens and blues and reds. Each area becomes increasingly beautiful as we pass into the building, but when I step from the low-ceiling Long Corridor into the Banqueting Hall, the effect is stunning. George IV's guests likely exclaimed as we do, "Oh, my goodness! Wow!" I honestly do not know if I have ever seen any room so magnificently resplendent. The dramatic, bold and innovative design was created by artist-designer Robert Jones. Standing out in my mind are the one-ton crystal chandelier and the eight pedestal lamps made of blue Spode china flanked by ormolu dragons with guilt brass mounts. (One of these would not look out of place in my apartment, although at 8-10 feet in height, they might be overwhelming!)
Another beautiful room is George IV's Music Room, designed by Frederick Crace. The golds, reds, and blues are as stunning as any I could imagine. What amazes me is that this room was severely damaged by an arsonist in 1975. It took over a decade to repair the damage and return the room to its earlier glory. Then, in 1987 an October hurricane dislodged a stone ball on top of one of the minuets which then fell through the newly-restored ceiling. Today, however, the restoration is complete, and it takes real effort to pull away from the beauty and move into the King's Apartments, the Yellow Bow Rooms (where his brothers slept) and Queen Victoria's Apartments, as she used them from 1837 to 1845, all quite plain by comparison.
Unusual also is the Great Kitchen, called the King's Kitchen, to which King George would take his guests to see. I imagine it could fully function as the kitchen for any fine restaurant today. The 550-piece copper utensil collection is similar to that used in the Regency era. Every piece has its own hook or place on a shelf, very much the way I keep my own 5-piece utensil set!
The Pavilion Art Gallery
After staggering out of the Pavilion, over-taken by its gorgeous decor, I go into the Pavilion Art Gallery, especially to see the collection of art deco. I am not disappointed.
Wonderful pottery and my favourites,
art deco. Shown above is a French figure lamp (1925) and table and stool by
Mercier Freres (1920-1925).Below, a bison retailed by Primavera, Paris 1925-1930. Behind, Early Morning by Dod Procter (1927).
All part of the Twentieth Century Art & Design Gallery, above are chairs, on right, Ron Arad's 1992 Narrow Papardelle and the Wiggle Chair, right, USA 1972.
Mary at the entrance to the gallery; Sam in the foyer.
Below, the Surrealism exhibit.
Two views of a French lamp, Beethoven, 1930, by Henri Edouard Navarre. The lamp sits on a Rene Lalique table from Paris from 1930. Behind, right, is a Console Table from Paris, 1925. I suppose if anyone has anything by Lalique he or she wants to be rid of, I would give my eye-teeth for something by the French designer!
Beethoven and Brighton remind me of my manuscript about Jack Marriott, nearly done. He was married in Brighton in 1913, and Beethoven, especially the Ninth Symphony, figures predominantly in his life. At home I have the original portrait of Beethoven he purchased while in Brighton. I also have David MacNeil's painting of Jack (and the portrait) . Tomorrow we will drive to Ashford in Kent, to try to find the farm where Jack practised farming in the weeks before he brought his family to Port Williams in 1921.
Today, once again, we must eat, so we opt to return to the wonderful little Italian Cafe called Pinocchio on New Street, directly across from the Pavilion Theatre, next to the entrance to The Royal Pavilion. It was excellent in early July and the food, service and ambiance is still lovely.
Once fed, again, we return to our hotel in Arundel for the night, before striking out across Romney Marsh in search of an old farm in Kent. We did seek out Amberley Castle before bed, but it is not open. Amberley, is however, described by guidebooks as one of the prettiest villages in England. Quite so.
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