Low Pavilion Ante Room

For 100 years now, this has been the Ante-Room to the Duke’s office and that of his secretary, but in Ralph Montagu’s time it was the entrance to a group of apartments for important visitors or close members of his family, with the bed chamber beyond.

Low Pavilion Ante Room Click for larger image

Ralph’s bewigged portrait by Michael Dahl stands out from the religious theme of the other paintings collected over the centuries. All the furniture though was Ralph’s and some of it bears the evidence of this provenance. For example, one of the pair of matching mirrors and tables created for him by Gerrit Jensen, c.1690, includes his interlaced RM initials and the Earl’s coronet, which he received in 1689.  Opposite, between the windows, the table and matching glass is also by Jensen but, this time, they are japanned and veneered with incised ‘Bantam’ lacquer; the glass has the later addition of the monogram with the Ducal coronet.

Mirror by Jensen	Between the rare contemporary sconces The glass sconces are four late 16th Century alabaster plaques of biblical scenes by Rimbout Tissanaken, Master of Malines. Alabaster plaque
Facing the Chimney piece, the painting of "Infant St. John in the Wilderness" is by Bartolome Murillo (1617-82). To the left is "Madonna and Child with infant St. John" by Sebastian Bourdon within a floral garland by Mario da' Fiori (1603-1673). To the right of the Murillo is Francesco Granacci's (1477-1543) "Rest on The Flight into Egypt."
Beneath the painting by Murillo is an exotic writing table (c.1672) created by Pierre Gole, the stylistic precursor to Boulle in France (illustrated on previous page). Its surface is composed of crushed mother of pearl and ebony borders, surrounding pewter on brass marquetry. Now identified as one of a pair made for Louis XIV, it was said, traditionally, to have been gifted by the King to Ralph Montagu, during his tenure as English Ambassador in France in the 1670’s. The small writing table (see right) The English chairs, George III, have 18th century needlework covers.	Bureau by Pierre Gole Click to see the Bureau animated

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