The First State Room
(The King's Dining Room)

The State Rooms have been extensively reorganised following the return of the State Bed in July 2003 to try, as much as is possible, to restore their original look when created. The first of the five State Rooms at Boughton House, is the "Dining Room" The wainscot in all the rooms retains it's original drab colour, now a variety of khaki shades of great subtelty, and the friezes and cornices are moulded and painted in trompe l'oeil rather than being carved.

First State Room (The King's Dining Room) Click for larger image

The ceilings in all five rooms, depict scenes from Greek mythology and were executed by Louis Chéron. The ceiling here is "Venus interceding for Aeneas". The room is dominated by two tapestry cartoons by Penni, a student of Raphael. On the East wall is "The Vision of Ezekiel" and on the West wall is "The Holy Family with St. Elizabeth and the infant St. John" On the parquet de Versailles floor is a Indo-Isfehan rug c. 1700, the first of a splendid group displayed throughout the Staterooms, which were probably collected by Ralph Montagu. They are the work of Peter Rieusset, at a cost, then of some £5000. Above the central fireplace is a Madonna and Child by Van Dyck, this is flanked by a Madonna and Child by Puligo, c.1520 and a painting by Alessandro Tiarini of "Angelica and Medoro with Cupid". Other paintings include a number of family portraits and flower paintings by Jean Babtiste Monnoyer. Unknown Woman (painting) The furniture includes a set of William and Mary armchairs by Thomas Roberts, a pair of contemporary torcheres by Marot and a Charles II ebonised and metal gilt table and companion mirror with crowned monogram of ralph Montagu. The Boulle bracket clock with movement by Vulliamy of London is dated 1740.

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