Sixteen Stumperlowe Probus members and their wives were guided around Renishaw Hall by senior curator and archivist Christeen Beevers, who had previously taught history in Sheffield. Carrie-Anne Burton, Renishaw’s visitor manager, had arranged it all, saying that Chris was the very best person to guide us – and she didn’t disappoint.
What struck me, apart from Renishaw’s wonderful history and collection of decorative arts, was her amazing attention to detail and breadth of knowledge from her extensive historical unearthing of the 400-year-old Sitwell archives, much of it never previously researched and published, and all at her fingertips. It’s a rare gift to keep everyone’s attention for a whole two hours.
A central theme was the artwork particularly by John Piper and Rex Whistler, both of whom spent prolonged periods at Renishaw, which now houses the world’s largest private collection of Pipers. Not usually on show was his sketch book with preparatory watercolour and ink drawings for the massive oils hanging in the original kitchen.
John Singleton Copley’s “The Sitwell Children” (1787) showed the wayward Sir George Sitwell as a child and perpetrator of a vandalised scratched windowpane, still there for all to see. That painting was parodied in 1900-01 by John Singer Sargent”s “Sitwell Family Portrait”, showing Sir George and lady Ida Sitwell with their children Edith, Osbert and Sacheverell , two of the latter sulking from a long sitting.
We saw the magnificent Chippendale commode (which has recently been copied for Harewood House by Jack Metcalfe, one of our earlier Probus speakers. The Copley, the commode and children were all transported to Sargent’s Tite Street studio in Chelsea for the sittings. Other highlights, amongst too many others to mention, were:
Salvator Rosa’s Belisarius in Disgrace with huge Venetian Doge’s chairs either side.
Library, with its original Jacobean ceiling, Whistler’s fine portrait of Edith Sitwell, and stacked with the sort of books we all might own, the original antiquarian collection having been sold off, together with most of the Hall’s contents, to pay off SirGeorge’s (2nd Baronet) huge debts.
Contemporary family portraits as an example of Alexandra’s passion for restoration and further development of the Hall and Gardens.
Lutyens antechamber.
The tour ended with an excellent buffet lunch in the Rex Whistler room, expertly managed by Natalie and her staff, and access to the Gardens for the rest of the afternoon, another fine day in an unusually hot spring. Will Probus members in 50 years’ time still be worrying about climate change?