Tuesday, 21 February 2017

Banqueting House, Whitehall

Dramatic masques were performed in this space, after state dinners for James I (r. 1603-1625) and Charles I (r. 1625-1648).

Philip Bonner, Lisa Moore, Rowan Yeni, Marisa Sully, Felicity Petruzzi

The ceiling was painted by Peter Paul Rubens. The finished canvases were shipped from Holland, but had to be trimmed because foot measurements were not standardized and they did not fit.
Image result for whitehall ceiling rubens

Today, the hall has mirrors on floor stands visitors can adjust to comfortably study different parts of the ceiling.

Charles I stepped out the window of this room onto the scaffold where he was beheaded after being judged a traitor to the nation in 1649. His execution was theatrical in its own way, watched by huge crowds.









No comments:

Post a Comment