Displaying objects from Earl's Bedroom

Horloge - Clock - 17th c
A Gothic Iron Clock of square shape with black dial and Roman numerals and striking on one bell

Buffet - Cupboard - 16th c
A fine 16th century French walnut cupboard with pot board below, the top hinged with a recess. Carved panels depicting lovers and pastoral scenes.

Adam and Eve with All of Creation - Painting - 15th c
God created Adam and Eve together with the plants and animals on the sixth day (Gen. 1:24-31). Representations of the female nude in northern Europe tended to depict Eve as slim, high breasted and full stomached, as here, while the vegetation of Paradise is lush, with long vistas and forest glades in contrast to the southern artists who tended to show an oasis in the desert. If animals are shown, Adam is usually depicted naming the animals (Gen. 2:19-21), standing on higher ground inscribing their names in a book as they pass him. To the left, we see the animals in pairs, and behind the tree, a sleeping lion.Here we see both the Temptation and the Expulsion represented together, which is indicative of the earlier, narrative religious paintings. The main scene, in the foreground, shows Adam and Eve standing beneath the tree of knowledge, from which Adam has been forbidden to eat. Eve, holding the fruit, has passed some to Adam who is in the act of biting into the fruit, while she reaches for more. A premonition of the sense of shame to come is signified by the strategic placing of the leaves on the fruit in Eve’s hand, and the small, lower branch of the tree behind which Adam stands. Twined in the tree is the serpent who has persuaded Eve by saying ‘your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods knowing both good and evil’. The serpent has four legs and feet like a lizard’s, as it was only afterwards God cursed it, saying ‘on your belly you shall crawl’.

Oak Escritoire - Cupboard - 15th c
An unusual 15th century Oak Cupboard with fall front writing flap. Linenfold panelling to the sides, and with finely engraved hinges and escutcheons.

Oak cradle - Furniture - 17th c
A 17th century Hooded Oak Cradle with panelled at sides and ends. One side bears the date 1657 and the other the initial TS. Purchased by Trustees.

Thrown' Chair - Chair - 17th c
A Large Turned Chair of triangular seat form, the back, sides and base constructed of very elaborate, decorative turnings. Late 17th Century.

Portrait of Mary Queen of Scots - Painting - 16th c
Forty-eight portraits exist of Mary Stuart, who was born at Linlithgow Palace, Scotland on 8th February 1542. Following the death of her father James V a week later, Mary became Queen of Scotland. Mary spent most of her childhood in France, betrothed to the Dauphin Francis. A year after marriage in 1558, and upon the death of her father-in-law, the couple inherited the throne of France. Within two years, Mary was widowed, and sensing the hostility of the new regime in France, returned to her homeland of Scotland to take up the reins of power.It is at this point, 1560, that a miniature of Mary Queen of Scots was painted by an anonymous artist, and from this miniature several copies of slightly larger portraits were made. One such is in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery in London. The image shows the head and shoulders of a noble woman in contemporary hunting costume of the utmost luxury. The direct and unflinching gaze suggests strength of character, as befits a woman who was Queen of two countries and held a strong claim to the throne of a third. The image of both the painting at Bunratty, and the National Portrait Gallery, London is identical. Some differences occur, however, in the shape of the nose and earlobes, possibly due to an artist copying a miniature, which was often only a few centimetres wide.

Brass warming pan - Furniture accessory - 17th c
A 17th century Brass Warming Pan decorated with a Coat of Arms and the motto “God is all my trust”.

Pageant dress - Clothing - 17th c
A 17th century Pageant Dress in rich brocade, with green cloak.

An allegorical painting of an old man and a young woman – ‘The Marriage Portrait’ - Painting - 16th c
The inscriptions that accompany this painting outline a dialogue – possibly thoughts rather than words - between the old man and the young woman. The old man is encouraging the young woman to be diligent, hardworking, honourable, and to raise many children. The woman replies, calling him an old, unkempt horror, while her hand is reaching into his pocket.The style, technique and representation of the figures, and use of the German language would indicate this painting was of the school of Cranach. The image is, however, slightly more sophisticated than Cranach’s Adoring Husband, at the National Gallery, in Prague, which shows an identical scene, but perhaps one with happier feelings between the two figures shown. Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472-1553), named after his birthplace of Kronach in southern Germany, was an important painter, engraver and book illustrator. He travelled widely throughout the German states as an itinerant painter. Later in his life he became a personal friend of Martin Luther, and many of his images promoted the Protestant cause. Both Cranach’s sons, Hans, and Lucas the Younger, continued his workshop and his work is thus hard to identity.

Bed frame - Furniture - 16th c
A set of four early 16th century finely Carved Bed Posts with groups of cherubs (putti) around the middle and the carved canopy.

Carriage boots - Clothing - 17th c
A Pair of late 17th century Leather Thigh Boots.By the beginning seventeenth century boots had become fashionable for men and were worn at the English court during Charles I reign. (1600-1649). Charles suffered from osteomalacia (rickets) as a child and was feared would never walk without the aid of calipers. The Royal shoemaker designed boots which has concealed brass supports in the heel and ankle. Once an adult he was able to walk without the aid of his supports but continued to wear boot for preference. Tightly fitting boots became the fashion and were folded back into deep tops. The front flap of the boots provided a handsome strap to fit spurs onto. Later soft boots with baggy creases and full tops became the fashion at European courts.

Royal Armoirie - Blazon - 17th c
A fine Carved Panel, with a gadrooned frame a Royal Coat of Arms, late 17th century. Imperfect.

Italian spinning wheel - Furniture accessory - 18th c
A fine Italian Spinning Wheel with matching wool winder, inlaid with ivory. 18th century. Now restored.

The decollation of St John the Baptist - Painting - 17th c
A painted panel within a tortoise-shell frame not its original, showing a soldier with a severed head, possibly a scene of the martyrdom of St John the Baptist. The executioner presents the dripping head to Salome, step-daughter of Herod, after he rashly swore to grant her anything she wanted. John the Baptist is the link between the Old and New Testaments, being regarded as the last of the Old Testament prophets, and the first of the Saints.The dramatic lighting effect, shining in from the left of the image and reflecting off the paudron of the armour follows the technique established by Caravagio (1571-1610), in Italy during the last decade of the sixteenth century. Born Michelangelo Merisi in the Milanese village of Caravaggio, the artist revolutionised painting, rejecting the Renaissance ideas and helping to establish the Baroque. His method of painting directly from models from low life presented just as they were broke with tradition. In this image, even the soldier’s dirty finger-nails are seen. Caravaggio’s other major innovation was a heightening of dramatic effect by the use of lighting that was always contrived and often highly artificial, usually produced by his use of a basement studio and no natural daylight.The imitation of his work inspired a school of painting in Spain, the Caravaggisti and led to the art of Velasquez. In northern Europe, Caravaggio had even more followers, such as Georges de la Tour (1593-1652) in France and Gerrit van Honthurst (1590-1656) in Holland. It is possibly the work of an artist of northern Europe.

Walnut armchair - Chair - 17th c
A Walnut Armchair with turned legs, decorative front stretcher and turned side stretchers. The seat and back upholstered in velvet. French, late 17th century. Damaged.

Continental cupboard - Cupboard - 16th c
A Continental Oak Cupboard decorated with panels enclosing carved portraits within roundels. 16th Century.

Lustreweibshen - Chandelier - 16th c
A Carved Wood Chandelier in the form of a female torso, antlered, holding a shield emblazoned with lion rampant. The whole terminating in a fishtail. German, later 16th/early 17th century. (A hanging candleholder).

Standing stool - Furniture - 17th c
A late 17th century walnut Baby Walker of simple construction on four castors.

Persian rug - Rug - 17th c
A hand knotted Persian Rug