Jewellery & Watch News
Summer is here and so is Chatsworth’s latest exhibition: Life Stories. From 18 May to 3 October 2021, you can encounter never-heard-before stories about the lives of people associated with Chatsworth. Stories both unexpected and familiar are brought to life through pairings of people and things in the house, from paintings to objects to pieces of jewellery handcrafted by C W Sellors, witness unique items all of which have a link to Chatsworth in some way.
Alongside the Chatsworth Life Stories exhibition and the reopening of the house, two medieval masterpieces are returning to Chatsworth after more than 60 years. At almost 600 years old and measuring more than 11 x 4 metres each, the Devonshire Hunting Tapestries will go on display for visitors for one season only. This is not an opportunity you want to miss out on…
The Devonshire Hunting Tapestries
The Devonshire Hunting Tapestries are the only great 15th century hunting tapestries to have survived and are one of the largest pictorial representations of any kind from their period. The breathtaking scenes depicted show marvellously dressed noble men and women hunting in fictional landscapes alongside creatures like boars, bears, swans, otters, deer and falconry. During this time, and even now, tapestries were enormously costly objects and were therefore reserved for only the wealthiest families. The Devonshire Hunting Tapestries surviving over six centuries is a miracle and to be get an insight into medieval life through these scenes of people, forests and animals, is a must for any history connoisseur.
The tapestries are believed to have been made in Arras, France between 1425-1450 and belonged to the Devonshire family for more than 500 years. In 1957, they were assumed by HM Government in lieu of tax payable on the estate of the 10th Duke of Devonshire and were assigned to the Victoria and Albert Museum where they have been kept ever since. In celebration of the house reopening after more than six months of closure, Chatsworth are working in partnership with the Victoria and Albert Museum to bring the tapestries back to the house for an eight-month display.
“It is a great privilege to welcome these tapestries back to Chatsworth; they had been part of the Collection for very many years until they were given in partial lieu of death duties in the 1950s. Since then, they have been superbly looked after at the V&A Museum and we are delighted that they are allowing us to enjoy them here in Derbyshire once again for a few months in 2021.” - The Duke of Devonshire
Chatsworth Life Stories Exhibition
As you walk through Chatsworth’s Life Stories exhibition, you are invited to explore the lives of people associated with Chatsworth. Stories of the family members, their friends and artists who worked with them are discovered through the pairing of portraits and objects. Visitors are invited to consider the lives of the people represented, their humanity and complexity and the similarities between us.
Within the exhibition, you will also see a stunning replica pearl necklet of the one worn by Bess of Hardwick which has been entirely designed and handcrafted by C W Sellors. We are immensely proud to have collaborated with Chatsworth on this creation, bringing to life the famous portrait of Elizabeth Talbot, Countess of Shrewsbury, known as ‘Bess of Hardwick ’, with the four stand pearl necklace displayed proudly by the portrait’s side. To mark our collaboration worth Chatsworth for this exhibition, we have also created our own Life Stories jewellery collection inspired by Bess' pearl necklace which you can view here.
Life Stories will run throughout the house, showcasing several other fascinating objects including a pair of sculptures depicting British sculptor Elisabeth Frink and an elaborate silver lock, loaned from the Burghley House Preservation Trust once part of the 27th century apartments at Chatsworth, occupied by Elizabeth Cecil, Countess of Devonshire. When you reach the last room, you will enter the magnificent Sculpture Gallery, where the Devonshire Hunting Tapestries will be hung on the walls.
More information and ticket bookings, head over to https://www.chatsworth.org/.
Photos courtesy of Chatsworth House Trust
