THE RED DRAWING-ROOM.
WILLIAM CAVENDISH, FIRST DUKE OF NEWCASTLE. BY DOBSON.
Opening out from the Study is the Red Drawing-room, hung entirely with family portraits. The two most important are "Lady Lincoln with the Harp," and that of her husband in a pink fancy dress of the time of Charles I. There is, I believe, some doubt expressed as to these two pictures being by Gainsborough; but I have lately discovered an old catalogue printed in 1800 with his name given as the artist, and I think a catalogue printed so near the date of the painting is bound to be correct; at any rate, whoever the artist, they are beautiful examples of his art. The other pictures include a Dobson of William Cavendish, first Duke of Newcastle, the Prime Minister Duke, and his brother, Henry Pelham, the Chancellor, by Hoare.
The Billiard-room is also on this side of the house; it was built after the fire, and contains a very fine Snyder of a panther killing a wild boar, a very fine Van Dyck of Sir William Killigrew, two other Van Dycks, several Lelys, a Van Os, Salvator Rosa, Richardson, and a Holbein of "Geraldine, the fair Maid of Surrey," and first Countess of Lincoln. On the other side are the Offices and State Dining-room. Here are Snyder's four famous "Market Pieces"; one of these was seriously injured in the fire, half of it being entirely destroyed. Beside these are two very fine Zuccarellis and a Weenix.
THE BILLIARD-ROOM.