DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.22423#0479
Letter XXXIII. DUKE OF BEDFORD'S COLLECTION.
467
In the centre of this ante-room stands a marble vase, 4 ft. 7 in.
high, 3 ft. 4 in. in diameter, found in Adrian's Tiburtine villa.
It is adorned with bacchanalian genii, happily designed in alto-
rilievo. One, dancing, is treading the grapes in a vessel; two
others are bringing fresh grapes ; another, with a wine-skin, is
dancing. The workmanship is indifferent, and many parts have
been restored. The lower part of the vessel is adorned with acan-
thus-leaves. Around the edge runs a wreath of vine-leaves and
grapes. In a splendid work which the Duke has caused to be
executed, it is represented in the fourth plate.* I avail myself of
this work in the following remarks :—
The Gallery of Antiques has a very noble effect. It is 138 ft.
long, 25 ft. wide, and 22|ft. high, and well lighted by eight large
semicircular windows on one side; in the centre is a circular
cupola, of well-proportioned height, supported by eight antique
pillars of costly marbles, with Corinthian capitals of the richest
form. Two of the pillars are of African breccia, two of Cipol-
lino, two of Bigio, one of Fior di Persico, and one of a very
rare alabaster. At one end of the gallery is the Temple of
Liberty, at the other the Temple of the Graces. The sculptures
are placed partly along the wall opposite to the windows, partly
in two rows in the middle.
The Lanti vase, the most splendid object in the whole collec-
tion, is placed in a kind of niche formed by the rotunda. This
beautiful marble vase is 6 ft. 2 in. in diameter, and 6 ft. in height,
so that it is nearly equal to the Warwick vase, the diameter of
which is only 8 in. more. The general form is the same ; the
handles, too, are formed in the same manner, only they do not
imitate vine-branches surrounding the whole vase, but are fluted
from the lower part to the middle ; and the upper end runs into
delicate acanthus-leaves, and soon terminates with a shoot that
joins it. Like the Warwick vase, it is adorned with bacchanalian
masks ; only here they are not of arbitrary arrangement, but
regularly disposed at equal distances, and all eight in front.
Except two they are all bearded. Some of them are of a merely
animal character; others, especially a bearded Bacchus, have a
more elevated type. Many parts of these masks have been re-
* Outline Engravings and Descriptions of the "Woburn Abbey Marbles. 1822.
One vol. folio. The text by Dr. Hunt. A copy of this work, which is only given to
the Duke's friends, is in the Royal Library at Berlin.
2 ii 2
467
In the centre of this ante-room stands a marble vase, 4 ft. 7 in.
high, 3 ft. 4 in. in diameter, found in Adrian's Tiburtine villa.
It is adorned with bacchanalian genii, happily designed in alto-
rilievo. One, dancing, is treading the grapes in a vessel; two
others are bringing fresh grapes ; another, with a wine-skin, is
dancing. The workmanship is indifferent, and many parts have
been restored. The lower part of the vessel is adorned with acan-
thus-leaves. Around the edge runs a wreath of vine-leaves and
grapes. In a splendid work which the Duke has caused to be
executed, it is represented in the fourth plate.* I avail myself of
this work in the following remarks :—
The Gallery of Antiques has a very noble effect. It is 138 ft.
long, 25 ft. wide, and 22|ft. high, and well lighted by eight large
semicircular windows on one side; in the centre is a circular
cupola, of well-proportioned height, supported by eight antique
pillars of costly marbles, with Corinthian capitals of the richest
form. Two of the pillars are of African breccia, two of Cipol-
lino, two of Bigio, one of Fior di Persico, and one of a very
rare alabaster. At one end of the gallery is the Temple of
Liberty, at the other the Temple of the Graces. The sculptures
are placed partly along the wall opposite to the windows, partly
in two rows in the middle.
The Lanti vase, the most splendid object in the whole collec-
tion, is placed in a kind of niche formed by the rotunda. This
beautiful marble vase is 6 ft. 2 in. in diameter, and 6 ft. in height,
so that it is nearly equal to the Warwick vase, the diameter of
which is only 8 in. more. The general form is the same ; the
handles, too, are formed in the same manner, only they do not
imitate vine-branches surrounding the whole vase, but are fluted
from the lower part to the middle ; and the upper end runs into
delicate acanthus-leaves, and soon terminates with a shoot that
joins it. Like the Warwick vase, it is adorned with bacchanalian
masks ; only here they are not of arbitrary arrangement, but
regularly disposed at equal distances, and all eight in front.
Except two they are all bearded. Some of them are of a merely
animal character; others, especially a bearded Bacchus, have a
more elevated type. Many parts of these masks have been re-
* Outline Engravings and Descriptions of the "Woburn Abbey Marbles. 1822.
One vol. folio. The text by Dr. Hunt. A copy of this work, which is only given to
the Duke's friends, is in the Royal Library at Berlin.
2 ii 2