Banqueting House will soon have a new look. The major conservation project will soon be underway, with the property covered top to bottom in a wrap ‘telling’ passerby the unique history of this remarkable building.
Built in 1619 by Inigo Jones for James 1, Banqueting House is the only surviving building from the old Whitehall Palace. Credit: Historic Royal Palaces
The coverings known as trompe l’oeil, are an art technique utilising realistic imagery to create the optical illusion that the illustrated objects are three-dimensional.
The covered windows will display a projected animation sequence highlighting important characters from the building’s history.
Appointed by Historic Royal Palaces for the project were Northover & Brown, a London-based design company.
“They were looking for something to show how the building is revolutionary on a number of levels and maybe reference the Rubens ceiling,” commented Melanie Nothover.
Commissioned by Charles in around 1629-1630, Sir Peter Paul Reubens painted the world-renowned ceiling canvasses. The canvasses are the only arrangement by the Flemish artist that remain in its original position to this day.
The canvasses are rather large; two of them measure 9×6 metres. The second set measures 13×3 metres. Painted in Antwerp and shipped to London in October 1635, by March of 1636 the prints were on display in the Banqueting House.
The trompe l’oeil design references Ruben’s ceiling and gives the sense of the building being torn open to divulge the secret history inside.
The bottom section of the wraps installation, slated for completion in March, will feature the building’s history in a timeline format complete with portraits and historical information.
Whitehall met its fate by fire in 1698 when some linen caught fire and in a matter of five short hours, decimated the Palace. The only surviving structures were Banqueting House and the Whitehall and Holbein gates.
Sir Christopher Wren did refit Banqueting House into a Chapel Royal to replace the Tudor Chapel destroyed in the fire. The Banqueting House remained in use as a chapel until 1890.
The 18th century saw widespread repairs to the building and ceiling. In 1732, the Rubens painting and decoration of the hall was overseen by William Kent, whilst Sir William Chambers began work on the exterior. A stronger Portland stone replaced the original basement Oxford stone; this changed some of Inigo Jone’s original appearance.
Beginning in 1829, architects Sir John Soane and Sir Robert Smirke began what would be the most all-encompassing refurbishment of the Banqueting House.
In 1890, the Chapel Royal Commissioners allowed approval to cease Whitehall Chapel as a place of worship. The Schmidt organ of 1676 moved to the Chapel of St Peter ad Vincula at the Tower of London, and other church fixtures removed. Queen Victoria granted the Banqueting House to the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) for use as a museum in 1893.
The museum closed in 1962 and the great south window, earlier obstructed by the RUSI building, refurbished.
The Banqueting House, located across from Horse Guards Parade, is the only complete building of Whitehall Palace which still exists, and acted as the sovereign’s primary home from 1530 until the reign of William III.
Photo Credit: Historic Royal Palaces
