China at Harewood
Exquisite hand-painted Chinese wallpaper from the 18th century has been used to redecorate the newly restored East Bedroom at Harewood House near Leeds, providing a stunning centre piece to the 'China at Harewood' exhibition.
Visitors to the home of the Queen's cousin, the Earl of Harewood, will be the first members of the public to view the paper which was lost for over 150 years.
The wallpaper depicts scenes of Chinese life and is thought to have been part of a scheme commissioned by Edwin Lascelles in 1769 for the Chintz Bedroom.
Twenty rolls of the wallpaper were discovered in a carpenter's loft in one of the Estate's outbuildings in 1988. They were recently restored with the aid of grants from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the Wolfson Foundation, the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation and the European Commission.
Allyson McDermott, the country's foremost historic wallpaper conservator, restored Harewood's Chinese paper and said, "It is possibly one of the best examples of Chinese wallpaper anywhere in the world. The colours are wonderful and the quality of painting extraordinary. What Harewood has is something wonderful and unique".
The East Bedroom also contains Chinese-style Thomas Chippendale furniture including a restored commode, clothes press, night stands and a special Chinese mirror designed to match the wallpaper.
The 'China at Harewood' exhibition runs throughout 2008. Harewood House also attracts visitors for its art collections, State Rooms, exhibitions and landscaped grounds.
For those planning a short break to the area, there is the Yorkshire Planetarium; the city centre including Granary Wharf, museums and galleries such as Leeds Art Gallery and upmarket stores like Harvey Nichols; and the Yorkshire Dales to explore.
Written by: Maxine Clarke
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