Carlton House

An examination of all of the treasures from Carlton House, from paintings and decorative arts to swords and pistols.

 

ISBN 978 0 951337 36 3

Please note, due to the publication date this catalogue may contain outdated terminology. Updated object records can be viewed on Collection Online.

On 7 November 1783 the Prince of Wales, writing from Buckingham House, informed his brother Frederick, Duke of York, 'I am hard at work upon my mansion at Carlton House, where I hope to take possession ye third or fourth of next month, tho the house will then be very far from being finished. I am adding and building considerably to it, and hope on yr. return you will not think me a bad architect'.

In March 1784 The European Magazine announced with a finality, which was to bear little relation to reality, that the alterations to Carlton House were now finished. During the next 30 out of the 42 years that George IV occupied Carlton House as his London residence, he was constantly engaged in alterations and improvements.

The apartments on all floors were in a constant state of flux and the style of the interior decoration of Carlton House evolved over the years, although there were certain recurring themes - Chinese, Gothic, classical - which were repeated in its successive transformations.