The Picture Room

This was the High Hall of the old tower house and it was one of Robert Adam's first transformations at Culzean. The roundels in the ceiling depicting Apollo and the Muses were painted by Zucchi. However, the room, known as the Long Drawing Room, had suffered considerably during the 19th century; the delicate colouring of both the ceiling and woodwork had been obscured and the walls hung with Victorian flock paper which had subsequently been overpainted.

It was here that the 10-year rehabilitation programme started in 1972. A full inspection was carried out to discover the original colour scheme. Beneath the Victorian wallpaper the battens, complete with tacks for fixing fabric were discovered, together with the signature of Charles Boyd, upholsterer, of Edinburgh, and the date, 1795. A later signature, that of Hugh Jamieson, of Ayr, 1852, was also found, probably indicating the change from fabric to wallpaper.Although none of the original fabric had survived, the present damask was chosen to match the restored colours of the woodwork and ceiling. The earlier plan revealed that this was described as the Picture Room or Second Drawing Room which was the real clue pointing the way to the rearrangement not only of this particular room, but of the whole castle - Picture Room indicating that the best paintings would have hung here and so that is precisely what has been done.

The two marvellous Views of Culzean by Alexander Nasmyth one of which is reproduced on the inside front cover of this guidebook, take pride of place with the portrait of David, 10th Earl of Cassillis who employed Robert Adam in 1777, presiding over the central doorway. It was painted in 1764 in Rome by Pompeo Batoni. On the wall opposite the fireplace hang the delightful pair of portraits of the 11th Earl, formerly Captain Kennedy and his wife, Ann Watts of New York, painted by Mather Brown.

The marble chimney piece, the glass above it (although intended for the Buffet Room) the sconces and the torcheres were designed by Robert Adam. Indeed, the latter were designed for this room.

The tea-table, illustrated in the Dictionary of English Furniture and the three Hepplewhite arm-chairs form part of the original furnishings. The important pair of chairs is Irish and dates from the reign of George 11; they are covered in needlework, done by the Countess of Mornington, the mother of the 1st Duke of Wellington. Both the square piano by John Hingston and the harp by Erard date from the early 19th century. The clock was made by Lepaute of Paris, clockmaker to Napoleon I.