Woburn Abbey

The Chinese Room

Until the end of the Second World War this room was called the Venetian Room, probably because of its Venetian window, during the nineteenth century it was a guest bedroom. The very fine overmantel coving was designed and carved by William Linnell (d. 1763) at a cost of £21. During the eighteenth century it was extremely fashionable to have a chinoiserie room in which all the pieces of Oriental porcelain could be displayed, over doors, in the fireplaces, and crowded on to the tops of furniture. The porcelain in this room and the wallpaper were brought from China in the mid eighteenth century. The wallpaper was designed only for the export market. It was also possible to buy extra shapes to embellish the already busy design. The colours have hardly faded since the panels were hung, confirming the excellence of the dyes used. You will notice that there is a continuous river land-scape flowing around the room and the plants, trees and birds are so accurately painted that they can be easily identified. This accuracy and attention to detail greatly impressed the great botanist Sir Joseph Banks, a friend of the 5th Duke. The wallpaper would have been brought from China on an East Indiaman, possibly the Tavistockor or the Streatham, built by the 1st and 2nd Dukes at Rotherhithe.

The ferocious-looking dogs standing on the carpet were placed outside houses to prevent evil spirits from entering. The black cabinet and stand on the right was made in England c. 1755 painted or 'japanned' to simulate Japanese lacquer.