INTERESTING AUT DISCOVERIES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 15, 12 October 1907, Page 12

INTERESTING AUT DISCOVERIES.

The renovation of a Somewhat celebrated old building' in Aberdeen lias brought to light some interesting OxanlpleS of, decorative art at the end. of the seventeenth century* The building referred 1 to stands In the Gtiestrow of the shim districts of the city —and was erected about 1676, although a portion of it dates back to , 1580'. During tho Jafiobita rebellion of 1745 the house was lent by its then.owner '—Mr. Thomson, an advocate—to the Duke of Cumberland, who .Occupied it as his residenco during his' six'weeks' Btay. in tho city, and not dnly made very free with all it Contained, but on his departure very unhandsomely carried oir all tho valuables he could possoss himself of. Binco that date tho house has changod'hands many times, and latterly hns< been used as a Common lodging-iouse—a purpose to which it was well adapted, as it contained numerous rooms. It was in a small panelled, all: antechamber— that tho discovery referred,to. was made. Ordinarily oiie Would have expected tlint the panels themselves would hats been tho portions decorated with Subjects, but it is, not §0 ill this case. Tne panels have been painted very boldly with an offectivo imitation of marble, and the stiles and rails en<slosihg\tho panels liavo beeli carefully and minutely treated with painted decoration on a black ground. Tho decorations include groups of landscapes with trees and with towers,' spires, oastles, and ruins. The work Ms boon dono with great skill, and is evidently by a thorough craftsman'. A feature • of it is tho brilliance of tho colouring, whioh in soflis portions is probably as perfect as On'tho day when it was applied. To all appearance, tho painting is contemporaneous with tho dato of tho OreotiOn of tho house, so that it is probably about 230 years old. The whole decoration of tho l'Ooili is an extremely interesting example of tho decoration Of the period, which appears to have been largely influenced by.the art of tho Low Countries; and it displays tho high ability and cultivation of tho craftsmen of tho time. The coiling of a snlall apartment in the older part ot tho liouso is painted in tho Flemish manner. One of the panels—although much faded—evidently portrays tho Ascension; and anothor tho Crown of Thorns and the Five Wounds; This apartment was probably used as a private chapel. An extraordinary amount 6f interest has been taken in tlieso discoveries, and for sonic tinlo past tho house has been visited on ail averago by between twO alld three hundred people daily.