HUGIJENOT ARTISTS DESIGNERS AND CRAYPSNEN IN GREAT ...

16.
Queen Mary also took an active interest in art, and her involvement with
the rebuilding at Hampton Court is described in Wren's Parentalia,
'The Queen, upon observing the pleasant Situation of the Palace, proposed
a proper Improvement with Building and Gardening, and pleased herself
from time to time, in examinir.g and surveying the Drawings, Contrivances,
and whole Progress of the Works, and to give thereon her own Judgement, which
was exquisite; for there were few Arts, or Sciences, in which her Majesty
had not only an elegant Taste, but a Knowledge much superior to any of
her Sex.'37
After the Queen's death in 169k, the patronage of Huguenot
craftsmen at court was largely thanks to Ralph !4ontagu, who had resumed
his office as Master of the Wardrobe in 1689, after a period of voluntary
exile. William III probably maintained personal contact with Daniel Marot,
who called himself 'Architect to the King', and supervised the decoration
at Het Loo, King William's country palace in the Netherlands. Daniel
Marot designed a monument to William III which was intended for Westminster
Abbey, but was never executed, and survives in the form of an engraving.
The King reclines in armour on a sarcophagus which is decorated with a
scene of the monarch in battle, possibly the Battle of the Boyne, in relief.
Behind the Netherlands and Brita.nnia stand in respect, while the lion and
unicorn at his feet, turn to gaze at their master. Above Fame blows two
trumpets and below, the monument is flanked by winged female figures
in the process of recording William III's achievements. (P1.7)
It was twenty-six years before the Huguenot artists and craftsmen
again received vigorous royal patronage in the form of Frederick, Prince
of Wales, who arrived in England in 1728. On 6th February, 1729,
Frederick appointed Philip Mercier as his 'Principal Painter', and in
1730, Mercier became his Library Keeper. 3 Mercier's duties included
the purchase of paintings and literature for the Prince, and a list of
the French literature acquired in this way throws interesting light on
Frederick's intellectual taste. The books include, Oeuvres de Crebillon,
Rapin's History (flapin was another first generation HuguenDt refugee),
Monuments de la Monarchie Francaise, Morery's Dictionary, and Du Thou's
Historre de son Teinps. 39 The Prince also patronized the Huguenot jewellers
and toy shops, Peter Dutens, Isaac Lacam, Paul Bertrand, and Mrs.
.Lo
Chenevix; and the Huguenot carvers and frame-makers, Paul Petit, Joseph
I
Duf four, Jacob Gosset, and James Riorteau. Huguenot craftsmen also
found favour with members of Frederick's household, most notably, Charles,
5th rarl of Baltimore. 2 (P1.8)