Hopetoun house

Hopetoun House was maybe the best of the grand houses and castles I visited on this journey. The house was originally designed by William Bruce but later extended by William Adam. Next to the wonderful interiors there were some other aspacts that made me instantly fall in love with it.




I visited the house late in the afternoon so it was rather quiet and there were practically no other visitors walking in the way :p. What instantly grasped me were the fabrics. Most of them were still the originals (or at least very old replacements). In most houses you visit the old worn materials have been replaced with new sparkling bright copies.




Here the silk damasks were visibly affected by time, the colors were shot and the fabrics were threadbare from time to time. Not that they were left to hang and decay further, were the fabric was really thin a kind of tule was adjusted to it to keep it from falling apart.



I had seen this only once before with a delicate early nineteenth century dress in a museum in Riga. You might argue that fabrics that are already so damaged by time should not be exposed to any more light and the force of gravity. With for example unique clothes I would probably agree with that. But with interior decoration I think it is important to show the 'real' thing (also because the damasks are often not as unique as for example centain clothes or tapestries) and to show how time changes the appearance of everything.



I really apreciated the efforts that were taken to preserve the original fabrics.
Another possitive aspect was that you could take photo's (no flash ofcourse). In most places I've visited thay did not allow you to take any pictures.