Dismantling the Sea-Dog Table

This banqueting table exemplifies the spectacular European design Tudor courtiers enjoyed. It was made in France at the request of English Countess Bess of Hardwick and her husband, Lord Shrewsbury. After their marriage floundered, Bess took the table with her, subsequently moving it to the magnificent new home she built at Hardwick Hall. The table’s most astonishing feature is the way it can be quickly and smoothly taken apart into seventeen separate elements making for easy movement around and between its wealthy owners’ different properties. Tudor England entertained at a demanding pace, with feasts and festivities taking place throughout the year to honor religious holidays, as well as the expectation that every good host should welcome guests and visitors with multi-course banquets. Spreads of rich pies, whole fishes, and spit-roasted beast and fowl, were succeeded by colorful arrays of marzipan, pastries and sweetmeats, flavored and colored by spices and dried fruits imported from across the globe.

Featured Artwork: The “Sea-Dog” Table, probably Paris, ca. 1575. Walnut wood, gilded silver, marbled inlay, 33 ½ x 58 x 33 ½ in. (85 x 147 x 85 cm.). National Trust, Hardwick Hall, The Devonshire Collection

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