A space of significance: The evolution of the Stuart Withdrawing Room
Julia Hamilton
Independent Scholar
The Stuart Bedchamber has taken centre stage in the historiography of seventeenth-century ceremony and furnishings, particularly from the Restoration period onwards. Yet, the Stuart Withdrawing Room was also a significant space within the royal sequence. From the reign of James VI & I to James II, it was used as a venue for private audiences. Such consistency of spatial practice met the expectations of the court and foreign visitors. However, the Stuart Withdrawing Room was given additional spatial meanings to suit the needs of each monarch and queen consort. This seminar will chart the development of the Withdrawing Room from 1603-1688 to provide fresh light on the accessibility of the Stuart court. It will illuminate how interior decoration was employed to communicate functionality, spatial relationships, and the Withdrawing Room’s rising significance in the Stuart sequence.
