What kind of building is this and where??

[ankerdine]

I haven't laughed so much for years. When the truth "is out" I think we'll all laugh even more.

Personally, I think it's a shrine to someone who died and the nearest and dearest wanted all her possessions left as they were. It will be in a crypt somewhere. Anyone in the National Trust?

Where's her decorated jug and bowl. Maybe it's the one I bought in Moffatt!

Ankerdine

[DudleyWinchurch]

Also the large picture on the right doesn't look like a religious photo to me, since the lady seems to be bare headed...and is she showing a bit of leg...maybe a shepard girl or something?

  I think it is a reproduction of a famous painting called Lady at Toilet. (Or Something) Toilet in this case
 meaning Lady washing her legs.  Can't remember who the artist is. ( But why prop it up on a
stuffed bird instead of hanging it on a wall?)

       Tomkin

I think it's a Madonna and child, possibly the famous one with St John too, but I can only see the naked toddler standing in front of the draped knee gazing up into the face of the lady (the child's face is the centre of light in the painting),. I can't make out what detail is to the (my) left of the painting, even when magnified.

(added) you wouldn't stick nails in a wall that might be going to be reused as a chapel later

(added) like this pose of Rahael's but facing the other way.

[martianuk]

OK, to clarify, these two crazy ladies in particular, aren't likely to have lived here - the image pre-dates them. Their relatives may have though - maybe being psychic runs in the family  

Wow, phrishy, on close inspection it does look like she's sitting on the toilet  

Hadyn

I think it looks like an entertainer, with a huge Elizabethan neck collar - ruffle. Which fits in with the item in the tilting glass case.

Kirsty

[martianuk]

Also the large picture on the right doesn't look like a religious photo to me, since the lady seems to be bare headed...and is she showing a bit of leg...maybe a shepard girl or something?

  I think it is a reproduction of a famous painting called Lady at Toilet. (Or Something) Toilet in this case
 meaning Lady washing her legs.  Can't remember who the artist is. ( But why prop it up on a
stuffed bird instead of hanging it on a wall?)

       Tomkin

I don't want to try too hard to google image search lady on toilet.....but searches seem to come up with lots of hits for 'woman at her toilet' and I found a picture with a washbowl called lady at toilet - although it doesn't look like the pic in the glass negative???
any more ideas about this 'lady on toilet' idea??

Sorry to double post

Hadyn

EDIT: This is a famous photo called A woman at her toilet (1663) in the royal collection. Is this the one you are thinking of maybe?

[Gadget]

The only two famous artists that did that kind of thing around then were Bonnard and Degas, I think.

I'll take a closer look on my downloaded image.

I did some curves on the spectre in the corner and it looks to me like a man with a cloak across his left shoulder - laughing cavalier without the hat! The face did have definite features. Could it be a bust/statue of some kind?

Gadget

[Gadget]

Had a look at the woman - I think it's one of the Madonna of the <fill in as there were many done>. Definitely not a painting of the late 19th century anyway. It does look French though -l ate 18th-early 19th century

Gadget

Just added an enlargement. I think they're definitely cherubs, angels or muses and not legs, Tomkin 

Another addition - It might have been Renoir's Toilette that you were thinking of - but it's not I've just checked my books

[atom12]

 

Absolutely fascinating stuff reading through all your ideas.  At first glance I thought it was a Victorian auction room.  However, on closer inspection I don't think there would have been a made-up bed at the auction with paisley patterned bedspread.

Once I'd read on a bit and learned of the two spiritualist sisters, then looked back at the photo, you do get a feeling that the sisters - or someone else did use the room.  Why else would there be two beds, all the photos be set out nicely on the table and the chests of drawers.  Then there  is a candle/holder close by the photos on the table.  At the centre back wall appears to be a dressing table with mirror and stool.  Not forgetting what appears to be the typically Victorian aspidistra plant on the small round table.

It all makes for a rather feminine room which could be a former private chapel in a big house - but not a crypt. But, why they set-out the two beds like that, heaven knows.  

Will the mystery ever be resolved?

[SooCatt]

Looks like a right Royal railway carriage to me   

[Lydart]

Someone PLEASE tell me where the second bed is ?   I just can't spot it ?