life
ANTIQUES
By Philip Hoare
Article by Philip Hoare
I was going to write about the
Kamakura and Muromachi
period of Japanese architecture
today but the sun is shining
and I’m feeling rather peckish
- so I have decided to talk
about picnics instead! There
is nothing better on a fine
summer’s day then rolling out
a blanket over fresh, verdant
grass and unpacking a hamper of
delights! I must say I am rather
extravagant at my picnics and
they usually involve a chilled
bottle of Chablis or two! If you
really want to push the boat out,
60
Picnic
Victoria!
why not take along candelabra
and fine cut crystal? In my
opinion there is no better way to
spend a day then drinking in the
park or indulging in a cider by
the river!
The word picnic itself can be
traced back to France, in 1682
the word ‘pique-nique’ can be
found in ‘Origines de la Langue
Française de Ménage’ it refers
to a group of people dining in
a restaurant who brought their
own wine, in my opinion the
very essence of the picnic itself
is that everybody contributes a
delicious treat! One could say
that the earliest
picnics in England
were medieval
hunting feasts in the
14th Century; these
feasts would take
place before the
hunt itself.
It was in Victorian
England, however,
that picnics
found increased
vitality and they
are romanticized about in the
writings of Austin, Dickens
and Trollope. The concept of a
picnic is that everybody dines
outside, preferably on a sunny
day, but more importantly
each individual should bring
something to the feast. There
is no specific host, and in that
respect, picnics are pressure
free, informal and incredibly
enjoyable. Queen Victoria was
so fond of the Isle of Wight as a
picnic venue, she would invite
various Heads of State to her
magnificent Island residence
Osbourne House. There, on the
magnificent grounds, people
would enjoy alfresco dining,
taking in both the cool, healing
air and the spectacular and
therapeutic vista of the sea.
When I was a boy I would
meet my grandmother every
summer Sunday for a picnic in
Bushy Park, She would always
pick the same spot under a large
oak tree and there we would sit
for hours eating and drinking
while she told me the stories
of her life. I used to enjoy her
hard boiled eggs and baked
ham especially. Even though we
used to attract great hordes of
wasps with our jam sandwiches
it was very enjoyable indeed and
I lament the passing of those
halcyon days.
Picnics are still incredibly
popular today both in England
and abroad. In France to
celebrate the first Bastille day of
the new Millennium a 600 mile
picnic took place from coast to
coast! And In the States on the
4th of July people take to the
parks to celebrate Independence
day.
I’m sure we’ll have some
excellent weather this summer;
the Island is such a wonderful
place for an outdoor celebration
and I hope you have a chance
to enjoy our lush countryside.
Now, where did I put my
hamper?
Philip Hoare has been a
specialist and a valuer of Art
and Antiques for over 40 years.
Mobile: 07773 877 242
Email: [email protected]
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