Given the choice I suppose most of us would choose Do-rich over Do-poor and I did so on a sunny morning last week. The Dorich in question is the Dorich House Museum in Kingston.
The name is twee. It derives from the first names of its owners, Dora Gordine and Richard Hare. The museum is in no way twee. It is arresting architecturally inside and out. Dora, if I may be so bold, designed it herself in 1936. She was born in Latvia, probably in 1895, when of course it was part of the Russian Empire. She moved with her family to Estonia when she was fifteen and became adept at making bronze sculptures. She worked in Paris, London and Singapore and exhibited widely. Richard Hare, son of the Earl of Listowel, was her second husband and his independent means allowed her to create the astonishing studio and home for them that is now the Dorich House Museum.
Dorich House is worth a visit for its architectural bravura alone. She drew inspiration from her homes in Paris and Singapore. However, there are two further treats: Dora’s sculptures and Richard’s collection of Russian art and artefacts – he was a Professor of Russian Literature at the School of Slavonic Studies at London University. Here is some of what I saw.
I wonder if Olivia Musgrave draws inspiration in her work from Dora? It looks like it and she could have no finer muse. Now take a look at some of the rooms. The Chinese moon doors and windows that echo the shape are spectacular.
And the roof terrace, on which Dora and Richard slept on warm nights, has wonderful views over the tree tops to Richmond Park.
One commission recalled my past life as an oil broker. Esso wanted something for a youthful Duke of Edinburgh to unveil at their Milford Haven refinery and she obliged with this bas relief, Power.
If you ask me why I got into oil, if I’m wholly truthful, I’d say it was for the money. Dear Dora dressed it up a bit:
“I set out to express the idea of oil as a great modern source of power, fluidity and movement … linked with the human form, with human beings whose needs are being served by this refinement of crude energy.”
That’s what I’ll say in future.