During a recent visit to Wilmington, Delaware, I had the opportunity to visit Nemours Estate, the 77-room home and formal French gardens of industrialist Alfred I. Dupont (1864-1935) and his family. It wasn't an experience I'll soon forget.
Category: Historic Places
Conserving Violante Ferroni’s Paintings in Florence
For the past year, Florence, Italy-based conservators Elisabeth Wicks and Marina Vincenti has been restoring two important paintings by Violante Ferroni.Their context and subject matter make them even more relevant today then when the restoration first began. Read my article about the project at DailyArt Magazine.
The Veterans Room: A Gilded Age Shrine at the Park Avenue Armory
New York City's Park Avenue Armory was originally a headquarters for the National Guard's Seventh Regiment. Its Gilded Age Veterans Room is a rare surviving interior by Louis Comfort Tifffany's Associated Artists.
It’s Going to Be a Big Year for My Favorite Museums
This year is going to be epic for two of my favorite museums! The Metropolitan Museum of Art will celebrate its 150th anniversary, while the Frick Collection will begin an exciting renovation project. Learn more in my recent articles.
Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart – the Gothic Spirit in America
The Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart is a beautiful, massive Gothic Revival church in Newark, New Jersey. Join me for a virtual tour where I recap my recent visit.
Miss Florence’s Painted Dining Room
Some of the paintings in the dining room at the Florence Griswold House in Old Lyme, CT. Photo by A Scholarly Skater. I recently visited the Florence Griswold Museum - the Connecticut boardinghouse where American Impressionists of the Old Lyme Art Colony stayed and worked during summers in the early-20th century. And I saw the… Continue reading Miss Florence’s Painted Dining Room
I’ve Learned Not To Take Historic Treasures For Granted
As I'm sure all of you know by now, the Gothic cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris caught on fire yesterday and suffered extensive damage. Yesterday's events made me appreciate what a true miracle it is that any ancient treasures survive at all. But just because they've gotten this far doesn't mean that they will always be around.
Lyndhurst at Christmastime
Over the weekend, I visited Lyndhurst mansion to take the Christmas tour. Lyndhurst is a 19th-century Gothic Revival mansion in Tarrytown, New York. It was designed by Alexander Jackson Davis (1803-1892) and owned by three families, lastly that of railroad magnate Jay Gould (1836-1892). The house has all its original contents, including Tiffany stained glass windows and Gothic Revival furniture by Davis and by Herter Brothers.
The Beautiful Things of Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens
Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens in Washington D.C. was the home of Marjorie Merriweather Post. She was a great hostess, philanthropist, and art collector. Her home is gorgeous and filled with treasures.
The Jefferson Hotel, Where Gators Once Roamed
The Jefferson Hotel in Richmond, Virginia opened in 1895. It has been renovated several times since, and it's decorated in a luxurious, eclectic style.
A Scholarly Skater 