Historic Places

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.

French · Gargoyles

Charles Meryon’s “Le Stryge” (a Grotesque)

Charles Méryon (1821-1868) was a very talented French etcher who is best known for his series of prints depicting Paris. (Etching is a form of printmaking.) One of his most famous prints depicts a grotesque on the façade of Notre-Dame de Paris. Apparently, Méryon's image is a big part of how this grotesque became so iconic.

Historic Places

Kingscote (My Newport Adventures)

Kingscote was owned by George Nobel Jones, and then several generations of the King family (who obviously gave it the name). The home was built in 1841 but substantially enlarged in the 1880s for the Kings. The original house was designed by Richard Upjohn, and the addition was by McKim, Mead, and White.  Kingscote is large and impressive,… Continue reading Kingscote (My Newport Adventures)

Historic Places

My visit to Lyndhurst, an American castle

Lyndhurst is an huge house in Tarrytown, New York. It was home to politician William Paulding, businessman George Merritt, and finally Gilded Age industrialist Jay Gould and his family. Lyndhurst has incredible Gothic Revival architecture, stained glass windows by Louis Comfort Tiffany and John LaFarge, and great furniture.

French · Gargoyle of the Day

Gargoyle of the Day: Notre Dame de Paris

Today's grotesque is a true classic. The gargoyles of Notre Dame cathedral in Paris are neither the oldest nor the most interesting of their kind, but they have certainly become the most famous. The interior and exterior of this church, which was a major milestone in the history of Gothic architecture, were both rather creatively restored by Gothic Revival proponent… Continue reading Gargoyle of the Day: Notre Dame de Paris

Gargoyle of the Day

Gargoyle of the Day: William Rainey Harper Memorial Library, Chicago

I have recently become obsessed with gargoyles and grotesques who are reading. (Possibly I feel kinship to them.) While doing research on collegiate gargoyles and grotesques a few months ago, I realized how many colleges and universities have at least one sculpture of someone reading a book. Both people and animals are shown in this studious pursuit, and they are… Continue reading Gargoyle of the Day: William Rainey Harper Memorial Library, Chicago

Gargoyle of the Day

Gargoyle of the Day: Chhatrapati Shivaji (Victoria) Terminus, Mumbai, India

The Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus is a railway station in Mumbai, India. Formerly called the Victoria Terminus, it was designed by Frederick William Stevens and constructed between 1878 and 1888, during British colonial rule of India.(1) The building is Victorian Gothic in style but also clearly reflects some characteristics of native Indian architectural traditions. According to UNESCO's website… Continue reading Gargoyle of the Day: Chhatrapati Shivaji (Victoria) Terminus, Mumbai, India