Thomas Cole's The Past (1838) has recently taken hold of my imagination in a big way. This cheerful depiction of a medieval tournament is one of several delightful Cole paintings I've discovered through my newest research project. Here are my many thoughts on this delightful painting.
Tag: Gothic Revival
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.
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.
You Can Now Take My Gothic Architecture Course Online
For the past few months, I've been working with Citaliarestauro.com, a Portuguese e-learning company specializing in art history, to create an online course about the history of Gothic architecture. I'm so excited to announce that it is now available for purchase!
A Chateau in North Carolina – My Visit to Biltmore
The Biltmore in Asheville, North Carolina, was once the home of George Vanderbilt and his family. Now a resort and historic site, it was the main destination of my recent vacation.
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.
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)
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.
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: 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
A Scholarly Skater 