Classical splendor : painted furniture for a grand Philadelphia house Alexandra Alevizatos Kirtley and Peggy A. Olley ; with an essay by Jeffrey A. Cohen

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Kirtley, Alexandra Alevizatos, author.

Olley, Peggy A., author.

Contributor:

Cohen, Jeffrey A., writer of supplementary textual content.

Philadelphia Museum of Art, host institution.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Latrobe, Benjamin Henry, 1764-1820.

Latrobe, Benjamin Henry.

Painted furniture--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia--History--19th century--Exibitions.

Painted furniture.

Furniture--United States--History--19th century--Exhibitions.

Furniture.

Physical Description:

160 pages : color illustrations ; 26 x 28 cm

Place of Publication:

Philadelphia : Philadelphia Museum of Art : in association with Yale University Press, 2016.

Summary:

"This handsome book explores in depth a group of stunning painted and gilded furniture designed by the architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe (1764-1820), best known for originating the plans for the United States Capitol. The furniture was made in Philadelphia for one of the city's finest houses, the home of William and Mary Wilcocks Waln, which Latrobe also designed. Drawing on a multiyear conservation and research project, Classical Splendor reveals new insights into the patrons, makers, and history behind these extraordinary pieces. In addition to extensively documenting each item, the book attests to Latrobe's significant contributions to American furniture design, his pieces for the Waln house introduced, and served as exemplars of, a classical style rooted in ancient Greek and Roman design"--Publisher's description.

Contents:

Introduction

Place, Time, and Architecture: Materialized Memory and the Moment of Latrobe's Waln House / Jeffrey A. Cohen

Social Theater: Latrobe and the Walns Set the Stage

Executing the Design: Cabinetmaker John Aitken, Decorator George Bridport, and Upholsterer John Rea

The Vanguard of Classical Splendor: Impact and Epilogue

Catalogue of Furniture for the House of William and Mary Wilcocks Waln: In the Collection of the Philadelphia Museum of Art

Notes

Checklist of the Exhibition

Chronology

Appendixes: The Insurance Surveys of 1824 and 1845; Inventory of the Personal Estate of George Bridport

Selected Bibliography

Index of Architects, Designers, Makers, and Artists.

Notes:

Published on the occasion of the exhibition held at the Philadelphia Museum of Art September 3, 2016-January 2, 2017.

Includes bibliographical references (page 159) and index.

Local Notes:

HSP credit line -- Benjamin West, Portrait of William Hamilton of The Woodlands and His Niece Mrs. James Lyle, 1812; Oil on Canvas.

ISBN:

9780300221718

9780876332702

087633270X

0300221711

OCLC:

945354285