Kissingers at River House

"Los Kissinger en su casa de Nueva York" is an article torn from a magazine The Devoted Classicist found while going through an unlabeled file recently.  Although the article is unmarked, there is no mistaking that it is from Hola! magazine.  It probably dates from the 90s, when I first discovered the popular periodical from Spain and used it for Show & Tell readings to cheer up a very ill friend.  The magazine's format is simple, but tried-and-true, with at-home interviews accompanied by as many as a dozen snapshot-like portraits with a wide angle lens that also manages to get in plenty of the decor.

Nancy and Henry Kissinger (seated).

Nancy Kissinger is a member of the Board of Directors of the Queen Sofia Spanish Institute, located in a handsome, landmark, 1927 Federal Revival townhouse designed by McKim, Mead & White;  it was donated by Margaret Rockefeller Strong de Larrain, Marquesa de Cuevas, in 1965.  The article marks the ocassion of Mrs. Kissinger being that year's chairperson of the fund-raising gala that honors the Gold Medal award winners that have been recognized for their contributions to the betterment of relations between the United States and Spain.  (Dr. Henry Kissinger was one of the honorees in 2005, and recently-in-the-news newlywed H.E. The Duchess of Alba in 2008).  But before the photos of the Kissingers' apartment, some background on the famous building, River House.

One of the most prestigious apartment buildings in Manhattan is the 26 story River House located at 435 East 52nd Street.  And it is among the most exclusive buildings, with the co-operative By-Laws reportedly prohibiting the building's name or address in real estate sale listings.

The courtyard entrance of River House.

Located on the bank of the East River, its relatively secluded location (Greta Garbo lived across the street) on a dead-end street with entrance through a private courtyard allowing limousines to pull up to the door is a considerable selling point.

A vintage view of the Reception Hall of River House.

Past the doorman and the Foyer is a long gallery Reception Hall that overlooks the Fountain Court (as seen in the first image) and the East River beyond.  Mirrored panels of verre eglomise waterway scenes by Jan Juta, 1895-1990, are featured in the space decorated by Ernesta Beaux.  (For more on these two talents, and a better look at one of these murals, see the Aestheticus Rex blog).  Marble Art Deco versions of classical fluted pilasters flank the murals and give visual support to the cornice decorated by alternating moons and stars.  The original scheme had creme cast plaster gulls on a pinkish-brown ceiling above the Beaux-designed rugs in tones of brown, lemon yellow, henna and gray to compliment Directoire Revival and Empire/Beidermeier Revival furnishings.

Watercolor renderings of the river landing from the original sales prospectus.

A river landing was another original feature, but it lasted only until the FDR Drive was constructed in 1934.  The River Club, limited to 400 men and women from New York and 200 from other states, is an original amenity that still exists with an indoor swimming pool, two indoor championship tennis courts, ballroom, oyster bar, dining room, and 26 suites for out-of-town members and guests.  In addition to the separate 52nd Street entrance, there was previously an entrance from the river landing, and there is an elevator entrance from the River House lobby.

The Lounge at the Indoor Swimming Pool of the River Club.

A vintage view of an indoor tennis court at the River Club.

The entire building, including the River Club, was designed by William Lawrence Bottomley, the principal of the architectural firm Bottomley, Wagner, & White, and built 1929-32.  River views, privacy, and natural ventilation were all carefully considered for each of the 64 simplex (one story), duplex (two story), and triplex (three story) apartments, varying from 8 to 17 rooms. 

A typical floor plan of River House.

A very unusual feature is the interlocking plans of the "E" and "F" duplex apartments which have the public rooms of the apartment on the lower floor on one side of the wind and the private rooms on the opposite side above, allowing for variations in exposure.  Also, the ceiling heights vary, higher in the entertaining levels and lower in the bedroom levels. 

Floor Plans for the tower apartments and the "E" and "F" duplexes.

Tower apartments with exposures on all four sides start on the 17th floor.  The top of the building was originally a triplex with private terraces, but it was later divided to two apartments, a duplex and a simplex above.  (That duplex was famously owned by Susan and John Gutfreund in the 1980s, with a number of so-called "bad neighbor" incidents reported in the tabloids including the hoisting of a 22 foot Christmas tree up the outside of the building via a wrench mounted on their upstairs neighbor's terrace).

View from a penthouse terrace at River House.

Those living outside the big urban areas often find the concept of a co-operative building difficult to understand.  In the briefest of terms, a purchase involves shares in ownership and the right to occupy a specific apartment.  It also means that a potential buyer has to be approved by the Board, and rejection requires no explanation.  In a well-publicized lawsuit, Gloria Vanderbilt sued, claiming that she was not even allowed an interview.  Others who reportedly were turned away were Richard Nixon and Diane Keaton.

Henry Kissinger has lived in River House for decades and is always mentioned whenever there is a list of residents, so The Devoted Classicist is not compromising any confidences here.  It is a guess that this is an "E" duplex by interpreting the photos, but it is only a guess, and nothing is known about the decorator.  Considering the owners' wealth, education and exposure, the Living Room is remarkably unfinished.  Perhaps when it is filled with people, the flaws are less noticeable.  The scraggly potted orchids, and bunches of dried hydrangeas, inexpensive decoration, would indicate that at-home entertaining is infrequent.  The presence of at least four crystal ashtrays might contradict that, however.

Despite the over-use of green, this writer would have considered window treatments that were the same color as the walls, letting the Bessarabian rug be the major colorful pattern, and added throw pillows.  Also, the room would be improved if art could play a bigger role.  The lacquered and inlaid pieces do add a richness, however.  The original 6-over-6 double hung windows have been replaced with single pane tilt-turn sash that unfortunately give big expanses of darkness at night.

This writer, influenced by former employer Sister Parish, favors black candles, too, but does not display them without first burning the wicks briefly.  A manila clasp envelope on the left cabinet, presumed to be a late nineteenth century Boulle revival pair, appears in a previous shot.

Although the two-panel screen mounted on the wall above the canape is not objectionable, a stronger piece of art would help distract from the "legginess" of the furniture.  Just guessing, it looks like there is seating for at least 21 in this room, which is good;  a Living Room should seat, at the very least, the same number as the Dining Room.

Again, it is not that the furnishings themselves are objectionable; it is just an uncomfortable arrangement.  It is hoped that this rare, un-styled look into a celebrity interior was appreciated from a socio-anthropological and decorative point of view.  Do the readers have any suggestions for the Kissingers for a little home improvement?

The color vintage photos of River House are from THE WORK OF WILLIAM LAWRENCE BOTTOMLEY IN RICHMOND by William B. O'Neal and Christopher Weeks, University Press of Virginia, and the black & white photos are from THE ARCHITECTURE OF WILLIAM LAWRENCE BOTTOMLEY by Susan Hume Frazer, Acanthus Press, available here.   The photos of the Kissingers in their River House apartment are from HOLA! magazine, available here.

The Travellers: Victor Brauner Portrait

As a continuation of The Travellers, a series where the same piece of furniture or artwork is shown used in different locations, this edition features a provocative portrait by Romanian-born Victor Brauner, 1903-1966.  Although associated with the Surrealists for much of his career, The Devoted Classicist guesses that this work was executed after his formal break with that group in 1948.  The artist's work always featured symbolism and color, but unfortunately nothing specific can be related about this particular work.

In this Dining Room in the Seventh Arrondissement of Paris decorated by Alberto Pinto, the portrait is installed opposite the entrance to the room.  The 18th century paneling was given carved plume finials by Pinto and inserts of what appears to be gilt-stamped leather.  The text that accompanies these color photos is translated from French and more than a little cryptic, but states that the portrait is placed to focus attention.  And it states that the portrait is part of a multicultural design mixture that includes the haute epoque chandelier and an upper wall display of Spanish and Brazilian silver plates.

A previous installation of the portrait was in the main room of a Louis XIII period manor house.  Along with a suede (or velvet) contemporary sectional sofa, the painting offers sharp contrast to the traditional patterned terra cotta floor, textured whitewashed walls, and solid wood ceiling beams.  It is also interesting to note that the painting was reframed for the more formal Dining Room, with less carving on a partially gilded profile and with the omission of the linen liner.

The color images are from ALBERTO PINTO CLASSICS, published by Rizzoli, 2001.  The black & white image is from DECORATION, VOLUME II, published by French & European Publications, 1963.  The previous entries in The Travellers series can be revisited by clicking on the key words chimneypiece, folding screen, and sunburst clock.

Hardwick Hall and the Cavendish Dynasty

The roof of Hardwick Hall.  The "ES" and countess's coronet is repeated 18 times on the six turrets, representing Elizabeth, Countess of Shrewsbury, better known as Bess of Hardwick, born a penniless girl who became the second richest woman in England.

Elizabeth Hardwicke, Countess of Shrewsbury, 1527-1608, was the richest woman in England after Queen Elizabeth I.  Married four times, with each husband richer than the last, Bess of Hardwick -- as she is often referred as -- was the founder of the Cavendish dynasty and builder of Derbyshire's two greatest houses, Chatsworth and Hardwick Hall.  Designed by architect Robert Smythson and built 1590-1597, Hardwick Hall is one of the earliest symbols of the Renaissance in England where fortifications were no longer necessary for country manors.  "Hardwick Hall, more window than wall" was a popular saying in the time where great expanses of glass were an ultimate luxury and a symbol of immense wealth.  A secondary residence of the Dukes and Duchessess of Devonshire, it has been altered little and many of the present furnishings are listed in the 1601 inventory.

The door from the roof to the banqueting room.  The grinning mask is a motif that recurs all over Hardwick Hall.

An original feature was to allow Bess and her guests to walk on the roof and take refreshments in a banqueting room located in one of the turrets.  (As an Attingham student attending a lecture at Hardwick Hall, the opportunity to walk the roof and view the still-beautiful countryside was a memorable treat for The Devoted Classicist).  The other five turrets served to house bachelor guests and later, servants (although the adjacent Hardwick Old Hall, now in ruins, was also used to house guests and servants).

Steps of huge oak timbers lead up to the roof.

The plan of the house is interesting and unique, with the ceilings of the three main floors increasing in height.  The state rooms occupy the second floor and the Long Gallery and High Great Chamber, the third floor.

The Long Gallery at Hardwick Hall.

The Long Gallery is about 150 feet long and roughly 24 feet high, particularly impressive due to the enormous windows.  The rush matting is one of the furnishings that has continued to be used in the house from the beginning, sprinkled with water to refresh it and replaced as necessary.

A corner of the Long Gallery of Hardwick Hall.

The Long Gallery features early 17th century Flemish tapestries of the Slaying of Gideon now serving as a rich background for family portraits.

The red silk canopy was removed from a bed at Chatsworth.

The canopy from a state bed made for Chatsworth in 1697 by Francis Lapierre was installed in the Long Gallery by William Cavendish, 6th Duke of Devonshire.  Known as The Bachelor Duke, he intended it as a nod to the state canopies in the time of Bess of Hardwick. 

The doorway to the High Great Chamber.

The doorway to the High Great Chamber features a remarkable Elizabethan surround below the Cavendish arms.

The canopy and chairs in the High Great Chamber were made for Bess's Cavendish grandson and his wife, the second Earl and Countess of Devonshire.

The colors of the High Great Chamber are now muted, but originally they were quite bright, providing a dazzling backdrop as a dining room for Bess of Hardwick.  The plaster frieze represents a forest setting with figures representing Diana, Venus and Summer above Brussels tapestries depicting the story of Ulysses.

The Green Velvet Room at Hardwick Hall.

In the Green Velvet Room, the gilt stools are part of a whole set dating from circa 1685.  Two are placed at the foot of an early 18th century bed that The Bachelor Duke brought from Londesborough Hall which the Cavendishes inherited from the Earl of Burlington in 1753.

The Mary, Queen of Scots Room at Hardwick Hall.

Mary, Queen of Scots, first cousin once removed of Queen Elizabeth I, was imprisoned for 19 years in a number of country houses and castles in England before being executed for treason for her alleged involvement in three plots to assinate Elizabeth.  Much of the confinement was in the custody of the Earl and Countess of Shrewsbury in Sheffield Castle and Sheffield Manor.  The brutal beheading took place in 1587, before Hardwick Hall was built.  This room was arranged as a curiosity, a tourist attraction of sorts.

The muniment room at Hardwick Hall.

The muniment (ownership document) room on the ground floor of Hardwick Hall is lined with drawers labeled with the names of the Cavendish properties.  In 1956, Hardwick Hall was presented to HM Treasury in lieu of Estate Duty.  In 1959, the property was transfered to the National Trust which now maintains the house and grounds;  it is open year around except for the end of December and the month of January.  All these photos were taken by Anthony Crolla and appeared in the November, 2008, issue of "The World of Interiors" magazine;  favored rate subscriptions are available here.

"Custodians, Collectors, and Taste-makers:  The Cavendish Women at Chatsworth" is a lecture that looks at the five centuries of influences by Cavendish women on English history and style.  It will be presented by Simon Seligman who worked at Chatsworth for 19 years as Education Manager and recently as Head of Communications.  He served the late 11th Duke of Devonshire and his wife, now Dowager Duchess, for 13 years, before becoming part of the team supporting the present 12th Duke and Duchess.  The talk will also detail the remarkable project currently underway to restore and refurbish Chatsworth;  the master plan includes the first ever cleaning of exterior stonework, the creation of new galleries for visitors, a restoration of historic interiors and extensive conservation of the collections.  The lecture at Memphis Brooks Museum of Art at 2:00 pm on Sunday, October 9, 2012, is sponsored as an educational event by Decorative Arts Trust, and admission to the talk is free.

Decorative Painting, Part 2

The Master Bedroom from a project by John Tackett Design.
Photo by Pieter Estersohn from SOUTHERN ACCENTS ON COLOR.

The Devoted Classicist is a great admirer of decorative painting, and this is the second of a series of essays, the first being back on December 26, 2010.  Shown here is the Master Bedroom of a house in the Volk Estates area of Highland Park, Dallas, Texas.  A view of the exterior and the renovated staircase in the stenciled Entrance Hall can be revisited on the July 28, 2011, post.  The suite occupies part of the existing house as well as the second story of one of the new additions;  in addition to the large bedroom, there are His & Hers Dressing Rooms, His & Hers Bathrooms, a Sitting Room, and an Office.  The wood chimneypiece was reused from the Garden Room downstairs (below the Sitting Room) and given a faux marbre finish. For the sake of variety and to give a coziness to the room with a big cove and tray ceiling, it was decided that a faux bois paneled decoration would be just the ticket.  The decorative painting was executed by the noted artist Robert Jackson and his team.

The bed, a discontinued model by Mark Hampton for Hickory Chair which was given a glaze painted finish on site, was chosen by collaborator Josie McCarthy who also specified all the fabrics.  John Tackett Design provided a full size template for the bed canopy (and pleated valances for the windows and French doors) to work with the embroidered fabric from Chelsea Editions.  The photo, which originally appeared as part of an 18 page article in Southern Accents magazine, is from the book Southern Accents on Color, available here.  And yes, the magazine editor and photographer did move the candle wall sconces and watercolor portrait for the shot!

St. Bernard de Clairvaux

The bell at the entrance to the chapel.
Photo by John J. Tackett for The Devoted Classicist blog.

Recently, The Devoted Classicist enjoyed the opportunity to visit the Miami area Episcopal church, St. Bernard de Clairvaux, in some terms the oldest church in the United States.  The building of the Monastery began in Sacramento, Spain, in 1133 and was completed in 1141.  Originally, the Monastery was dedicated to the Virgin Mary and was named "The Monastery of Our Lady, Queen of the Angels."  But when the Cistercian monk Bernard of Clairvaux was canonized, the Monastery was renamed in his honor.  Cistercian monks occupied the Monastery until the revolution in the 1830s, when the cloisters were seized and sold to be used as a granary and a stable.

The Cloister of St. Bernard de Clairvaux.
Photo by John J. Tackett for The Devoted Classicist blog.

William Randolph Hearst bought the Cloisters and Monastery in 1925.  The buildings were dismantled stone by stone and packed in hay for protection in 11,000 crates numbered for identification.  But on arrival in the U.S., there was fear of a possible contagion of hoof and mouth disease and the crates were quarantined, broken open, and the hay burned.  The stones were re-crated, but with no attention to the identification and sent to Hearst's warehouse.

A view down a gallery from the chapel towards the main entrance.
Photo by John J. Tackett for The Devoted Classicist blog.

Hearst had financial problems soon after this which forced much of his collection to be sold at auction.  These crates remained in the warehouse until 1953, however, when more contents were sold in 1953 after Hearst's death.  W. Edgemon and R. Moss bought the stones to reconstruct the Cloisters as a tourist attraction in the Miami, Florida, area.  After 19 months and almost $1.5 million (reportedly 12 million in today's dollars), it was named "the world's biggest jigsaw puzzle" by Time magazine.

The garden at the entrance to St. Bernard de Clairvaux.
Photo by John J. Tackett for The Devoted Classicist blog.

When financial difficulties caused the Cloisters to be put up for sale in 1964, Bishop Henry Louttit bought it on behalf of the Diocese of South Florida.  But when there were financial difficulties after the reorganization into the three dioceses of Central, Southeast, and Southwest Florida, Col. Robert Pentland, Jr., a philanthropist and benefactor of many Episcopal churches, purchased the Cloisters for the parish.  Today, the church of St. Bernard de Clairvaux is an active, culturally diverse Episcopal congregation in the diocese.  Also it is open for tours as well as being a popular site for weddings and quinceaneras (the celebration of a girl's fifteenth birthday).

Guigne Court and Anthony Hail

The interior of the Pavilion at Guigne Court, the residence of Eleanor and Christian de Guigne, 3rd,
as decorated by Anthony Hail.  The Devoted Classicist agrees with the designer's reluctance to call it the Poolhouse.
Photo from ID&D '66 edited by Jacqueline Inchbald, 1965.

One of the most celebrated estates in the San Francisco area is Guigne Court, a secluded mansion on 47 acres in Hillsborough near the border of the city of San Mateo.  The house was built in 1918 (or some sources say 1913) as a wedding present for Christian de Guigne, 2nd, and his bride from the groom's father.  The first Christian de Guigne, who founded what became the Leslie Salt Company (the world's largest solar evaporation plant for the production of salt) and the Stauffer Chemical Company (which manufactured herbicides for corn and rice), had married the eldest daughter of millionaire Gold Rush banker John Parrott in 1879, starting the dynasty.

The Pavilion at the residence of Eleanor and Christian de Guigne, 3rd,
as decorated by Anthony Hail.
Photo from ID&D '66 edited by Jacqueline Inchbald.

These photos from the early 1960s date from the occupancy by Christian de Guigne, 3rd, and his wife Eleanor, who married in 1935.  Often referred to as Madame de Guigne, she was a regular customer in the top couture houses in Paris and was elected to the Fashion Hall of Fame in 1981.  On her death in 1983, Madame's archival wardrobe was bequeathed to The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.

The Entrance Hall of the residence of Eleanor and Christian de Guigne, 3rd,
 as decorated by Anthony Hail.
Photo from ID&D '66 edited by Jacqueline Inchbald.

The estate's current occupant, Christian de Guigne, 4th, married Vaughn in 1984, when the groom was 47 and the bride 30.  They lived an opulent lifestyle on the estate he inherited with a staff that included two housekeepers, three gardeners, a laundress, a chef, a child-care provider, and a part-time chauffer until their separation in 1996.  The 2002 divorce papers stated that neither partner worked during the marriage and that the expenses to run the house were $450,000 annually despite an income from trusts of $240,000.  In a landmark case to settle the divorce, the court called for the subdivision of the 47 acre estate to raise cash for a spousal settlement.  Neighboring property owners objected, however, and the estate is still not subdivided, according to the Burlingame Historical Society.

A portion of the Living Room of the residence of Eleanor and Christian de Guigne, 3rd,
as decorated by Anthony Hail.
Photo from ID&D '66 edited by Jacqueline Inchbald.

The interesting fact of these approximately 50 year old images is the staying power of the classic interior design by Anthony Hail.  After an early childhood in Tennessee, his mother remarried and he grew up in Denmark.  Anthony Hail studied design and decoration in England while he worked as a Conde Nast correspondent for Maison et Jardin, British Vogue, and British House & Garden magazines.  After attending the Harvard Graduate School of Design during the leadership of modernist Walter Gropius, he was assistant to Edward Wormley, chief designer for the Dunbar Furniture Company.  He also listed the restoration of the White House on his professional c.v.  Anthony Hail started his own practice in San Francisco in 1957 and quickly became in demand by the Society leaders such as the Gettys and the Thierots in addition to the de Guignes.  He also served as design consultant for several San Francisco museums.  His talent was also appreciated in Southern California where he decorated the home of film and television actor James Garner.  Working from his California Street residence, which had been renovated by William Randolph Hearst's architect Julia Morgan, he also had projects in New York City and elsewhere.  Anthony Hail died in 2006 at age 81.

Anthony Hail, right, with Andy Warhol, 1981.
Photo by Steve Ringman for the San Francisco Chronicle.

The Devoted Classicist was happy to have met him while he was decorating the apartment directly below the project at One Sutton Place South.  Seeing his work in publications like Architectural Digest during the 70s and 80s, I was a big fan.  I had lived in Nashville for a couple of years in the late 70s and often passed his family's abandoned farm on the road to Franklin.  Unfortunately, it had been bisected by Interstate 65 and the house had been demolished, but the extraordinary mid-19th century barn remained in near ruin but clearly visible from the highway.  And later, I saw another apartment at One Sutton Place South and the house on a horse farm near Nashville that had been decorated by Anthony Hail for the parents of another of my clients.  (He also decorated their Southampton house).  His own quote in Interior Design magazine profile said it best, describing his style as "an intuitive fusion of quality, workmanship, architectural details of the highest quality, furniture, paintings and accessories in which soft colors highlight the furniture."

More about Anthony Hail can be found at The Peak of Chic and The Blue Remembered Hills blogs and in two books by another fellow blogger Diane Dorrans Saeks, SAN FRANCISCO INTERIORS and SAN FRANCISCO - A CERTAIN STYLE.  These four photos of Guigne Court are from ID&D '66, INTERIOR DESIGN AND DECORATION edited by Jacqueline Inchbald, 1965.  All three books are available here.

To see more photos of Guigne Court and details of the estate for sale, see the February, 2013,  post of The Devoted Classicist here.

Pisgah Forest and Nonconnah Pottery



Image of Walter B. Stephen pottery courtesy of Memphis Brooks Museum of Art.



Walter B. Stephen, 1876-1961, was a remarkable artist with no formal training who became an imaginative and gifted potter.  First with slip-painted pots made from Nonconnah Creek clay in the then-rural area outside Memphis, Tennessee, and then with more variety of forms and glazes he developed after moving to the hills near Asheville, North Carolina.  Stephen's work spanned Arts & Crafts and Art Nouveau to the Moderne era.  His decorative schemes were widely diverse, ranging from memories of his young life on the Nebraska frontier, Bible references, and Asian art.  Also, themes with Mayan and Egyptian motifs as well as Wedgwood influences were explored.



Image of Walter B. Stephen pottery courtesy of Memphis Brooks Museum of Art.

 More than 70 rare examples of Walter B. Stephen's pottery are currently featured in the exhibition Pisgah Forest and Nonconnah Pottery on view through November 13, 2011, at Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, sponsored in part by Decorative Arts Trust.  There will be a lecture by master ceramist and American pottery expert Rodney Henderson Leftwich on Saturday, September 24, 20011.  The presentation which will discuss the life and work of Walter B. Stephen will be held at 10:30 am in the museum's auditorium, free to the public.

Dr. Stanton Thomas, Curator of European and Decorative Arts, at the entrance to the exhibit.
Photo by John J. Tackett for The Devoted Classicist.

"I am fascinated that we have an exhibition by a largely undiscovered and incredibly innovative art potter who began working in Shelby County around 1900," says exhibition organizer Stanton Thomas, Curator of European and Decorative Art at the Brooks.  "Stephen is a little idiosyncratic and very much an individualist, and at the same time. he's part of the larger Arts & Crafts movement, when artists were getting away from mechanization and focusing on the handmade."

Mr. Leftwich's book Pisgah Forest and Nonconnah: The Potteries of Walter B. Stephen is available for purchase in the museum's gift shop and here.