Dutchess County Historical Society Fundraising Auction Ending 11/13

#55 – One Year Artist Circle Membership to the Olana Mansion & Museum, Hudson, NY

In the fall of 1869 Frederic and Isabel returned to America from an 18-month-long trip to Europe and the Middle East. While living in Cozy Cottage they decided to build another house – one that was much larger and more permanent. Impressed by the architecture they saw in cities like Beirut, Jerusalem and Damascus, they envisioned a home that incorporated Middle Eastern elements and designs. Drawings by Richard Morris Hunt document that Church considered using him as an architect, but ultimately he decided on Calvert Vaux, who was then designing Central Park’s buildings. Vaux had professional qualifications and personal ties to the Church family. He was the author of Villas and Cottages (1857) a pattern book for rural domestic architecture. Vaux's wife Mary was the sister of Jervis McEntee, a close friend. Church spent about two years working with Vaux. While the exact contributions of the two are unclear, Vaux probably was responsible for structural elements, while Church devised myriad ornamental elements. It is believed that both, probably with Isabel Church’s input, cited the house and its many windows to frame the magnificent views. In the fall of 1872, the family moved into the second story of the new house while the decoration of the first floor continued. Church chose the color scheme for the house, mixing paint on his palette, then instructing his workmen on how to mix the colors. Eclectic furnishings soon filled the house, gathered from the long trip abroad, from shops in New York City, and even from a missionary in Persia. The thousands of objects and the painted décor evoke the great civilizations of the past, and present a rich contrast to the natural world visible through the windows. One Year Artist Circle Membership at Olana includes: Unlimited free admission to the main house and walking Outdoor; Olana Tours for four adults; 15% discount purchases from the Olana Museum store; free or discounted admission to most educational programs; invitations to exclusive members-only exhibition previews and events; discount on Summer Party tickets; an Olana memento. Value $125. https://www.olana.org/. If this item isn't for you, please consider becoming a Member or making a donation to DCHS here: https://dchsny.org/short/

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