Weddings & Architecture
Historic Architecture, Lectures & Pizza: the Iconic Victorian Society Summer School
Richard Guy Wilson, the "Dean" of America's Castles, (over 140 appearances on the popular A&E program) and head of the school of architecture at the University of Virginia, plays Pied Piper to the architectural and social historians of the world, drawing them to Newport each June for the Victorian Society Summer Course.
This year, there were historic house managers, architects, students, designers from countries as diverse as England, Australia, and Uruguay, all taking a learned, fast-paced tour of Newport and nearby cities' treasures. Two new Newport destination on this year's tour, given by Dr. Wilson since 1979, were The Channing Memorial Chapel, with its wealth of stained glass windows, one by John LaFarge, and Miramar, the mysterious Bellevue Avenue mansion being carefully restored by David B. Ford.
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Professor Richard Guy Wilson
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In addition, there was an impressive awards ceremony at The Elms, in which the highly-regarded Dr. Wilson accepted accolades with becoming modesty. gave an opening slide lecture, and was extravagantly praised by Preservation Society President of the Board Donald Ross for his compendious knowledge and unflagging championing of Newport's architectural heritage.
Making the Preservation Award to The Preservation Society of Newport County for its recently completed restoration of Chateau-sur-Mer (1852) were Tina Strauss and John Simonelli, President and Vice President of the Board of the Victorian Society of America. In its citation, the Victorian Society called the project “an example of the highest standards of historic preservation.”
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Detail of the apse of Channing Memorial Chapel
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Touring some of the finest extant works of architects Richard Munday, McKim, Mead & White, Dudley Newton, Richard Morris Hunt, Ogden Codman, and other luminaries of the great eras of design, the avid students went by foot, and by bus, taking copious notes. The days began with learned lectures (with suggested reading that might take a half century to complete), and ended with festivedinners.
The Victorian Society of America course employs the knowledge and talents of a distinguished panel of local experts and members, as well as the hospitality of current owners of fine old houses including Richard Nelson, William Vareika Eve Clulow, and others, A guiding light is social historian and author Pauline Metcalf, abetted by the Preservation Society’s Paul Miller and John Tschirch, and 19th-century painting specialist William Vareika, who annually honors with participants with an evening reception in his Bellevue Avenue gallery, where he spoke about his early intereset in the painter William Trost Richards.
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Lectures on art in the mornings
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Properties covered included Preservation Society mansions, The Colony House, Trinity Curch, The Newport Historical Society, The Wanton-Lyman-Hazard house, as well as private houses such as Villa Marina on Washington Street, the C. H. Baldwin house, 1877-78, on Bellevue Ave. by William A. Potter and Robert H. Robinson, architects, the the Commodore William Edgar house on Old Beach Rd. by McKim, Mead & White, which delighted the students. Out of town tours included treasures in Watch Hill, Rhode Island and New Bedford, Massachusetts.
In the dim light of the Channing Memorial Church, (1881), architects: E. Boyden and Son, Sanford-Covell the stained glass windows shone bright: the Sower by Donald MacDonald of McPherson of Boston, (1883); transept windows by S. P. Belcher of Newark; Samuel West who did the smaller windows and the vestibule glass; and John La Farge created the Baker [Christ leading the Soul], 1882, and the Bates [St. Barnabas and the Virgin] 1881, windows; Augustus St. Gaudens did the arresting bas relief.
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Pointing to the La Farge windows
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Miramar (1914), a Bellevue Avenue mansion under renovation for many years, was described by owner and restorer David B. Ford. The mansion, which recently shed its exterior scaffolding, is a house by Horace Trumbauer, , that was for years a school. It is being carefully redone by Mr. Ford, who described the painstaking work of replacing drainage systems and roof flaws in the exquisitely detailed mansion.
On the final evening, a buffet pizza party was held, and Dr. Wilson was gently "roasted", as is the course's custom.
-- L.P.
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The detail and process of the La Farge windows described
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Some painted windows are by Samuel West
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Plaque by Augustus St. Gaudens
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Altar detail
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VSA Course students discuss the architecture
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Dr. Wilson with William Vareika at his gallery reception
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Gareth Sundham of England's National Trust
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Emily Morris of Virginia
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Dr. Wilson & Jean Arrington, teacher
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Irene from Venezuela & Michael Ellis, Head of Conservation
for Australian National Trust in Sydney
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Mr. Vareika talking about his interest in American Art
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Wine, cheese, music and art
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Happy students
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Angela Voulargas, designer & Shannon Schaefer, graduate student
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Admiring the architecture of Harbour Court, the New York
Yacht Club Building in Newport
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The paneled Library of Harbour Court
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Gazing out at Newport Harbor
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Must get a picture!
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Fred Casteel Dell & Catherine Olasby Dell, Interior Designer
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The group in the entry hall of Harbour Court
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A painted detail
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Entrance to Harbour Court
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David Blackburn & Jennifer Adams in the garden
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Admiring the landscaping
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Lovely gardens
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A statue under a pergola
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At the Elms, a screen of Newport architecture by McKim, Mead & White
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The audience for Dr. Wilson's talk & the VSA Award presentation
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Tina Strouss & John Simonelli of the Victorian Society of America
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Reading the award for Chateau-sur-Mer's restoration
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Donald Ross, CEO of the Preservation Society Board,
accepts the citation
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The official presentation
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Thanking the Victorian Society
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Nancy Cushing & Richard Guy Wilson
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Diane Wulff & Marcie Manfredi at The Elms reception
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Linda Gordon and LInda Phillips, of Newport Seen
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Eugene Roberts & author & historian Pauline Metcalf
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Richard Guy Wilson with Mary Shepard
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Joe Sveh Lak, Brooklyn archivist
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Ms. Shols, Meggie Johnston & Gareth Sundham
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Opening the door to Miramar
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Ceiling detail in the foyer
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The original garden layout for Miramar
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Gwen Koch, a founder of the VSA, at Miramar
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Richard Guy Wilson listens to David Ford
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Mr. Ford describing the upgrading of the systems at Miramar
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The furnishing, paint & wallpapers
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The tile in the Horace Trumbauer mansion was restored
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Magnificent ocean view from the living room, which underwent
the most change
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Students listen with interest
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The Library: faux painted door on the left matches
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A bas relief in the garden room wall
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Traditional suit of armor
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Floor inlay in the garden room
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Intent listeners
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Any questions?
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The magnificent dining room
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A magnificent tapestry made for Louis XIV on the wall.
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Pauline Metcalf studying the tapestry
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Ms. Metcalf confers with interior deign consultant Richard Nelson
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A passageway from the kitchen to the pantry
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The kitchen has been updated
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Gina in the silver safe
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The wine cellar is kept at 50 degrees
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State of the art wine facilities
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Dr. Wilson thanks David Ford
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The cornices and roof took 3 years to repair
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