Featured The Life and Presidency of Herbert Hoover
The 2016 White House Christmas ornament honors the administration of the thirty-first president of the United States Herbert Hoover, who served...
White House Decorative Arts in the 1880s
How Long? 2 minutes
James and Lucretia Garfield moved into the Executive Mansion in 1881. With $30,000 from Congress, Mrs. Garfield made plans to refurbish the Green Room and ordered a set of ebony furniture. However, by the time it arrived President Garfield had been shot by a disgruntled office seeker and then died a few months later. His successor, Chester Arthur, did not occupy the White House until the house was redecorated to suit his tastes. The rooms were cleared of all damaged and unfashionable furniture. Twenty-four wagonloads of furniture and thirty barrels of old china were sent to auction. Arthur commissioned Associated Artists, of which Louis Comfort Tiffany was a partner, to makeover the house. No furniture was commissioned but stained glass, lighting fixtures, mantels, over mantel mirrors and decorative painting using gold and silver leaf in the style of the Aesthetic Movement were designed for the rooms.
Grover Cleveland and his young bride Frances Folsom bought a private home in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. to protect their privacy and only lived at the White House during the official social season. The Clevelands had the northwest corner room, their bedroom, repapered and ordered some chairs, a wardrobe, and a ladies writing desk to furnish it. Also, a special plush sofa was ordered for the space under the Palladian west window in the second-floor corridor where Frances Cleveland spent time relaxing and entertaining friends.
Vase. American, c. 1884. Tiffany placed earthenware vases from his shop on either side of Arthur's Red Room mantel.
You Might Also Like
-
-
Nell Arthur's Memorial Window
Stained glass, a medieval art, was revisited in the historically retrospective nineteenth century. The art was a prominent feature of...
-
"Articles of the Best Kind"
When on March 4, 1817, James Monroe was inaugurated as the fifth president of the United States, the District of Columbia still...
-
The President, the Press, and Proximity
The James S. Brady Press Briefing Room has been the on-grounds quarters for the White House correspondents and news photographers...
-
The Soldiers' Home: First Presidential Retreat
Leaving the White House during the summer is an old tradition of the presidents. Those with farms, such as Dwight...
-
Papal Visits to the White House
Papal visits to the White House have been rare—with Pope Francis' recent visit, just three popes in history have vi...
-
Notable State Dinners at the White House
December 12, 1874: First state dinner for a foreign head of state King David Kalakaua of the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii). Hosted by...
-
Presidential Valets
Throughout the history of the presidency, a president’s clothing choices have been influenced by a number of factors. Personal ba...
-
Livery at the White House
On Saturday, October 24, 1903, the sensationalist New York World reported that President Theodore Roosevelt’s secretary, William Loeb Jr., outfitted the me...
-
The United States Marine Band: The Directors
During its first two centuries, the Marine Band has had 26 Directors. Each leader has contributed to the recognition and appreciation...
-
The United States Marine Band: The President's Own
A long and distinguished association with the presidency has honored the Marine Band. There is a sense of family among...
-
The American Presidents and Shakespeare
On April 23, 1932, Shakespeare-lovers from around the country flocked to Washington, D.C., to attend the dedication of the handsome new...