Biltmore Goes to Great Heights for Preservation Posted on September 15, 2017 at 12:00 am.Written by LeeAnn Donnelly Biltmore goes to great heights for preservation, because our mission is to preserve the estate for the enjoyment of future generations. This means that every aspect of Biltmore must be cleaned, inspected, repaired, and restored on a regular basis. And that’s no easy feat! Biltmore spans an impressive 175,000 square feet, which is more than four acres of floor space. The 250-room French Renaissance chateau includes 35 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms, and 65 fireplaces. Every sweep of the broom and delicate touch of dusting breathes life into the past, ensuring that the tales woven into the very fabric of Biltmore endure the test of time. Great heights for preservation Cleaning the Grand Staircase and its 4-story chandelier takes preservation to new heights! It also means that our guests sometimes get amazing glimpses of the work that goes on behind the scenes in America’s Largest Home®. Winter Garden woodwork In September 2016, for example, Connie Dey, Housekeeping Supervisor, and members of her team utilized a 40-foot scaffold to clean the oak woodwork that surrounds and supports the glass ceiling in the Winter Garden. The beautiful Winter Garden woodwork undergoes a deep cleaning every three years for preservation purposes. Part of our ongoing preservation efforts, treating the wood that supports the glass takes place about every three years. Sun damage is evident closest to the top of the ceiling, which dates back to the late 1890s. This area receives full sun for several hours on bright days. Making sure the wood stays moisturized is key to keeping it protected–sort of like applying sunscreen every three years. Connie and her team vacuumed and wiped dirt away to ready the surfaces for an application of a special wood polish containing beeswax, carnauba wax, and orange oil. The entire project took about a month. High standards of cleaning Staff members go to great heights to clean the Banquet Hall. While some projects like the Winter Garden ceiling are done every few years, Biltmore House itself gets a thorough deep cleaning each winter after Christmas at Biltmore ends. “Winter is usually our quietest season,” said Connie Dey, “so it’s the perfect time to clean things without getting in the way. And visitors often enjoy watching the process–my team gets lots of questions from guests about how to clean their own homes!” Not all preservation projects unfold on a grand scale. Often, it’s the meticulous attention to small details that play the largest part in maintaining Biltmore House. Behind closed doors, our caretakers dedicate themselves daily to seemingly normal tasks like dusting the books on the bookshelves. The walls of the Library house about half of George Vanderbilt’s personal collection of 20,000 volumes. About one-third of the volumes were antiquarian purchases, the oldest of which is an Italian work published in 1561. Without proper care, the knowledge of our past would be lost to time. Our mission of preservation Statue of Diana overlooking Biltmore House Our mission to preserve Biltmore as a privately-owned, profitable, working estate emphasizes preservation first. Learn more about our efforts to preserve, restore, and conserve this National Historic Landmark with the help of our in-house conservation department. Featured image: Connie Dey stretches over the Winter Garden to reach every inch of wood with her dust mop to prepare the wood for its moisturizing treatment
Lights, Camera, Biltmore: A Magnificent Movie Location! Posted on June 22, 2017 at 8:00 am.Written by Jean Sexton Lights, camera, Biltmore! A magnificent movie location since the golden age of Hollywood, Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, has starred as a majestic backdrop for more than a dozen unforgettable feature films. The continued appeal of this National Historic Landmark as a movie and television filming location is clear: the sprawling 8,000-acre estate includes Biltmore House–a majestic French Renaissance-style chateau that can easily be seen as a castle–plus acres of formal gardens and miles of rolling hills and scenery, all conveniently located in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Discover six of the most notable movies filmed at Biltmore Estate throughout the years: A Biltmore Christmas (2023) Biltmore’s timeless Christmas celebrations hit the big screen in Hallmark Channel’s “A Biltmore Christmas,” premiering in 2023. Deck the halls and grab the popcorn because Biltmore is coming to Hallmark Channel this Christmas season with the premiere of A Biltmore Christmas, starring Bethany Joy Lenz and Kristoffer Polaha. Viewers are sure to get into the holiday spirit with this time-traveling romance set during our most beloved and storied season—Christmas at Biltmore—and the Golden Age of Hollywood. Fun Film Fact: A Biltmore Christmas marks the first time that Biltmore Estate has served a central role in the storyline of a film. The Swan (1956) The western view of Biltmore House above the Lagoon has been featured in many films, including “The Swan” and “Being There.” In this classic Hollywood drama, actress Grace Kelly portrays a princess attempting to secure an advantageous marriage to secure the throne taken from her family during Napoleon Bonaparte’s rule. Biltmore House appears extensively throughout the film as the exterior of Kelly’s palatial home with one particularly iconic scene taking place along the Lagoon and French Broad River. Fun Film Fact: Although it was not featured in the film, one of Biltmore’s most notable treasures is a game table and chess set once owned by Napoleon Bonaparte. Learn more about this and other fascinating objects in Biltmore’s collection. Last of the Mohicans (1992) Biltmore’s iconic Bass Pond Bridge was featured in “The Last of the Mohicans.” The producers of this award-winning drama starring Daniel Day-Lewis were searching for locations that resembled the old-growth forests of New York’s Catskill Mountains as they might have appeared at the beginning of the 19th century. Luckily for Hollywood, Biltmore’s elaborate grounds were planned by Frederick Law Olmsted–the father of American landscape architecture–nearly 100 years earlier and included forest land and mature trees suitable for the producers’ cinematic needs. In addition to the sweeping fields and forests, the movie features a scene in which a carriage crosses the estate’s signature red brick Bass Pond bridge designed by Biltmore House architect Richard Morris Hunt. Fun Film Fact: When filming extended into the fall, the production crew used organic green paint in several locations to create the illusion of summer foliage. Forrest Gump (1993) Run, Biltmore, run! The winding road that leads to Antler Hill Village was featured in “Forrest Gump.” With settings ranging from Greenbow, Alabama, to the jungles of Vietnam, you may wonder how Biltmore was included as a movie location in this beloved 1993 Tom Hanks classic. During one scene where Forrest Gump is running across America, he was actually running along the road which leads to The Inn on Biltmore Estate® and Antler Hill Village & Winery! Richie Rich (1994) Biltmore House served as the sprawling estate of the world’s richest comic book family in “Richie Rich” when this iconic 90s movie was filmed at Biltmore Estate. Richie Rich featured many interior shots of Biltmore House, and some rooms were left largely unaltered during filming–even paintings of Vanderbilt family members were prominently featured. Although the estate does not feature the Rich family’s signature dollar sign topiaries on the lawn or a Mount Rushmore-inspired family portrait looming over the gardens, this delightful comedy remains a family favorite for all ages. Hannibal (2001) Antler Hill Barn was one of the filming locations for the movie “Hannibal.” In the chilling sequel to The Silence of the Lambs, an ensemble cast, including Oscar-winning actors Julianne Moore, Anthony Hopkins, and Gary Oldman, offered dramatic performances against the stunning backdrop of Biltmore. Featuring the estate as the home of the reclusive Mason Verger, the thriller incorporated many different locations such as the arched Lodge Gate and the façade of Biltmore House, some of the grand rooms on the first floor, and several outlying buildings including Antler Hill Barn, which had not yet been restored at the time of filming. Additional movies filmed on Biltmore Estate: Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, makes for a magnificant movie location. Although Biltmore was created to provide a restful retreat from the outside world, sometimes the bright lights and top stars of film and television come calling when they require a setting like no other! Here are additional movies filmed either in part or entirely on Biltmore Estate: Tap Roots (1948) Being There (1979) The Private Eyes (1980) Mr. Destiny (1990) My Fellow Americans (1996) Patch Adams (1998) The Odd Life of Timothy Green (2012) On the record with Biltmore’s Oral History Program The filming of these movies has become part of Biltmore’s ongoing history, and memories related to the process have been added to our collection of oral histories to be preserved as such. The recollections of staff involved in what will become iconic moments in Biltmore’s on-screen legacy have been captured alongside hundreds of other records detailing associations with Biltmore from the early 20th century to the present.
A Tribute to the First Hostess of Biltmore Posted on May 17, 2017 at 9:01 am.Written by Amy Dangelico As the youngest of eight children, George Vanderbilt had a very close relationship with his mother, Maria Louisa Kissam Vanderbilt, who became the first hostess of Biltmore. After his father’s death in 1885, it was George who took on the task of caring for her, a task that played a significant role in the selection of Asheville as the location for Biltmore. But before we delve into that, let’s take a look at a few pieces from our archives and collection that highlight their special mother-son bond. The Elm Island Series Photograph of George Vanderbilt in 1873, two years after receiving The Elm Island Series from his mother For George’s ninth birthday, his mother gave him three volumes from Reverend Elijah Kellogg, Jr.’s Elm Island Series and within each, she inscribed “George from Mama Nov. 14th 1871.” With titles like Boy Farmers of Elm Island and The Ark of Elm Island, one might guess that George had a taste for adventure, but the stories are also instructive. Throughout the series, the main characters are faced with all sorts of ethical dilemmas that challenge their resolve to be upstanding young men, all while they navigate the treacherous waters of the West Indies. Maria Louisa’s thoughtful gift helps to shed light on George’s boyhood interests as well as how deeply she valued and encouraged her children’s moral and intellectual growth. The gift of a poem An unsigned, undated poem was found tucked away among some of George’s personal papers. Bound with a ribbon, the three pages were composed in perfect penmanship. Upon reading the poem, it becomes apparent that it was from Maria Louisa, written for the occasion of George’s 21st birthday. Through her carefully-crafted prose, Maria Louisa bids her youngest son to heed the call of work, to put right what he finds wrong: To give a kindly word of cheer To those who heavy burdens bear Such work will bless, when nobly done. And such work comes to every one. He helps the age in which he lives, Who does his best – and his best gives To carry sunshine everywhere… Just as his mother urged, George did, in fact, develop a sound moral compass and strong philanthropic sense, qualities that helped establish his original vision for Biltmore. In the Blue Ridge Mountains Vanderbilt party near Biltmore Station; March 1891. Seated (L-R) are Margaret Bromley, Maria Louisa Vanderbilt, Marguerite Shepard, and two unidentified women; unidentified person seated behind Mrs. Vanderbilt. Standing (L-R) are Margaret Shepard, possibly Frederick Vanderbilt, and George Vanderbilt. In 1887, Maria Louisa visited Asheville with George, now her designated caretaker, amid growing concerns over her health. While we have no archival documentation stating the exact nature of Maria Louisa’s health problems, we do know that Asheville’s mountain air was promoted as a curative for a variety of ailments. As a result of their visit, George fell in love with the area’s landscape—as well as its supposed medicinal benefits to aid his dear mother—and he set into motion the process of acquiring land for his country retreat. Family portraits by Sargent (L – R) Mrs. William Henry Vanderbilt by John Singer Sargent, 1888; mannequin representing Mrs. Vanderbilt with clothing recreated from that portrait for the 2019 A Vanderbilt House Party – The Gilded Age exhibition Around that same time, George commissioned renowned artist John Singer Sargent to paint a portrait of his mother which is displayed in the Tapestry Gallery in Biltmore House, along with Sargent’s 1890 portrait of George himself. In 1895, Sargent painted Richard Morris Hunt, Biltmore’s architect, and Frederick Law Olmsted, the estate’s landscape architect; both of these works can be seen in the Second Floor Living Hall. Other Vanderbilt family portraits by Sargent include Mrs. Benjamin Kissam, George’s aunt, and Mrs. Walter Rathbone Bacon, one of George’s favorite cousins. Yet it is Sargent’s portrait of Maria Louisa, titled Mrs. William Henry Vanderbilt, that has been referred to as “one of Mr. Sargent’s greatest successes in portraiture.” The first hostess of Biltmore Detailed paper wig created for Maria Louisa Vanderbilt’s mannequin as part of our 2019 A Vanderbilt House Party exhibition Maria Louisa visited Biltmore only three times—once while the house was still under construction—before she passed away. According to the Guest Book, she visited at Christmas 1895 when the house first opened, presiding as hostess, and then again the following May. After her passing on November 6, 1896, in New York, condolences sent to George came from many, including his dear friend John Singer Sargent, among others. And though Maria Louisa Kissam Vanderbilt was only able to visit her youngest son’s visionary masterpiece a few times, she is remembered fondly as the first hostess of Biltmore. Plan your Biltmore visit today Today’s guests can admire the Sargent portrait of Maria Louisa Kissam Vanderbilt to the left of the door into the Library.Whether you’re planning a surprise for your own mother or simply looking forward to visiting America’s Largest Home®, we invite you to join us soon.
Solving a Mystery in the Kitchen Pantry Posted on February 19, 2016 at 12:00 am.Written by Jean Sexton Solving a mystery in the Kitchen Pantry at Biltmore took some detective work, but our Museum Services staff finally cracked the case! “Among the many place settings of china in the Biltmore collection, one set had remained a mystery for many years,” said Lori Garst, Curatorial Assistant. A cup, saucer, and plate from the collection of unidentified china While the set was often referred to as “the Christmas china” because it was used during a 1931 holiday party, or “the employee china” because it was later used by staff members, the origin of the china—and its original purpose in Biltmore House—remained unclear. George Vanderbilt’s elegant white china with burgundy and gold trim. It was manufactured by Minton and Spode-Copeland, and used for everyday occasions. “Most of the china in Biltmore House was chosen by George Vanderbilt,” Lori said. “He selected an elegant white china with a burgundy and gold pattern, manufactured by both Minton and Spode-Copeland. It features his monogram and was used every day for family and guest meals.” Cornelia Vanderbilt’s china matches her father’s pattern but includes her own CSV monogram. While Cornelia Vanderbilt’s china closely matches the pattern her father selected for use in Biltmore House, their monograms distinguish one set from another “We know that Edith Vanderbilt ordered Cornelia’s china in 1923,” said Lori. “And Mrs. Vanderbilt requested that Cornelia’s monogram be in the same style as her father’s. I think it is sweet that her service blended in with the style her father had chosen.” But what of the mysterious china collection on the shelves of the Kitchen Pantry in the Basement? Museum Services began to look for clues about its history. While not as fine as the monogrammed Vanderbilt china, the gold-trimmed white pattern rimmed in crisp navy was definitely elegant and the amount of it suggested it had been purchased with a large number of people in mind. Trimmed in gold and rimmed in navy, this china is elegant, but more sturdy than the monogrammed family china in the collection “We began with the manufacturer’s mark on the bottom of each piece,” said Lori. “Kniffen & Demarest Co. manufactured hotel and steam ship supplies, so the china was well-made and rather sturdy to stand up to use by guests and passengers in public settings.” A conservator shows the Kniffen & Demarest Co. name on a piece of the so-called mystery china While Museum Services was researching details for our Fashionable Romance: Wedding Gowns in Film exhibition, they finally discovered written references to the china in conjunction with Cornelia Vanderbilt Cecil’s wedding. “This set was also sometimes referred to as ‘the wedding china,’ but we never knew which of its three names was correct until recently,” said Lori. “The pieces came together at last, and we realized that this was the china that had been ordered for the buffet at Cornelia Vanderbilt and John Cecil’s wedding breakfast.” After the ceremony at All Souls Church in Biltmore Village, the wedding guests and additional reception guests (500 people were invited to the ceremony and reception; another 2500 were invited only to the reception) arrived at Biltmore House. John and Cornelia Cecil and their attendants at the wedding breakfast in the Winter Garden of Biltmore House The newlyweds and their attendants were served at a table in the Winter Garden, and all the other guests enjoyed a buffet in the Banquet Hall, which featured this china. As the years passed, the Kniffen & Demarest china was still used, but its original purpose was forgotten. Today, it’s stored in the Kitchen Pantry where it receives the same care and attention as all the other china in Biltmore’s collection. Enjoy your own Vanderbilt china service Porcelain tea set from the Vanderbilt Service Whether you prefer a tea service or an entire place setting, this beautiful porcelain serveware is based on a Sevres pattern, circa 1888, that the Vanderbilt family once used at Biltmore. The original is on display in the Oak Sitting Room, but you can now enjoy the reproduction set in your own home.
A Good Life for Wildlife Posted on October 8, 2015 at 12:00 am.Written by Karina Hux Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC, welcomes over a million guests each year—and those are just the ones who come through the gates! In addition to our visitors and Passholders, our 8,000-acre backyard is also home to a wide variety of wildlife and birds, including deer, rabbits, turkeys, and migratory waterfowl. In addition to the colorful sunflowers that bloom in the summer, soybeans, wheat, legumes, and millet are planted in our rich fields on the west side of the estate. Cultivating care across the estate We caught up with Kyle Mayberry, Director of Agriculture, and Vince Helton, Senior Director of Facility Operations, to get the ‘outside’ scoop. “We average about 450 acres of field crops each year and 29 of those acres are designated for wildlife food plots,” Kyle explained. While most of these crops are harvested to feed our cattle, sheep, and other farm animals, there’s still plenty left for wildlife and birds. Smaller plantings of radishes, canola, soybeans, corn, and sorghum are grown around the estate to provide nourishment through the harsh winter months, for our four-legged and feathered friends. Chimney Swifts spend nearly their entire lives in the air, eating, drinking, bathing, and gathering nesting material, landing only to roost and nest. A new home for Chimney Swifts Our dedication to creating a welcoming environment extends far beyond our fields and into some unique conservation projects. One such initiative focused on chimney swifts, a small migratory bird renowned for its spectacular flight patterns and distinctive roosting habits. These birds have been facing challenges as traditional nesting sites become inaccessible. To help, we built a custom-designed chimney swift tower on the estate, providing them with the perfect roosting spot. Biltmore® Grown honey and sunflower oil can be purchased at the Farmyard and in estate shops. The buzz behind Biltmore® Grown Our commitment to the environment extends to our smallest residents too! Busy bees play a key role in producing Biltmore® Grown sunflower oil. They stay hard at work buzzing between over 140,000 blooms, their tireless efforts transforming each blossom into a seed of potential. “We take pride in providing these pollinators with abundant nectar sources across the estate,” Kyle said, “ensuring they have everything they need to create high-quality products, like our sunflower oil and honey, for use in our restaurants and for guests to purchase in our shops.” Strap on your life jackets and get your binoculars ready for a trip down the French Broad on our river birding tour. Discover the call of the wild “Being good stewards of the land applies to the natural wildlife that exists here, and it’s just as important to maintain healthy populations—something we have been committed to since the days of George Vanderbilt,” said Vince. “We follow the NC Wildlife Resources Commission’s recommendations for monitoring and managing wildlife to ensure the safety of our guests, grounds, and wildlife.” As always, our guests’ safety is of paramount concern, and we remind you not to approach estate wildlife or birds. In addition, while dogs are welcomed on estate grounds as long as they are securely leashed, state law prohibits pets from entering fenced enclosures protecting farm animals. Visit our complete wildlife viewing policy here. Interested in learning more? We’ve got plenty of outdoor activities aimed at educating our guests about our wildlife friends and their diverse habitats! Consider going on a guided bird walk or rafting down the French Broad on our river birding tour, participating in a naturalist talk, or getting up close and personal in our falconry class!
Behind Biltmore’s Hidden Doors Posted on September 21, 2015 at 12:00 am.Written by Judy Ross Designed both for aesthetics and hospitality, Biltmore’s hidden doors were designed to create a seamless appearance but provide access for staff providing service and convenience for guests. Discover a few of the often overlooked doors throughout America’s Largest Home. Concealed servant’s entrance in the Breakfast Room When you’re in the Breakfast Room, your attention is bound to be drawn to the two Renoir portraits “Young Algerian Girl” and “Child with an Orange.” If you look just below “Child with an Orange,” you’ll notice the doorknob to the concealed door, designed to create a seamless appearance on the wall but allow servants to enter with hot meals. Doors in the Library lead to a passageway connected to the Second Floor Living Hall. Have you ever wondered what’s behind the hidden doors on the top floor of the Library? Here’s your peek. The doors located on both sides of the overmantel lead to a passageway connected to the Second Floor Living Hall. Concealed closet door in Mr. Vanderbilt’s Bedroom Every detail of the architecture at Biltmore was carefully considered. To avoid the break in symmetry that would be required by a door frame, closet doors were concealed in certain rooms, such as this one in Mr. Vanderbilt’s Bedroom. This hidden door in the floor of the Winter Garden in Biltmore House allowed plants to be brought back and forth from the Conservatory without disturbing guests. Although early plans indicate that there was to be an elevator in the Winter Garden, one was never installed and instead, there’s a ladder. The door is covered in marble slabs and is rarely opened except to allow for ventilation in the employee break room below it in the summer. This hidden door leads to the Smoking and Gun Rooms inside Biltmore House. Be sure to look for these secret doors inside Biltmore House during your next visit, like this door designed for gentlemen to retire to the Smoking Room after a game of billiards.
An outdoor sculpture comes clean Posted on September 21, 2015 at 12:00 am.Written by Kristina Smith An outdoor sculpture comes clean, with help from the expert conservators at Biltmore. “From the iconic marble lions in front of Biltmore House to terra cotta figures, bronzes, and more, the estate features 37 pieces of outdoor sculpture and historic plaques,” said Kara Warren, Preventive Conservation Specialist. One of the two grand marble lion sculptures that guard the Front Door of Biltmore House According to Kara, each piece of outdoor sculpture is carefully examined and photographed every six months to determine its “health” and what type of cleaning, stabilization, or repairs might be needed. There are four sphinx sculptures atop stone pillars guarding the massive iron entry and exit gates through which guests pass to get their first glimpse of Biltmore House. The sphinx appears in Egyptian and Greek mythology as a creature with a human head and torso–usually female–and the hindquarters of a lion. Egypt’s massive Great Sphinx of Giza sculpture is probably the best-known example in the world. The following photos illustrate how important Biltmore’s process is and what a difference cleaning and preservation make: This elegant sphinx guards the right side of the iron gates adjacent to Biltmore House This sphinx is turned as if to watch the Approach Road while the sphinx on the opposite side of the gates looks toward Biltmore House. The sculpture was in need of a thorough cleansing to rid it of biological growth. Scaffolding was built around the sphinx so our conservators could clean it in place. Conservators carefully cleaned half of the sphinx to show a remarkable difference Biltmore’s preservation experts worked on half of the sculpture at a time to illustrate different stages of the cleaning process. Note how much detail is revealed when the dark biological growth was removed from the hindquarters of this sphinx. The sphinx sculpture cleaned and restored to her full glory After a thorough cleaning, the classic sphinx sculpture once again welcomes guests to Biltmore House in regal style. Learn more about our extensive process to document, clean, and preserve our outdoor sculpture collection.
Preserving Generations of Biltmore China and Crystal Posted on August 17, 2015 at 12:00 am.Written by Jean Sexton Preserving generations of Biltmore china and crystal is a delicate job. If you have fine china or crystal handed down in your family, you can imagine the care it takes to clean and preserve all the fragile place settings and glassware in the Biltmore collection! Generations of fragile china and crystal Gevevieve Bieniosek opens the china cabinet in the Butler’s Pantry There are three generations of china and crystal stored in Biltmore House, and much of it is more than 100 years old. These fragile pieces of the collection are stored in glass-front cabinets in the two-story Butler’s Pantry, and a comprehensive inventory system helps our conservators keep track of each object. A unique identification number is assigned to every dish and glass, the location of the piece is recorded, and a digital photo of it is included in an inventory database. Genevieve cleans saucers that bear George Vanderbilt’s monogram, while the floral patterned plates on the left were chosen by Vanderbilt’s grandson, William A.V. Cecil, for Biltmore’s centennial celebration in 1995 Cleaning all the china and crystal in the Butler’s Pantry is a process that takes several weeks to complete. Each piece is dusted, wiped with a mixture of ethanol and water, and dried with lint-free cloths. All the objects are inspected for unstable cracks. “Most of the cleaning and dusting is done in the Butler’s Pantry, because the less we move such fragile pieces, the better,” said Genevieve Bieniosek, Furniture Conservator. Preventing problems Delicate crystal glassware with George Vanderbilt’s monogram in the Butler’s Pantry During a recent cleaning project, the conservators noticed that some of the crystal on display was suffering from ‘glass disease.’ According to Genevieve, this is a condition where components in the glass structure leach out over time, causing the glass to appear cloudy. “If left untreated,” Genevieve explained, “it will eventually create a fine network of cracks over the piece.” The glasses were treated by washing them with mild soap and water, drying them with soft towels, and letting them air dry for several hours. “By treating them now, we avoid permanent damage from the glass disease,” said Genevieve. Improving the process of storing crystal and china This fluted cup and saucer bear Cornelia Vanderbilt’s monogram In addition to careful cleaning of these fragile pieces, our conservators are always looking for ways to improve the overall process for preserving the china and crystal. “We recently looked into different types of padding material to keep the china safer, and placed sheets of polyethylene foam between each dish. The material is very stable, so the sheets don’t break down and create chemicals that could harm the china,” noted Genevieve. Take a behind-the-scenes guided tour The Butler’s Pantry, as seen on The Biltmore House Backstairs Tour Plan a visit to America’s Largest Home today, and treat yourself to The Biltmore House Backstairs Tour. You’ll experience an in-depth look at servant life at Biltmore with this 60-minute guided tour, including rarely-seen areas such as the Butler’s Pantry as you hear fascinating stories of those who worked and lived on the estate in the Vanderbilts’ era. Featured blog image: Biltmore conservators Genevieve Bieniosek and Renee Jolly clean china and crystal in the Butler’s Pantry of Biltmore House
Rosita: The Lady in Red Posted on January 13, 2015 at 12:00 am.Written by Heather Angel Rosita, by Spanish painter Ignacio Zuloaga (1870–1945), is one of the most eye-catching works in George Vanderbilt’s collection and represents his interest in Spanish art, which gained popularity in the last years of the 19th century. Lounging on a divan draped with a mantón de manila (a flamenco dancer’s accessory), Rosita is wrapped in a white fringed shawl with a red floral flamenco skirt billowing out. She leans on her elbow and smiles, a huge red flower in her dark hair. Rosita is confident: a model at ease with being an object of beauty. So, how did this captivating woman come to stay permanently at Biltmore? Spanish artist Ignacio Zuloaga, ca. 1925 A celebrated artist In 1913, Zuloaga, known as “The Great Basque,” was living in Paris where his reputation had grown since his first exhibition in 1890. He came from a family of artists and his great-grandfather was a contemporary of Goya, who Zuloaga cited as one of his major influences. A rising star in the art world by the turn of the century, Zuloaga was known for his portraits, especially those of women with a great deal of personality. He also had a reputation for hosting memorable Parisian parties attended by artistic luminaries of the day, such as the famed conductor and cellist Pablo Casals. “To draw another connection to Biltmore’s collection, we know that he was respected by John Singer Sargent, who actually wrote the introduction to a 1914 catalog of Zuloaga’s work on display in Boston,” says Meghan Forest, Biltmore’s Associate Curator. Charles and John Kraushaar in their New York gallery. Photo courtesy of Kruashaar Galleries. Modern art, circa 1914 In January 1914, an American exhibition of Zuloaga’s paintings was held at the prestigious Kraushaar Galleries at 260 Fifth Avenue in New York. The show was reviewed in the February issue of Art and Decoration, a leading art journal of the time: “Mr C W Kraushaar, following up on his success of last season, showed for two weeks eight pictures by Ignacio Zuloaga, the greatest realist of the very realistic Spanish school.” The article goes on to say that “his Rosita, in the pattern of her shawl and of the couch on which she reclines, is masterly in painting.” According to Meghan, recent research on their correspondence indicates that George Vanderbilt did in fact attend the exhibition. He wrote to Kraushaar in January 1914 offering to purchase the painting and requesting the frame in which it is displayed today inside Biltmore House. Rosita finds a home at Biltmore After George Vanderbilt’s death, Edith Vanderbilt paid for the painting and requested that it be sent to a museum rather than to Biltmore. In 1915, Rosita entered the collection of the National Museum (now the Smithsonian American Art Museum) on loan. There she stayed until 1924, when Cornelia Vanderbilt Cecil and her husband, the Honorable John Francis Amherst Cecil, visited to view the painting and requested its return to Biltmore. The painting arrived in December 1924, with Rosita taking her place as one of Biltmore’s most intriguing permanent residents. While Rosita was not at Biltmore during George Vanderbilt’s lifetime, our records indicate that her first placement was the Second Floor Living Hall—a decision made by Cornelia and John Cecil. She was later displayed in the Billiard Room in the 1970s before taking up residence in the hallway outside of the Louis XV Suite in more recent years. This animation shows Rosita’s difference in appearance before and after conservation treatment in 2023. Conserving Rosita In 2023, Biltmore’s in-house conservator, Nidia Navarro, completed the conservation treatment of Rosita’s ornate frame while the painting itself was sent to Ruth Barach Cox for conservation. The painting conservator worked to remove old, discolored varnish and overpainting that was added during past conservation treatments and restore the vibrant colors and brush strokes to their original splendor. Early photos of the painting and Cox’s inspection revealed that the original work featured body hair in the sitter’s armpit, a common practice around the world in the early 20th century. Cox’s treatment returned the painting to its original appearance. Be sure to look for the recently conserved Rosita painting on display in the hallway outside of the Louis XV Suite on your next visit to Biltmore House.