A legacy of loving care Posted on September 16, 2015 at 12:00 am.Written by Jean Sexton At Biltmore in Asheville, NC, our legacy of loving care extends across the estate, encompassing each piece of the collection, from art and furnishings inside America’s Largest Home® to outdoor sculptures and more. Iconic lions at Biltmore House One of the two marble lions out of its shipping crate and awaiting placement in front of Biltmore House, circa 1895. When George Vanderbilt moved into Biltmore House in October 1895, he wasn’t alone—a stately pair of lions was already there, flanking the entrance to his new home. While the lions may appear to be made of terra cotta, closer inspection reveals the unique and beautiful color patterns of Italian rose marble (Rosso di Verona) ranging from beige to orange to red. Today’s visitors may notice some areas where the surface has been polished to a high sheen. Our staff at work Museum Services staff members Genevieve Bieniosek (left) and Kara Warren (right) work together to clean an outdoor statue of Pan on the South Terrace of Biltmore House. “For more than a century, these friendly beasts have greeted guests as they enter Biltmore House,” said Kara Warren, Preventive Conservation Specialist. “So that sheen is actually the result of millions of hands rubbing the marble away through the years.” Kara oversees the care for the lions and 37 other outdoor statues and historic plaques through the implementation of the estate’s ongoing preventive conservation program. The job requires a combined knowledge of material science and artistic skill in order to properly analyze, treat, and restore the sculptures. According to Kara, the longevity of any outdoor statue depends on the nature of its construction, environmental exposure, and the maintenance it receives. Records in our archives indicate restoration to the garden statuary began as early as 1934.The descriptions of repair work have become part of the history of each piece, documenting the care it received over the years. Preserving each piece A member of the Museum Services team cleaning the marble plinth of a bust under the Pergola below the Italian Garden. To help preserve our collection of outdoor statuary, each piece is examined, photographed, cleaned, and stabilized as needed every six months. Sometimes the statues simply need a gentle spray of water and an antimicrobial wash to reduce biological growth. Other times, patching or repair is required. “Outdoor sculptures are vulnerable because they are exposed to so many types of deterioration,” said Kara. “Our preventive maintenance program is important because pollution, biological growth, and even repeated touching can damage these vulnerable objects. Cyclical maintenance allows us to gently clean, repair, and stabilize the original material before severe damage occurs.” Our legacy of loving care Staff members clean one of three bronze tortoise fountain sculptures below the Rampe Deuce at Biltmore House. Most of Biltmore’s outdoor sculptures were purchased from France and Italy in the late 1800s, and some date to earlier times. The collection includes bronze, marble, limestone, granite, and terra cotta sculptures. As with all our efforts to preserve Biltmore, the loving care our statuary receives allows these sculptures to be enjoyed by today’s guests, our Annual Passholders, and future generations.
A Spring Dream Wedding at Biltmore Posted on September 9, 2015 at 12:00 am.Written by Kristina Smith Heather Haukaas and Roman Harper April 18, 2015 Photography by Parker J. Pfister (Above: South Terrace of Biltmore House) The Couple Rother: Heather Haukaas and Roman Harper are so close that their friends refer to them in a single name that combines both of their first names. The couple met in high school when Heather caused a splash as the new girl in town in Prattville, Alabama. Their love story spans 16 years as they went together to the University of Alabama, spent time apart, and reunited in New Orleans where Roman was a safety for the New Orleans Saints, and finally to Charlotte, where he now plays for the Carolina Panthers. The couple knew they wanted a destination wedding and they wanted it to be fun for their guests with a touch of glamour. While at a bridal expo, Heather discovered Biltmore, visited, and fell in love with the beauty of the surroundings. With so many friends and family coming in for the wedding (especially from the East Coast), it was the ideal location, Heather says. The Big Day Getting ready at the Market Gardener’s Cottage on Biltmore Estate Heather and her bridesmaids stayed in The Cottage on Biltmore Estate, where they spent quality time together preparing for the big day. The private two-bedroom cottage offers a cozy sitting room, full kitchen, and beautiful views of the estate’s farmland. The bride wore Shin Bu of Los Angeles and the groom wore a suit by Fellow suits. In the courtyard at Deerpark Rain on your wedding day? It’s good luck! “We had every kind of weather,” says Heather, but the down pours held off during the touching ceremony, performed in front of 200 guests in the courtyard at Deerpark by “Pastor Rob” (Rob Wilton), the chaplain for the New Orleans Saints, a long-time friend of the couple. When it came time for the vows, Heather led the guests in a chant. “When I say I, you say do, I do, I do!” The happy couple; a pose with their daughters Londyn and Sydney at Biltmore House Party Time The reception was held at Deerpark, with pink accents in the flowers and on the tables, each of which had a place marker in honor of special places in the couple’s life, such as the street where they now live and the street on which they got engaged. Members of the bridal party did a football-style run out to the reception, with each member imitating the style of their favorite players (the bridesmaids were the clear run-out winners, Heather says). The couple followed them, with football jerseys over their formal wear. An evening of dancing and many tearful toasts followed. We’re thrilled that Heather and Roman chose to start the next chapter of their life together at Biltmore and wish this beautiful couple the best of everything! Contact us about having your own dream wedding at Biltmore.
Local Teen Inspires Pisgah Monument Restoration Posted on August 25, 2015 at 12:00 am.Written by Danielle Withrow Photo (left to right): Jack Leary, Rory Mullen, Owen Koppe, Moultrie Dangerfield, Levi Smith An enterprising young man recently pioneered a project to preserve a piece of history that wasn’t necessarily forgotten, but just hidden. This young man is Levi Smith. The West Asheville resident and Eagle Scout candidate completed work with fellow scouts to preserve a historic monument honoring Biltmore’s founder, George Vanderbilt, for establishing Pisgah National Forest. Vines and brush growing in that very forest had overtaken the monument to the point the plaque’s inscription was almost completely camouflaged. Smith, a member of Troop 58 in West Asheville, discovered the monument near the Stony Fork Picnic Area on Pisgah Highway near the town of Candler on a hike up to the Blue Ridge Parkway. Also nearby is the entrance into the Forest, which at one time was also the entrance of Vanderbilt’s auto road to Mount Pisgah and Buckspring Lodge, his mountaintop retreat. Upon reading the inscription on the monument’s bronze plaque, Smith decided such a piece of history needed to be spruced up so that hikers and passers-by would be able to learn about the surrounding forest. Pisgah National Forest, it describes, was dedicated to the memory of Vanderbilt who died in 1914. Vanderbilt’s widow, Edith Vanderbilt, sold more than 83,000 acres of Biltmore land to the federal government that same year, thus carrying out her late husband’s desire to establish it as a forest preserve. Smith sent a proposal to William Cecil Jr., president and CEO of Biltmore (and the great-grandson of George Vanderbilt), asking for support and assistance with the project, which upon completion will serve as his Eagle Scout Service project. It’s the final step before Smith will receive the coveted rank of Eagle. Biltmore made a donation to Smith for his project. In addition, Biltmore Landscape and Forest Historian Bill Alexander met with Smith and his mother, Robin Smith, to discuss the renovation and the area’s history. Smith also met with officials with the U. S. Forest Service who approved his project. Kara Warren, Biltmore Preventive Conservation Specialist, was on hand when Smith and his fellow troop members started the work. She demonstrated how to properly clean and protect the bronze plaque to best preserve it for future generations. The project also included landscaping around the monument, re-grading the Stony Fork Picnic Area parking lot, outlining it in timbers and re-graveling the area in order to ensure that it is a safe and attractive stopping point for those accessing the Parkway. Members of the Upper Hominy Fire Department also assisted in the project. Biltmore’s archives contain a photograph taken on Oct. 28, 1920, when Pisgah National Forest was officially dedicated to Vanderbilt at a ceremony at the monument site. Edith Vanderbilt and her daughter, Cornelia, are in the photo, taken at the monument along with Governor of North Carolina Locke Craig and secretary of the Appalachian Park Association George S. Powell. The inscription reads: Pisgah National Forest This portion 83,398 acres was formerly PISGAH FOREST Established by George W. Vanderbilt in 1891 and the earliest example of forestry on a large scale on private lands in America Acquired by the United States on 21 May 1914
Biltmore’s Conservation Team: Current Projects Posted on August 25, 2015 at 12:00 am.Written by Danielle Withrow Biltmore’s conservation staff undertakes conservation and preservation activities including examination, technical analysis, documentation (written and photographic), conservation and preservation related research, and conservation treatment of Biltmore collection objects. The photo above shows our team working to catalog and store the almost 4,000 pieces of china and glassware in the Butler’s Pantry in Biltmore House. Most plates are stored in stacks, but some are too fragile and would crack from the weight of the other plates. Biltmore’s conservation team developed a system for storing the plates and using archival foam blocks to prevent damage. Here are a few more of their current projects… Conservators Anne Battram, Nancy Rosebrock, and Genvieve Bieniosek are treating the 67 Banquet Hall chairs, one at a time. The seats are stuffed with the original Spanish moss, plant material, and unidentified animal hair, all of which will be returned to the seat before it’s covered in fabric that is an exact reproduction of the original. The project will take more than two years to complete. This ivory figurine is tucked in display case on the Second Floor that can sometimes go unnoticed by guests. While in the Objects Lab recently, our conservators were able to get some detailed images and take a peek inside. On the desk of Objects Conservator Renee Jolly: These switchplates were pulled from storage in the sub-basement of Biltmore House. Renee is in the process of evaluating the original hardware throughout the house and researching the original materials and appearances. Call buttons from obsolete switchplates throughout Biltmore House.
Fashionable Romance: Wedding Gowns in Film Posted on August 18, 2015 at 12:00 am.Written by Judy Ross This wedding dress worn by Emma Thompson in “Sense and Sensibility” will appear in “Fashionable Romance: Wedding Gowns in Film,” an exhibition of film costumes at Biltmore House in 2016. SENSE AND SENSIBILITY ©1995 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Courtesy of Columbia Pictures. Save the date! Exhibition of wedding gowns in film coming in February 2016. Just a couple of days before Valentine’s Day next year, brides from an array of eras will fill the rooms of Biltmore House. Not quite time travel, and no, not 250 brides (that would be one per room, you see), but our guests may feel as if they’ve stepped onto a movie set. “Fashionable Romance: Wedding Gowns in Film,” an exhibition of wedding attire worn in some of the film industry’s most iconic movies, will grace the rooms of George and Edith Vanderbilt’s house beginning Feb. 12, 2016, for a stay through July 4, 2016. Biltmore has been a location for weddings and romantic getaways since the Vanderbilts married in 1898. Bringing these gowns to such a romantic place seems like a natural match. Displayed throughout Biltmore House, the award-winning costumes from span 300 years of wedding fashion from films set in the years 1645 to 1935. The exhibition features 19 classic films, including the iconic Jane Austen romances of “Sense and Sensibility,” “Emma,” and “Pride and Prejudice.” Elaborate floral arrangements will complement each film’s era and costume. Biltmore’s renowned floral design team is already making plans! The exhibition will continue in the Legacy building in Antler Hill Village with stories of Vanderbilt and Cecil Family weddings, along with the first-ever display of the wedding veil worn by Mary Lee Ryan Cecil and her cousin Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy. Mrs. Cecil is married to William A.V. Cecil, grandson of George Vanderbilt. To recognize the artistry of costume design, renowned costumiers Cosprop, Ltd., London will recreate the wedding gown worn by Cornelia Vanderbilt in her marriage to John Cecil in 1924. The gown will be on display. Admission to “Fashionable Romance: Wedding Gowns in Film” will be included in the general admission ticket price.
Fine Linens for Fine Living Posted on August 18, 2015 at 12:00 am.Written by Karina Hux Imagine a dinner in the Banquet Hall with George and Edith Vanderbilt. Your place at the 40-foot-long table might be set with as many as twelve pieces of silverware, three plates, plus a charger as well as cup and saucer made by made by British porcelain manufacturers Minton or Spode-Copeland. Baccarat crystal wine, sherry, and water glasses are set within your reach. Meals at Biltmore were prepared with the utmost care and that attention to detail extended to the whole dining experience. In George Vanderbilt’s papers, Biltmore archivists found record of a purchase of monogrammed linen napkins from a shop in Paris, dated September 24, 1895. Details such as linens played a big role in the Vanderbilts’ spirit of gracious hospitality, but keeping these delicate items clean, crisp, and perfect required efforts almost unimaginable today. In her 1903 book, Millionaire Households and Their Domestic Economy: Hints for Fine Living, Mary Elizabeth Carter− former housekeeper to another branch of the Vanderbilt family− gave a behind-the-scenes look at how houses such as Biltmore handled the excess laundry created by guests. “If you’re not prepared for large entertainment,” she warned, “bedlam is let loose below stairs and laundresses are driven almost mad.” In Carter’s view, a well furnished laundry was essential to cope with the demands of a house designed for entertainment: “The twentieth century laundry is supplied with a diversity of smoothing irons – heavy ones for house linens, medium weight for lingerie and little ones of various and curious shapes for smoothing out sleeves and to reach tiny places in the smallest and most fairy-like of baby clothes. Its ventilation is perfect and the water supply, both hot and cold, is perfect.…A spacious, sunlighted (sic) finely ventilated laundry amply furnished for the work to be accomplished in the best manner for the workers speaks eloquently for the character of the ruling classes.” In the Main Laundry and Drying Room at Biltmore, you’ll see a variety of pressing devices as well as a barrel washer operated with leather belts and pulleys and an extractor used to spin excess moisture from laundry. The “ironing mangle” was used to iron large, flat articles such as linens and the innovative system of rolling, wooden racks were used for drying, either by air or electric coils. Carter went on to say of homes such as Biltmore that “None but skilled hands find employment in the laundry of one of these houses. They handle countless expensive and delicate articles of wearing apparel and house linen and must send all back looking as beautiful as if it had just arrived from Paris.” As you tour Biltmore House keep an eye out for the little details such as the linens, each of which adds to the sense of being in a place where guests receive an extraordinary welcome.
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
The Art of Biltmore’s Open-Air Museum Posted on August 10, 2015 at 12:00 am.Written by Jean Sexton Frederick Law Olmsted selected the major plantings at Biltmore with the utmost attention. Each had a specific purpose: to provide a certain color, texture or function, such as shade or height. But the manmade features of the gardens−statuary and planters−are more like the icing on the cake, hitting graceful notes throughout the landscape. So, what do we know about the artwork in Biltmore’s open air museum? “To our knowledge, Olmsted did not specify any statuary at Biltmore,” says Bill Alexander, Biltmore’s Landscape and Forest Historian. Research shows most of the statues were purchased in the late 1800s in France and Italy by George Vanderbilt and Richard Morris Hunt, Biltmore’s architect. It’s likely that Olmsted did play a role in the placement of the statues because the three men worked so closely on every aspect of the design of Biltmore House and Gardens. Classic Influences Walking through the gardens, you’ll notice a number of statues featuring characters from Greek myth. The four terra cotta figures on the South Terrace—Faun, Adonis, Venus, and Hamadryad—are modeled after originals created by Antoine Coysevox, a prolific sculptor from the 17th century. If you look closely at the figure at the far right end of the Terrace, you’ll see Coysevox’s maker’s mark. In the Italian Garden, you’ll find several variations of late-19th-century putti—winged figures that were popular in both statuary and painting during the Italian Renaissance. The small terra cotta angel located at the end of the Italian Garden is based on a work of art that’s housed in the Louvre. Although there’s a fountain bowl in front of this putto, Kara Warren, Preventive Conservation Specialist, says there is no record that water was ever used in the fountain. Aging Naturally Whether made from bronze, marble, limestone, granite, or terra cotta, each outdoor statue has to weather the elements. Storms and environmental pollutants have taken their toll of them over the last century. According to Kara, some repairs and restorations date back to 1934. “Reading the descriptions of repair work from our archival records is like having a mini history lesson. Each repair documents the care the statue received over the year. Today, we occasionally need to repair the repairs, replacing corroded iron elements with stainless steel or replacing mortar that has crumbled over time,” she continues. Near the stairway leading from the house to the Italian Garden, you’ll notice the Italian white marble statue that’s known as “The Dancing Lesson.” The original, made of terra cotta, was replaced by this copy in the 1970s after it was damaged in a storm. Perhaps Biltmore’s most famous statue, Diana, goddess of the hunt, located on the hill overlooking the house, met a similar fate. The original terra cotta work, based on a marble housed in the Louvre, was replaced with today’s marble version carved by H. Whinery Oppice in the 1970s. In Harmony with Nature As you walk through the gardens, statuary sometimes plays a supporting role to the ever-changing natural beauty that takes center stage. But each garden element is an important part of this living landscape that has been recognized as a National Historic Landmark.
Exploring George Vanderbilt’s Library Posted on August 5, 2015 at 12:00 am.Written by Danielle Withrow Even in Biltmore House, where so many rooms are filled with amazing collections of beautiful things, the Library still shines as a special place. George Vanderbilt was a remarkable man, and it’s fascinating to learn more about him through the creation of his magnificent and enduring library at Biltmore. Learn more about George Vanderbilt’s tastes and interests with this look at some noteworthy books that form the Biltmore House Library collection. An up-close look at leather-bound books in the collection Logging literary pursuits When he was 12, George Vanderbilt began recording the names of each book he read in a journal, and he continued that habit throughout his life. If we look at any representative year, we get a sense of the breadth of his intellect. In 1899, Mr. Vanderbilt read a total of 51 books: 31 were novels, including The Two Magies and The Awkward Age by Henry James and Antonia or the Fall of Rome by Wilkie Collins. The non-fiction list from that year is just as fascinating and includes The Renaissance in Italy (a two-volume study by J. A. Symonds); Oceana or England and Her Colonies by James Anthony Froude; and Human Immortality: Four Supposed Objections to the Doctrine and The Will to Believe and Other Essays in Popular Philosophy by Henry James’ brother William. Detailed look at a large bookpress in Library in Biltmore House A man of many interests By the time of his death, George Vanderbilt had collected more than 23,000 volumes. Approximately one-third of the volumes were antiquarian purchases, with the oldest appearing to be an Italian work published in 1561. The major strengths of the collection are 19th-century English and American literature, art and architecture; travel, philosophy and religion; history; and French fiction and non-fiction reflecting both his and his wife’s interest in France and their fluency in the French language. Most of the books George Vanderbilt collected were sent to one of the great bookbinders of the period, such as Riviere, Stikeman, Lortic, or David. A few months later they would be returned beautifully bound in Moroccan leather, with gilt lettering and decoration, to be placed on the shelves of the Biltmore House Library. Lithograph from Thomas McKenney and James Hall’s History of the Indian Tribes of North America, 1844. Rare Biltmore Library collections The Biltmore House Library contains Thomas McKenney and James Hall’s History of the Indian Tribes of North America. Our volumes are the original large folio edition, published in 1844, and contain a full set of the original 120 hand-colored lithographs, which have remarkably retained their vibrancy despite being 180 years old. This work is widely regarded as one of the most significant publications on Native Americans ever produced, as well as one of the most important color plate books of the 19th century. It provides a remarkable glimpse into the lives and appearances of Native American leaders during a pivotal time in American history and of Biltmore’s earliest inhabitants. Tragically, many of Charles Bird King’s original oil paintings, from which these folio prints were created, were destroyed in a fire at the Smithsonian in 1865. The rarity of the original folio printing, combined with its historical significance and the unfortunate destruction of the source material, makes this set an invaluable part of our collection. Other notable works include the complete set of James Audubon’s The Birds of America and The Quadrapeds of America. The copies are unusual in that they are the smaller octavo edition, not the very large elephant folio edition so prized by print collectors. What makes Biltmore’s set particularly interesting is that they are bound with the original paper wrappers that accompanied each part as Audubon’s publisher issued them.
Biltmore’s Curatorial Team: Current Projects Posted on August 5, 2015 at 12:00 am.Written by Danielle Withrow Biltmore’s curatorial team oversees the research and interpretation of the historic collections, interiors, and history of Biltmore Estate, including managing room restoration projects, exhibitions, tours, and publications. The collections management team oversees the cataloging, documentation and preservation of Biltmore collection objects. Above, we see artifacts used by Biltmore Dairy delivery men that Associate Collections Manager Lenore Hardin is cataloging. The items include an insulated porch box (for leaving fresh milk on the customer’s doorstep), a bottle carrier (for carrying bottles to and from the truck), a stackable wire milk crate, and Biltmore Dairy milk bottles. Here are a few more of their current projects… While doing research, Curatorial Assistant Lori Garst found George Vanderbilt’s application to the New York chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution. His application was sponsored by his uncle Benjamin Kissam, the brother of his mother, Maria Louisa Kissam Vanderbilt. From the desk of Biltmore’s Collections Manager, Laura Overbey: These strips of wallpaper came from the bedroom of Mrs. King, Biltmore’s longtime housekeeper. It’s one of the unrestored rooms guests can visit on the Behind-the-Scenes Guided Upstairs-Downstairs Tour. Curatorial Assistant Lori Garst has seen more Vanderbilt family photos than just about anyone. As part of her job cataloging the 9,000+ photos in Biltmore’s collection, she has learned to recognize family members by face. On her desk, a picture of George Vanderbilt’s sister Lila and little George and Lila as children in the 1860s. Read our blogs on Biltmore’s Archival and Conservation team to see what other projects are underway at Biltmore.