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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.