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Winterthur
Traces the history of the Delaware mansion now used as a museum and describes its invaluable collection of antique furniture, textiles, porcelain, pewter, silver, paintings, and prints
240 pages, Hardcover
First published October 10, 1985
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 17, 2016
This book is a very good overview of how the du Ponts were established in Pennsylvania, their early involvement of the black powder industry (which lead to the beginnings of their vast fortune), and the forces that lead to the development of the young man, Henry Francis du Pont. As an ardent student he gained the meticulous knowledge, and made many of the critical social connections with others who later became his partners in establishing the vast experimental gardens landscaping in the rolling hills and woodlands of the vast Winterthur estate in rural Delaware. He experimented with horticultural varieties as well as then new concepts of naturalizing landscape design. He also developed and honed his lifelong habit of corresponding, in great detail, with the movers and shakers, as well as more humble parties, on the subject of his latest intellectual passion.
Shortly after H. F. du Pont's marriage his quite obsessive personality latched on to his second lifelong passion: collecting early American furnishings. Over many years he acquired tens of thousands of noteworthy American examples of furniture, textiles, glassware and the full range of decorative and folk arts, forming the core of what would later become the Winterthur Museum, one of the most well respected museums of its kind. In the process of amassing his vast collection, he undertook several major renovations to the mansion which was his home in order to display his collections, establishing a new museum philosophy of the presentation of artifacts in a wide variety of fully decorated and functional period rooms, some of which his family actually inhabited and used daily, rather than in cold glassed-in standard (for the time) museum settings.
Starting out as an amateur collector, over time du Pont, through personal experience, as well as absorbing the professional advice of many antique dealers, museum professionals and others, eventually developed a reputation for being one of the most knowledgeable collectors of the decorative arts in America. This reputation earned him membership in the esteemed and exclusive Walpole Society, the members of which were stunned upon their first visit to Winterthur, to see the sheer size, and also the quality of his collections, but most importantly the entire effect of their presentation in fully furnished and accessorized rooms.
Aside from his many contributions already cited H. F. du Pont made many more innovations to the concept of the function of today's museums including, but not limited to their function as research facilities in their areas of expertise, training centers for new museum professionals, and repositories for books and documents relating to the field, as well as the education of the public.
The remarkable accomplishments of the man who established and endowed the Winterthur Museum, almost singlehandedly, are presented clearly and with much imagination. Most of the color and other plates illustrating points being made in the text are very informative; some are too small to be of much use. The photos and other illustrations give a good sense of the breadth and quality of the museum's collections, but also the richness and beauty of the surrounding grounds.
In my opinion, anyone planning to visit this museum should invest the time in reading this book. Visitors will then begin to grasp the dedication and passion of its founder in providing us, his public, with the appreciation he gained over time for American artists and craftsmen and the time and patience it took to bring the richness of the landscape experience available on the grounds to mature fruition.
Shortly after H. F. du Pont's marriage his quite obsessive personality latched on to his second lifelong passion: collecting early American furnishings. Over many years he acquired tens of thousands of noteworthy American examples of furniture, textiles, glassware and the full range of decorative and folk arts, forming the core of what would later become the Winterthur Museum, one of the most well respected museums of its kind. In the process of amassing his vast collection, he undertook several major renovations to the mansion which was his home in order to display his collections, establishing a new museum philosophy of the presentation of artifacts in a wide variety of fully decorated and functional period rooms, some of which his family actually inhabited and used daily, rather than in cold glassed-in standard (for the time) museum settings.
Starting out as an amateur collector, over time du Pont, through personal experience, as well as absorbing the professional advice of many antique dealers, museum professionals and others, eventually developed a reputation for being one of the most knowledgeable collectors of the decorative arts in America. This reputation earned him membership in the esteemed and exclusive Walpole Society, the members of which were stunned upon their first visit to Winterthur, to see the sheer size, and also the quality of his collections, but most importantly the entire effect of their presentation in fully furnished and accessorized rooms.
Aside from his many contributions already cited H. F. du Pont made many more innovations to the concept of the function of today's museums including, but not limited to their function as research facilities in their areas of expertise, training centers for new museum professionals, and repositories for books and documents relating to the field, as well as the education of the public.
The remarkable accomplishments of the man who established and endowed the Winterthur Museum, almost singlehandedly, are presented clearly and with much imagination. Most of the color and other plates illustrating points being made in the text are very informative; some are too small to be of much use. The photos and other illustrations give a good sense of the breadth and quality of the museum's collections, but also the richness and beauty of the surrounding grounds.
In my opinion, anyone planning to visit this museum should invest the time in reading this book. Visitors will then begin to grasp the dedication and passion of its founder in providing us, his public, with the appreciation he gained over time for American artists and craftsmen and the time and patience it took to bring the richness of the landscape experience available on the grounds to mature fruition.
February 20, 2014
I liked this book for understanding the history behind Winterthur and the making of the museum, however it was a little dry for me personally. I want to know more about the family that lived there so I will find a book that is more focused on the humanistic aspects of the house. It was a good book to truly understand the collection of American decor there and the ambition behind it.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews