Monday, July 2, 2012

Stanford White's Amazing Architecture and Famous Scandal

When I visited the Met recently, I came across these fabulous pair of doors, which after reading below, saw they were purchased by Stanford White in the late 1890's. He was one of the major architects during the Gilded Age with the firm McKim, Meade and White.  

How amazing is this door?? I am just such a huge fan of Stanford White as well as the Gilded Age. He designed some of the most amazing buildings in New York City, as well as Newport, Rhode Island, Virginia and even Italy. He was also involved in quite a scandal in his day, and was murdered for his affair with Evelyn Nesbit by her husband, Harry Kendell Thaw.  
Washington Square Arch is one of his works completed around 1892
the gorgeous statues of George Washington show him at war to the right and at peace to the left  
Judson Memorial Church completed in 1893
in 1911, Stanford White designed with his firm the north and south wings of the Metropolitan Museum of Art 
photo by Brown Harris Stevens 

Most recently, a Upper East Side townhouse, most likely one of the last designed by Stanford sold for 42 million dollars. You can read more about it HERE and I suggest you do as more photos of the inside await. What an amazing piece of history which really takes you back in time, to that Gilded Age, of excess and prestige. 
photo by Brown Harris Stevens 

The listing by Brown Harris Stevens can be viewed HERE

This is Evelyn Nesbit and I found a wonderful blog post about this whole scandal at Museworthy  which is a really good read. There also was a movie made about what happened called The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing. I did rent it from netflix, as once you start to read about it, you want to see more. 

Today's Words of Wisdom:  Every Man is the Guardian of his Own Honor 



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6 comments

Fashion-isha said...

Those doors are amazing!! It's unbelievable what a wealth of art and architecture there is in NYC
xo
Sharon

s.c said...

Nice posting. Like to read it. Thanks for showing.

The Silver Bunny said...

Thank you for this beautiful post ; it was most interesting. That last flight of stairs is just perfection !

Daryl said...

an amazing time for the arts ... thank you for this fascinating post!

Carolyn said...

Those doors are absolutely gorgeous. Besides being an incredibly talented designer, White had an amazing eye. Just for the sake of clarity, though, I have to say that don't think Stanford White himself had anything to do with designing those wings at the Met. They were done in 1911, but White was murdered in 1906.

nycstylelittlecannoli said...

Thank you Caro for the comment. From what I have read, it says they were "completed" in 1911 by Stanford White's firm McKim, Meade and White. He may have worked with them on the project prior to his death. I just love all buildings he designed. Such a talent with such a tragic ending to a life.

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