This document provides a tour of Villa Finale, a historic house in San Antonio, Texas. It describes the history of the property from its origins as part of a Spanish land grant in the 1700s. The house was built in the 1870s and passed through several owners until being purchased in 1967 by Walter Mathis, who restored it. The tour highlights Mathis' extensive art and artifact collection, including many items related to Napoleon. It describes the architecture and furnishings of the house in detail.
The Rijksmuseum is a major European treasury of art. It houses the world’s greatest collection of Dutch paintings of 17C, the Golden Age. It is also a museum for Dutch history, art objects, drawings, sculptures and furniture. The building was opened in 1885. Its building was one of the first to be constructed specially as a museum. In 2004 the museum largely closed for 10 years to undertake a major renovation. The major features of the renovation were the of construction two large atriums covered by glass roofs to provide more amenity spaces for the visitors. The garden was also modified, statues were added, for the visitors to relax and enjoy the summer sun.
Dr Dinah Parums. Amnesty for Gnomes. 2013, The Year the Gnomes Came Out of th...Dinah Parums
This document discusses the history of garden gnomes. It notes that in 2013, the Chelsea Flower Show held an "amnesty" for gnomes, allowing them to be featured in gardens after being banned previously. The origins of garden gnomes can be traced back to stone statues in Roman gardens and dwarves in German literature and folklore that were thought to bring good luck. Garden gnomes became popular garden ornaments in Britain in the early 20th century before declining after World War I but saw a revival in the 1970s, often in plastic form. The document concludes that gnomes still have a future place in gardens.
1. The document discusses the motto "Men of all countries are brothers, he who oppresses one nation declares himself the enemy of all" which was disseminated in France by Maximilien Robespierre and the popular Societies and was later used to mark state-controlled churches.
2. It provides details about the life and cons Victor Lustig, known for his ambitious cons including selling the Eiffel Tower.
3. It asks the reader to identify the artwork "Liberty Leading the People" by Eugène Delacroix, which depicts a woman leading the people with the French flag.
The document discusses key figures and works from the 19th century Design Reform movement in Britain. It highlights the Crystal Palace exhibition designed by Joseph Paxton in 1851. It also mentions works by Dante Gabriel Rossetti such as Jane Burden in Blue and The Daydream. Important figures of the Arts and Crafts movement are discussed like William Morris and the interior designs of the Red House. Key works by Edward Burne-Jones are also referenced.
Sworders The Douglas Fairbanks Jr Collection 2 March 2022Sworders
The Douglas Fairbanks Jr Collection
Wednesday 2 March
At The Stansted Mountfitchet Auction Rooms
Viewing
Viewing
We will be offering viewing by appointment only, to be held at our Stansted Auction Rooms, Cambridge Road, Stansted Mountfitchet CM24 8GE. Thirty-minute time slots will be available from:
Fri 25 Feb, 9am - 5pm
Sun 27 Feb, 10am - 2pm
Mon 28 Feb, 9am - 5pm
URL
https://www.sworder.co.uk/auction/search/?au=1044
The document provides details about the history and sights of Montmartre in Paris, France. It describes how Montmartre was originally a small farming village that became a center for artists in the late 19th century. It summarizes the construction of the Sacré-Coeur Basilica between 1876-1919 to fulfill a pledge to build a church if Paris was spared from war. Finally, it lists many famous artists and performers who lived and worked in Montmartre, as well as current attractions, including the Moulin de la Galette, Dalí and Picasso museums, and streets and neighborhoods of historical significance.
I wrote this fun paper about the history of the Mona Lisa as the final project for a writing class. In it, I explore the factors that have contributed to make the work by Leonardo Da Vinci, arguably, the most famous painting of all time.
The document provides context and details about the short story "The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allan Poe. It describes the carnival season setting in Venice where the story takes place and introduces the main characters, one wearing a parti-striped dress and conical cap. It also mentions architectural elements like the palazzo and describes nitre formations seen on ancient jars or vaults. Masonic symbols related to the story such as a trowel and the family arms and motto of one of the characters are defined.
The Rijksmuseum is a major European treasury of art. It houses the world’s greatest collection of Dutch paintings of 17C, the Golden Age. It is also a museum for Dutch history, art objects, drawings, sculptures and furniture. The building was opened in 1885. Its building was one of the first to be constructed specially as a museum. In 2004 the museum largely closed for 10 years to undertake a major renovation. The major features of the renovation were the of construction two large atriums covered by glass roofs to provide more amenity spaces for the visitors. The garden was also modified, statues were added, for the visitors to relax and enjoy the summer sun.
Dr Dinah Parums. Amnesty for Gnomes. 2013, The Year the Gnomes Came Out of th...Dinah Parums
This document discusses the history of garden gnomes. It notes that in 2013, the Chelsea Flower Show held an "amnesty" for gnomes, allowing them to be featured in gardens after being banned previously. The origins of garden gnomes can be traced back to stone statues in Roman gardens and dwarves in German literature and folklore that were thought to bring good luck. Garden gnomes became popular garden ornaments in Britain in the early 20th century before declining after World War I but saw a revival in the 1970s, often in plastic form. The document concludes that gnomes still have a future place in gardens.
1. The document discusses the motto "Men of all countries are brothers, he who oppresses one nation declares himself the enemy of all" which was disseminated in France by Maximilien Robespierre and the popular Societies and was later used to mark state-controlled churches.
2. It provides details about the life and cons Victor Lustig, known for his ambitious cons including selling the Eiffel Tower.
3. It asks the reader to identify the artwork "Liberty Leading the People" by Eugène Delacroix, which depicts a woman leading the people with the French flag.
The document discusses key figures and works from the 19th century Design Reform movement in Britain. It highlights the Crystal Palace exhibition designed by Joseph Paxton in 1851. It also mentions works by Dante Gabriel Rossetti such as Jane Burden in Blue and The Daydream. Important figures of the Arts and Crafts movement are discussed like William Morris and the interior designs of the Red House. Key works by Edward Burne-Jones are also referenced.
Sworders The Douglas Fairbanks Jr Collection 2 March 2022Sworders
The Douglas Fairbanks Jr Collection
Wednesday 2 March
At The Stansted Mountfitchet Auction Rooms
Viewing
Viewing
We will be offering viewing by appointment only, to be held at our Stansted Auction Rooms, Cambridge Road, Stansted Mountfitchet CM24 8GE. Thirty-minute time slots will be available from:
Fri 25 Feb, 9am - 5pm
Sun 27 Feb, 10am - 2pm
Mon 28 Feb, 9am - 5pm
URL
https://www.sworder.co.uk/auction/search/?au=1044
The document provides details about the history and sights of Montmartre in Paris, France. It describes how Montmartre was originally a small farming village that became a center for artists in the late 19th century. It summarizes the construction of the Sacré-Coeur Basilica between 1876-1919 to fulfill a pledge to build a church if Paris was spared from war. Finally, it lists many famous artists and performers who lived and worked in Montmartre, as well as current attractions, including the Moulin de la Galette, Dalí and Picasso museums, and streets and neighborhoods of historical significance.
I wrote this fun paper about the history of the Mona Lisa as the final project for a writing class. In it, I explore the factors that have contributed to make the work by Leonardo Da Vinci, arguably, the most famous painting of all time.
The document provides context and details about the short story "The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allan Poe. It describes the carnival season setting in Venice where the story takes place and introduces the main characters, one wearing a parti-striped dress and conical cap. It also mentions architectural elements like the palazzo and describes nitre formations seen on ancient jars or vaults. Masonic symbols related to the story such as a trowel and the family arms and motto of one of the characters are defined.
Sworders sporting art, wildlife and dogs tuesday 30 april 2019Sworders
SPORTING ART, WILDLIFE AND DOGS
at the Stansted Mountfitchet Auction Rooms
Tuesday 30 April 2019 at 1pm
ORDER OF SALE
Lots 1 - 103 Lots 104 - 151 Lots 152 - 185 Lots 186 - 258
Sporting and Racing Dogs
Bryan Steele Collection Birds and Wildlife
VIEWING TIMES
Friday 26 April Sunday 28 April Monday 29 April Tuesday 30 April
9am - 5pm 10am - 1pm 9am - 5pm From 9am
Auction highlights are on view at our London office
Monday 8 April - Thursday 18 April
Sworders Auctioneers
15 Cecil Court, London WC2N 4EZ
Telephone: 0203 971 2500 london@sworder.co.uk
ONLINE BIDDING
Bid live at www.sworder.co.uk (3% surcharge)
FURTHER INFORMATION:
Contact: Jane Oakley
Telephone: 01279 817778 Email: auctions@sworder.co.uk
To obtain more images and condition reports for lots in this catalogue, please visit our website www.sworder.co.uk
John Constable was a 19th century English landscape painter known for his realistic depictions of the rural Stour Valley. Born in Suffolk to a mill owner, he entered the Royal Academy in 1800 and painted "Flatford Mill" around 1817, capturing the rural scene and working people near his childhood home which inspired him to become an artist. The painting is on display at the Tate Britain and was created using an impasto technique, with Constable known to do large preparatory sketches.
John Frederick Lewis - Mirage of the OrientJerry Daperro
John Frederick Lewis (London 1805 – Walton-on-Thames 1876) English Painter. He studied art under his father who was a distinguished engraver, Christian Frederick Lewis. He was trained under Sir Thomas Lawrence as an animal painter.
He exhibited in the British Institute in 1820 and the British Academy in the following year. He visited Switzerland and Italy in 1824. in 1932-34, he lived Spain and Morocco. As a result he published a series of lithographs on Moorish architecture, that established him as an serious artist. In 1837, he visited Paris and Rome. In 1840, he went to Greece. Turkey and the Middle East.
In 1841 he settle down in Cairo, at the Egypt was part of the Ottoman Empire. He lived there for 10 years an adopted an Egyptian ways of life, even dressed in tradition costumes and turben. During his stay, he painted the Egyptian ways of life, with authenticity. In 1947 he married to Marian Harper, who appeared in many of his painting dressing in ‘Turkified European’, living amongst the Egyptian.
When he return to England, he became the president of the Old Watercolour, a post he held for 8-9 years. He became a full member of the Royal Academy and exhibited there regularly. In 1876 he died in Walton-on-Thames at the age of 72.
MILLAIS, Sir John Everett, Featured Paintings in Detail (2)guimera
This document provides details on several paintings by the English artist Sir John Everett Millais. It includes summaries and background information on individual works such as Isabella (1849), The Knight Errant (1870), A Dream of the Past: Sir Isumbras at the Ford (1857), and Christ in the House of His Parents (1849-50). It also provides a brief biography of Millais, noting that he was a founder of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and produced paintings influenced by their style early in his career before moving to more popular styles later in life.
The document provides an overview of several famous cities in Europe and highlights important locations and sites to see that are relevant to the Renaissance period. It discusses Paris's importance during the Renaissance and mentions sites like the Louvre museum and Eiffel Tower. For London, it notes the city's significance and mentions Shakespeare and the plague. Iconic locations like Big Ben and the Tower of London are highlighted. Brief overviews are also provided for Amsterdam, Rome, Venice, and their important Renaissance-era sites such as the canals, Anne Frank House, Colosseum, and gondola rides.
Hs ii, lecture 6, decorators ol wbg reducedplimanysid
This document profiles several influential interior decorators from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including Elsie de Wolfe, Ruby Ross Wood, Rose Cumming, Syrie Maugham, Eleanor McMillen Brown, and Dorothy Draper. It provides images and descriptions of some of their most famous projects like Elsie de Wolfe's redesign of the Colony Club in New York, Ruby Ross Wood's Long Island home in the 1920s, and Dorothy Draper's work on high-profile commissions including the lobbies of the Carlyle and Greenbrier hotels. The document serves as a visual survey of the work and impact of these pioneering women in the field of interior design and decoration during the late Victorian
The document summarizes the daily routines and activities of King Louis XIV at Versailles. It describes how he would wake up each morning to a ceremonial rising called the "levee," where he would be dressed and have breakfast. He would then hold council meetings to govern the kingdom. Louis immersed himself completely in his role as king, identifying himself as "the State." Each evening he would have a public supper before retiring for the night. Versailles housed the entire French court and government and helped the king control the nobility through constant supervision.
The document provides background information on Edgar Allan Poe's short story "The Cask of Amontillado". It summarizes that the story is narrated by Montresor, who takes revenge on Fortunato for insulting him by luring Fortunato into his family catacombs during carnival season and walling him in to die. The document also provides historical context about carnival traditions, wine storage practices in that era, and details mentioned in the story.
John Constable was an English painter born in 1776 in Suffolk. He entered the Royal Academy Schools in 1799 and married Maria Bicknell in 1816. Constable developed his own painting technique through preparatory sketches and a series on the River Stour. His 1821 painting The Hay Wain, which depicts a rural scene on the River Stour, won a gold medal in Paris and is considered his most famous work. Other notable paintings include Malvern Hall in Warwickshire from 1809 and works from his "skying" period between 1821-1822 focusing on cloud formations and weather.
This document provides summaries of 14 paintings depicting tragic love stories from literature and mythology. It includes brief descriptions of paintings showing Paolo and Francesca from Dante's Inferno, Hero and Leander, Echo and Narcissus, Jupiter and Semele, Heloise and Abelard, Cephalus and Procris, Ophelia from Hamlet, Hellelil and Hildebrand, Tristan and Isolde, Romeo and Juliet, and others, noting they illustrate love that ends in death, forbidden love, or love that cannot be asserted or lived. It credits the artist, title, date, medium, dimensions and location of each work.
The National Gallery of Art, and its attached Sculpture Garden, is a national art museum in Washington, D.C., United States, located on the National Mall, between 3rd and 9th Streets, at Constitution Avenue NW. Open to the public and free of charge, the museum was privately established in 1937 for the American people.
The document summarizes the author's dream trip visiting several countries. In China, they visited the Palace Museum in Beijing to learn about Chinese art and the Great Wall, demonstrating Chinese culture's emphasis on hard work. In England, locations included Shakespeare's hometown of Stratford upon Avon and the site of the Great Exhibition. Key stops in other countries included the Palace of Versailles and Eiffel Tower in France, the Red Square and Yusupov Palace in Russia, and the Leaning Tower of Pisa and Venice in Italy. The author concluded with an unfortunate plane ride back home sitting next to an overweight passenger who fell asleep eating a hotdog.
The document discusses the ethics of combining immersive fictional storytelling with factual interpretation and historical objects in cultural heritage institution exhibitions. It then provides examples of how the British Library is exploring digital curation and born-digital manuscripts, including the digital archive of poet Wendy Cope and a panoramic view of writer Hanif Kureishi's study. It also introduces Christopher Green, the British Library's first Artist in Residence, known as "The Singing Hypnotist."
Shakespeare, the Globe and the Twelfth NightTeresa Savani
The document provides information about the Globe Theatre in London, including its history and structure. Some key details are:
- The Globe Theatre was constructed in 1599 out of timber from the previous Theatre. It was located on the south bank of the Thames.
- The Globe served as the primary home of William Shakespeare's acting company beginning in 1599. However, in 1613, a fire during a performance destroyed the original building.
- The Globe was rebuilt and reopened within a year, with the addition of a tiled roof for safety. It continued operating until 1644 when it was demolished.
Shakespeare, the Globe and The Twelfth NightTeresa Savani
The document provides information about the Globe Theatre in London, including its history and structure. Some key details are:
- The Globe Theatre was constructed in 1599 out of timber from the previous Theatre. It was located on the south bank of the Thames.
- The Globe served as the primary home of William Shakespeare's acting company beginning in 1599. It burned down during a performance in 1613 when a cannon misfired, but was rebuilt the following year.
- The Globe had a hexagonal shape with an inner courtyard about 55 feet across. It had three galleries that could seat over 1,500 people standing in the yard or galleries to watch performances.
John Constable was a British painter born in 1776 in East Bergholt, Suffolk. He developed his own technique for painting, making preparatory sketches outdoors of the rural scenes along the river Stour. Some of his most famous works depicting the Stour valley include "The White Horse," "The Hay Wain," and "The Lock," which are part of a series of six paintings focused on the river Stour landscapes. His 1821 painting "The Hay Wain" is housed at the National Gallery in London and shows a rural scene with cattle transporting hay across a river.
John Constable: being a romantic and a scientistSandra Lemaitre
John Constable was an English landscape painter in the early 19th century who found inspiration in the landscapes and skies of rural England. He believed painting was a scientific pursuit and carefully studied nature. While he aimed to capture realistic scenes, his work also included symbolic and romantic elements like rainbows. Some aspects of his grand landscape paintings featuring religious buildings and skies with dramatic clouds have led scholars to debate whether he should also be considered a romantic painter. Constable felt a deep connection to the countryside around his hometown and sought to express his feelings about nature through his artwork.
39019 BH The Harbour Office - A visual Guide WebMarty Cooper
This document provides a visual tour of the interior of the Harbour Office in Belfast, highlighting the ornate decor and historical artifacts on display. It describes the architectural history of the building and rooms such as the Titanic Room, which contains furniture commissioned for the Titanic. Other rooms described include the Barnett Room, Moreland Room, Retiring Room, and Watercolour Room. Stained glass windows and paintings throughout depict important figures and events in Belfast's maritime history. The document aims to showcase the grandeur of the Harbour Office and importance of the port of Belfast over the past 150+ years.
The document contains rare photos of cars owned by the Shah of Iran. It describes a 1957 Ferrari 410 Superamerica that was sold new to Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi in July 1957. It also mentions a 1939 Bugatti Type 57C Van Vooren Cabriolet owned by the Shah. Empress Soraya Esfandiary received the Ferrari as a parting gift from the Shah before he took a new wife.
This document provides an overview of the history of spectacle cases from the 14th century to present day. It discusses early examples of cases from the 1300s, materials used such as wood, ivory and tortoiseshell, and notable collections including Madame Alfred Heymann's extensive early case collection. The document also covers different types of historical cases and casemaking traditions from places like Scotland, China, and North America.
This document provides background information and details about Biltmore Estate, the largest private residence in America built in Asheville, North Carolina in the late 19th century. It was commissioned by George Washington Vanderbilt II and designed by architect Richard Morris Hunt in the style of 16th century French chateaus. The estate featured over 250 rooms, gardens, farms and vineyards totaling 125,000 acres. The document describes the architecture, design inspiration, landscaping by Frederick Law Olmsted and various rooms, gardens and outbuildings of the Biltmore Estate.
Sworders sporting art, wildlife and dogs tuesday 30 april 2019Sworders
SPORTING ART, WILDLIFE AND DOGS
at the Stansted Mountfitchet Auction Rooms
Tuesday 30 April 2019 at 1pm
ORDER OF SALE
Lots 1 - 103 Lots 104 - 151 Lots 152 - 185 Lots 186 - 258
Sporting and Racing Dogs
Bryan Steele Collection Birds and Wildlife
VIEWING TIMES
Friday 26 April Sunday 28 April Monday 29 April Tuesday 30 April
9am - 5pm 10am - 1pm 9am - 5pm From 9am
Auction highlights are on view at our London office
Monday 8 April - Thursday 18 April
Sworders Auctioneers
15 Cecil Court, London WC2N 4EZ
Telephone: 0203 971 2500 london@sworder.co.uk
ONLINE BIDDING
Bid live at www.sworder.co.uk (3% surcharge)
FURTHER INFORMATION:
Contact: Jane Oakley
Telephone: 01279 817778 Email: auctions@sworder.co.uk
To obtain more images and condition reports for lots in this catalogue, please visit our website www.sworder.co.uk
John Constable was a 19th century English landscape painter known for his realistic depictions of the rural Stour Valley. Born in Suffolk to a mill owner, he entered the Royal Academy in 1800 and painted "Flatford Mill" around 1817, capturing the rural scene and working people near his childhood home which inspired him to become an artist. The painting is on display at the Tate Britain and was created using an impasto technique, with Constable known to do large preparatory sketches.
John Frederick Lewis - Mirage of the OrientJerry Daperro
John Frederick Lewis (London 1805 – Walton-on-Thames 1876) English Painter. He studied art under his father who was a distinguished engraver, Christian Frederick Lewis. He was trained under Sir Thomas Lawrence as an animal painter.
He exhibited in the British Institute in 1820 and the British Academy in the following year. He visited Switzerland and Italy in 1824. in 1932-34, he lived Spain and Morocco. As a result he published a series of lithographs on Moorish architecture, that established him as an serious artist. In 1837, he visited Paris and Rome. In 1840, he went to Greece. Turkey and the Middle East.
In 1841 he settle down in Cairo, at the Egypt was part of the Ottoman Empire. He lived there for 10 years an adopted an Egyptian ways of life, even dressed in tradition costumes and turben. During his stay, he painted the Egyptian ways of life, with authenticity. In 1947 he married to Marian Harper, who appeared in many of his painting dressing in ‘Turkified European’, living amongst the Egyptian.
When he return to England, he became the president of the Old Watercolour, a post he held for 8-9 years. He became a full member of the Royal Academy and exhibited there regularly. In 1876 he died in Walton-on-Thames at the age of 72.
MILLAIS, Sir John Everett, Featured Paintings in Detail (2)guimera
This document provides details on several paintings by the English artist Sir John Everett Millais. It includes summaries and background information on individual works such as Isabella (1849), The Knight Errant (1870), A Dream of the Past: Sir Isumbras at the Ford (1857), and Christ in the House of His Parents (1849-50). It also provides a brief biography of Millais, noting that he was a founder of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and produced paintings influenced by their style early in his career before moving to more popular styles later in life.
The document provides an overview of several famous cities in Europe and highlights important locations and sites to see that are relevant to the Renaissance period. It discusses Paris's importance during the Renaissance and mentions sites like the Louvre museum and Eiffel Tower. For London, it notes the city's significance and mentions Shakespeare and the plague. Iconic locations like Big Ben and the Tower of London are highlighted. Brief overviews are also provided for Amsterdam, Rome, Venice, and their important Renaissance-era sites such as the canals, Anne Frank House, Colosseum, and gondola rides.
Hs ii, lecture 6, decorators ol wbg reducedplimanysid
This document profiles several influential interior decorators from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including Elsie de Wolfe, Ruby Ross Wood, Rose Cumming, Syrie Maugham, Eleanor McMillen Brown, and Dorothy Draper. It provides images and descriptions of some of their most famous projects like Elsie de Wolfe's redesign of the Colony Club in New York, Ruby Ross Wood's Long Island home in the 1920s, and Dorothy Draper's work on high-profile commissions including the lobbies of the Carlyle and Greenbrier hotels. The document serves as a visual survey of the work and impact of these pioneering women in the field of interior design and decoration during the late Victorian
The document summarizes the daily routines and activities of King Louis XIV at Versailles. It describes how he would wake up each morning to a ceremonial rising called the "levee," where he would be dressed and have breakfast. He would then hold council meetings to govern the kingdom. Louis immersed himself completely in his role as king, identifying himself as "the State." Each evening he would have a public supper before retiring for the night. Versailles housed the entire French court and government and helped the king control the nobility through constant supervision.
The document provides background information on Edgar Allan Poe's short story "The Cask of Amontillado". It summarizes that the story is narrated by Montresor, who takes revenge on Fortunato for insulting him by luring Fortunato into his family catacombs during carnival season and walling him in to die. The document also provides historical context about carnival traditions, wine storage practices in that era, and details mentioned in the story.
John Constable was an English painter born in 1776 in Suffolk. He entered the Royal Academy Schools in 1799 and married Maria Bicknell in 1816. Constable developed his own painting technique through preparatory sketches and a series on the River Stour. His 1821 painting The Hay Wain, which depicts a rural scene on the River Stour, won a gold medal in Paris and is considered his most famous work. Other notable paintings include Malvern Hall in Warwickshire from 1809 and works from his "skying" period between 1821-1822 focusing on cloud formations and weather.
This document provides summaries of 14 paintings depicting tragic love stories from literature and mythology. It includes brief descriptions of paintings showing Paolo and Francesca from Dante's Inferno, Hero and Leander, Echo and Narcissus, Jupiter and Semele, Heloise and Abelard, Cephalus and Procris, Ophelia from Hamlet, Hellelil and Hildebrand, Tristan and Isolde, Romeo and Juliet, and others, noting they illustrate love that ends in death, forbidden love, or love that cannot be asserted or lived. It credits the artist, title, date, medium, dimensions and location of each work.
The National Gallery of Art, and its attached Sculpture Garden, is a national art museum in Washington, D.C., United States, located on the National Mall, between 3rd and 9th Streets, at Constitution Avenue NW. Open to the public and free of charge, the museum was privately established in 1937 for the American people.
The document summarizes the author's dream trip visiting several countries. In China, they visited the Palace Museum in Beijing to learn about Chinese art and the Great Wall, demonstrating Chinese culture's emphasis on hard work. In England, locations included Shakespeare's hometown of Stratford upon Avon and the site of the Great Exhibition. Key stops in other countries included the Palace of Versailles and Eiffel Tower in France, the Red Square and Yusupov Palace in Russia, and the Leaning Tower of Pisa and Venice in Italy. The author concluded with an unfortunate plane ride back home sitting next to an overweight passenger who fell asleep eating a hotdog.
The document discusses the ethics of combining immersive fictional storytelling with factual interpretation and historical objects in cultural heritage institution exhibitions. It then provides examples of how the British Library is exploring digital curation and born-digital manuscripts, including the digital archive of poet Wendy Cope and a panoramic view of writer Hanif Kureishi's study. It also introduces Christopher Green, the British Library's first Artist in Residence, known as "The Singing Hypnotist."
Shakespeare, the Globe and the Twelfth NightTeresa Savani
The document provides information about the Globe Theatre in London, including its history and structure. Some key details are:
- The Globe Theatre was constructed in 1599 out of timber from the previous Theatre. It was located on the south bank of the Thames.
- The Globe served as the primary home of William Shakespeare's acting company beginning in 1599. However, in 1613, a fire during a performance destroyed the original building.
- The Globe was rebuilt and reopened within a year, with the addition of a tiled roof for safety. It continued operating until 1644 when it was demolished.
Shakespeare, the Globe and The Twelfth NightTeresa Savani
The document provides information about the Globe Theatre in London, including its history and structure. Some key details are:
- The Globe Theatre was constructed in 1599 out of timber from the previous Theatre. It was located on the south bank of the Thames.
- The Globe served as the primary home of William Shakespeare's acting company beginning in 1599. It burned down during a performance in 1613 when a cannon misfired, but was rebuilt the following year.
- The Globe had a hexagonal shape with an inner courtyard about 55 feet across. It had three galleries that could seat over 1,500 people standing in the yard or galleries to watch performances.
John Constable was a British painter born in 1776 in East Bergholt, Suffolk. He developed his own technique for painting, making preparatory sketches outdoors of the rural scenes along the river Stour. Some of his most famous works depicting the Stour valley include "The White Horse," "The Hay Wain," and "The Lock," which are part of a series of six paintings focused on the river Stour landscapes. His 1821 painting "The Hay Wain" is housed at the National Gallery in London and shows a rural scene with cattle transporting hay across a river.
John Constable: being a romantic and a scientistSandra Lemaitre
John Constable was an English landscape painter in the early 19th century who found inspiration in the landscapes and skies of rural England. He believed painting was a scientific pursuit and carefully studied nature. While he aimed to capture realistic scenes, his work also included symbolic and romantic elements like rainbows. Some aspects of his grand landscape paintings featuring religious buildings and skies with dramatic clouds have led scholars to debate whether he should also be considered a romantic painter. Constable felt a deep connection to the countryside around his hometown and sought to express his feelings about nature through his artwork.
39019 BH The Harbour Office - A visual Guide WebMarty Cooper
This document provides a visual tour of the interior of the Harbour Office in Belfast, highlighting the ornate decor and historical artifacts on display. It describes the architectural history of the building and rooms such as the Titanic Room, which contains furniture commissioned for the Titanic. Other rooms described include the Barnett Room, Moreland Room, Retiring Room, and Watercolour Room. Stained glass windows and paintings throughout depict important figures and events in Belfast's maritime history. The document aims to showcase the grandeur of the Harbour Office and importance of the port of Belfast over the past 150+ years.
The document contains rare photos of cars owned by the Shah of Iran. It describes a 1957 Ferrari 410 Superamerica that was sold new to Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi in July 1957. It also mentions a 1939 Bugatti Type 57C Van Vooren Cabriolet owned by the Shah. Empress Soraya Esfandiary received the Ferrari as a parting gift from the Shah before he took a new wife.
This document provides an overview of the history of spectacle cases from the 14th century to present day. It discusses early examples of cases from the 1300s, materials used such as wood, ivory and tortoiseshell, and notable collections including Madame Alfred Heymann's extensive early case collection. The document also covers different types of historical cases and casemaking traditions from places like Scotland, China, and North America.
This document provides background information and details about Biltmore Estate, the largest private residence in America built in Asheville, North Carolina in the late 19th century. It was commissioned by George Washington Vanderbilt II and designed by architect Richard Morris Hunt in the style of 16th century French chateaus. The estate featured over 250 rooms, gardens, farms and vineyards totaling 125,000 acres. The document describes the architecture, design inspiration, landscaping by Frederick Law Olmsted and various rooms, gardens and outbuildings of the Biltmore Estate.
The Villa Pignatelli is located in Naples and now houses the Prince Diego Aragona Pignatelli Cortes Museum. The villa was commissioned in 1826 and had several owners until it was donated to the Italian state in 1952 to become a museum. It has ornate interiors decorated with paintings, sculptures, and a collection of porcelain. The landscaped gardens were designed in the English style and include rare plant species.
Villa Ocampo is a mansion in Buenos Aires, Argentina that was formerly the home of Victoria Ocampo, an important Argentine intellectual and writer. She donated the mansion to UNESCO in 1973 for use as a cultural center. The mansion contains Ocampo's personal library and artifacts and rooms preserved as they were during her lifetime. It now operates as a cultural center and museum, hosting temporary exhibits focused on literature and history. Visitors can tour the mansion and grounds to learn about Victoria Ocampo's illustrious career promoting culture and her role as a salon host to many prominent international figures of her time.
- King Alfonso VI noticed during the conquest of Madrid in 1083 that a group of soldiers climbed the city walls with incredible agility, like cats. He said "It seems that they climb like cats," which is how the inhabitants of the town and their descendants came to be called "Madrileños."
This document provides information about two upcoming book fairs in California in January and February 2015 hosted by Douglas Stewart Fine Books Ltd. It includes the event details and locations for the Pasadena Antiquarian Book, Print, Photo and Paper Fair from January 31-February 1, 2015 at the Pasadena Convention Center and the California International Antiquarian Book Fair from February 6-8, 2015 at the Oakland Marriott City Center. It encourages interested parties to sign up for their monthly email newsletter to receive information about new acquisitions.
The document provides an overview of a quiz with 8 written questions, 8 name questions, and 8 potpourri questions. The written round included questions about paintings, stamps, cities/rivers, auctions, and more. The name round featured questions about explorers, architecture, philosophers, and nicknames. The potpourri round will involve questions about awards, conflicts, and animals.
The Arts and Crafts Movement began in late 19th century England as a reaction against the Industrial Revolution. Members sought a return to medieval craftsmanship and design. Leading members included William Morris, Walter Crane, and the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. They rejected machine production and advocated for handmade, locally-sourced materials. William Morris' Red House in London, designed by Philip Webb in 1859, was an early exemplar that inspired the movement.
This is the presentation I delivered at a GPR Conference in St. Augustine in June 2009. It details the development of St. Augustine’s oldest-visible cemetery and discusses current obstacles to its survival. This is the presentation notes.
The document provides brief biographies of several historical figures, including:
- President William McKinley, who was assassinated in 1901.
- Henry Halleck, a US Army officer and legal scholar who played a key role in California's admission to the union.
- James Garfield, the 20th US President who was assassinated after only 6 months in office.
- Robert Burns, the famous Scottish poet known for works like "A Red, Red Rose".
The document discusses the history of London's docks from the 19th century onwards. It notes that the Thames was constrained and organized to facilitate river traffic beyond Tower Bridge, and legal quays were established upriver to unload imports. Over time, a system of enclosed docks was built on both sides of the river to prevent cargo theft and accommodate growing trade. This fueled London's growth as the world's busiest port during the Industrial Revolution. The 1901 census recorded over 300 ships docked across the various port facilities, demonstrating the scale of maritime commerce at the time.
San Antonio was experiencing rapid population and economic growth in the decades before the Civil War. The city became the headquarters of the Trans-Mississippi Department of the U.S. Army in 1845. Forts were also built west of San Antonio to protect settlers. Immigration increased the population, especially from Germany. The city was home to a diverse mix of ethnicities including Americans, Germans, Mexicans, and others. San Antonio emerged as an important economic and military center in Texas during this period of expansion and development.
This document provides an overview of the Art Deco style that emerged in the 1920s. It describes key characteristics of Art Deco like geometric shapes, bold colors, and use of rare materials. The style was influenced by Cubism, Ancient Egyptian art uncovered in the 1920s, and new technologies like automobiles. Notable Art Deco artists included René Lalique known for his glasswork and Clarice Cliff for her ceramic designs. The style was popular in architecture, interior design, furniture, and fashion of the 1920s era.
The Arts and Crafts Movement began in late 19th century England as a reaction against the Industrial Revolution. Members sought a return to medieval craftsmanship and design. The movement was influenced by the writings of John Ruskin and William Morris, who rejected machine production and advocated for handmade, socially purposeful designs. Key figures included William Morris, Walter Crane, and Edward Burne-Jones, who designed wallpapers, textiles, furniture and more in the Arts and Crafts style.
This document provides an overview and introduction to four English-speaking countries and some of their most interesting museums. It begins with an introduction to the United Kingdom and provides details on the British Museum in London. It then discusses the St Fagans National History Museum in Wales and the Design Museum in London. The document continues with summaries of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City and several museums in other countries, including the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum in Boston. It concludes by highlighting museums in Australia and South Africa.
This document introduces four English-speaking countries and some of their most interesting museums. It begins with the United Kingdom and discusses the British Museum in London. It then discusses St Fagans National Museum of History in Wales. It moves to the United States and discusses the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Anchorage Imaginarium children's museum. It concludes with discussions of the Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston and the Hyde Park Barracks Museum in Sydney, Australia.
The document provides a tour of landmarks in a town, summarizing each location in 1-3 sentences. The landmarks included are the Faust Hotel, First Protestant Church, Naeglin's Bakery, the downtown gazebo, Comal County Courthouse, Landa Park, Lindheimer's Home, Schlitterbahn water park, Brauntex Theatre, Seekatz Theatre, and Phoenix Saloon.
Aggression - Applied Social Psychology - Psychology SuperNotesPsychoTech Services
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As we navigate through the ebbs and flows of life, it is natural to experience moments of low motivation and dwindling passion for our goals.
However, it is important to remember that this is a common hurdle that can be overcome with the right strategies in place.
In this guide, we will explore ways to rekindle the fire within you and stay motivated towards your aspirations.
You may be stressed about revealing your cancer diagnosis to your child or children.
Children love stories and these often provide parents with a means of broaching tricky subjects and so the ‘The Secret Warrior’ book was especially written for CANSA TLC, by creative writer and social worker, Sally Ann Carter.
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Procrastination is a common challenge that many individuals face when it comes to completing tasks and achieving goals. It can hinder productivity and lead to feelings of stress and frustration.
However, with the right strategies and mindset, it is possible to overcome procrastination and increase productivity.
In this article, we will explore the causes of procrastination, how to recognize the signs of procrastination in oneself, and effective strategies for overcoming procrastination and boosting productivity.
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Walter Mathis and now, the National Historic Trust, operate the site, Villa Finale in San Antonio's
King William Historic District. For both local history and European artifacts, culture and art, the
house is worth an afternoon tour.
With much oral history, facts are scarce.
The land that Villa Finale sits on was part of an original Spanish land grant to the Canary Island
pioneers. In the not too distant history, the land was arable agrarian land for The Alamo. The
Mission de Bexar. Yes, that Alamo.
The street that runs a few blocks east of Villa Finale is South Alamo. Runs in front of The Alamo,
then follows a course that runs north-south, then east-west, then turns north-south again. The
local joke is that cattle paths were used to choose streets. In this case, though, it was a waterway.
The strange twists and turns of the local topography was dictated water sources, both natural and
manmade.
Walter Mathis would trace part of his family lineage back to the Canary Island pioneers, proving
that Villa Finale was destiny.
Standing in the front, looking at the house itself, the style is mid-1850 Italianate. The stylized front
porch and tower were not added until the decade between 1895 and 1905.
The fun part, for me, I heard two different salaried curators claim the house was built in 1863 and
1873, and from the material, the accepted date was 1873, built by an Englishman named Norton.
It was four square, just 4 rooms with a fireplace in each room, the typical quarried limestone with
an unfinished surface. Mr. Norton had the front door shipped over from England, intact, a huge,
carved door frame and door, with an imposing look. In a neighborhood that was largely - named
King William - mercantile German class, he was the solo English holdout.
Norton lost the house to foreclosure, and it changed hands two more times, with the last family in
the 1890s not leaving without a fight.
During that time, the back section of the house, a large kitchen and cellar, was added.
And we haven't even stepped inside yet.
There are two magnificent lions flanking the front walk. Walter Mathis was a Leo, but no, those
were Victorian affectations, as were two ceremonial cannons. Mr. Mathis told tales about the early
days when the neighborhood was rough, he would wake to find his cannons dragged across the
2. yard, resting against the fence, as they were really too heavy to lift over.
Standing in the front yard, on the front walk, it is near-impossible to imagine that it was a seedy, or
"bad," neighborhood. One of my clients, grew up maybe two miles south, as he was growing up,
he was admonished to "Stay out of trouble, stay out of King William!" Looking a the stately trees
and elegant mansions, it's hard to believe.
San Antonio has two primary industries, military and hospitality. At the end of World War One, the
name for the district was changed, the King Wilhelm was none too popular. Returning troops were
frequently billeted in the grand mansions, and Villa Finale itself was cut up into 8 apartments.
By the early 1960s, the neighborhood was in a sad state. In the ensuing interval, facts are sketchy,
but Villa Finale had been a bawdy house, an illicit casino, a speakeasy, and a bordello. Walter
Mathis denied the bordello to his dying day, but I heard it from a sweet little old lady in the
neighborhood. She was instructed never to walk on that side of the street - her parents were afraid
she would be pressed into service.
In the mid-sixties, Mr. Mathis could tell his then-current home was in the path of the city's first big
freeway project, 281. He moved his nascent arts and architecture collection into storage and
began searching for a new home. The 'Villa Finale' name was chosen because he wanted it to be
his last home. It was.
He bought the place in 1967, starting renovations immediately, but he lived downtown in a hotel
until partway through the project.
The "Fire & Casualty" insurance companies often did plats of the land. In one from 1894, Villa
Finale had no porch and no tower, while both did show up in the 1905 plat. The porch and tower
were added were added in the interim, but not enough data surveys to be more exact. The
insurance companies did the plats so there was a map for ingress for the volunteer fire
departments, in the event of fire.
At the front porch, the Norton entrance is marveled, then guests are instructed to pull on booties,
durable yet protective slippers to help preserve what Walter Mathis built. The ceiling on the front
porch is painted sky blue, and while it is patent folklore, the reason is to keep the mosquitoes
away. Allegedly.
The entrance, the hall and entrance is marked by an overwhelming amount of art. It was his wish
that everything be left where he placed it. There are over 12,000 objects in the collection. For the
last few years of his life, a National Historic Trust person acted as a personal curator and carefully
noted most of the tales associated with the various collections.
On December 8, 1941, Walter Mathis went over to Randolph Army Base and signed up as pilot.
He went on to fly (purported) 96 mission over occupied Europe -WW2 - facts and myths.
One of the most famous collections is the Napoleon Collection. Entering the hallway, then leading
to the first door on the right, careful not to touch anything, under the tower, there, is the beginning
of the collection.
3. It's worth noting that Mr. Mathis wanted a home filled with music. To that end, in the middle of the
front room, under that tower, there is a, forgive my bad German, "Bechstein-Weltz" reproducing
piano.
"Like a player piano?"
Yes, and no. It is a German machine that looks like piano, has mechanical innards, and ran - runs
- on an air compressor that Mr. Mathis located in the basement.
I've been told that the piano still runs, think of it as a steam-driven piano. The difference is that a
great composer or pianist would sit down and record a performance on a roll of paper, and that
was played. Cabinet, far left, stage left, over in the corner, had scroll and rolls of paper for the
piano. Turn of the century iPod. The paper rolls were the mp3s.
Asked what single object he would grab, if the house was on fire, Walter Mathis was proudest of
his "genuine" Napoleon death mask. "One of six," is the party line.
Apparently, there is a History Channel special about the cottage industry of Napoleon Death
Masks. Worthy of some attention. Seems like there might be more than just a half-dozen. It's
worth noting that this was one of the few originals, probably less than a dozen like it - provenance
with museum curators is tricky business.
Napoleon was a favorite, and towards that end, Villa Finale is now part of the Franco-Bexar group,
as there are more Napoleon memorabilia here than in most museums. As a military man, Walter
Mathis admired Napoleon's tactics.
The cabinets, the table-tops, the furniture itself, most, if not all, Empire-Revival. French, from
around 1840. The "Egyptian" flavor is woven into the art, after all, Napoleon did "conquer" Egypt
and some of the Pan-Arab world.
Because I was being trained when the house was being restored, I got to see a few things off the
wall, like a ceremonial sword and scabbard arrangement that hangs high, like an Xmas tree star,
over one set of Napoleon lithographs.
"Sheer panic in the curator's eyes when she pulled that one down; it really is held together with
twine."
The windows now have UV coating the prevent fading. New paint, and everything has been
cleaned and replaced in its original pace, per the behest and bequest.
Most of the furniture in the front rooms has been recovered, by Mathis, with one exception, there's
a green ottoman/footstool that is in the original material from the 1840s. Note the large mirror over
the mantle. Next room, more Napoleon collections, mirror over the mantle, odd military objects, a
collections of dog figurines, various tokens, souvenirs, and my favorite, a pair of ivory-carved
triptychs, which unfold and show Napoleon's victories and his wife, which shows her greatest
accomplishment, marrying Napoleon.
"I hope you find the humor there," I add.
5. complete silver cladding. I can't tell, don't recall, if they are Russian Orthodox, Eastern Orthodox,
or Greek Orthodox. One of them. All look about the same, to me. The sliver cladding was to
protect the icons from constant touching, part of that faith's belief.
The floor of the library has the most unique persian rug I've ever seen. While it's background motif
is sky blue, the language across the top of the rug is Farsi (Persian), and the images depict Adam
and Eve getting expelled from the garden of Eden.
Mr. Mathis was quite fond of religious art; however, he was not allied with any church, not after his
Episcopal tore down a building that he wanted to save. Paved it for a church parking lot. He never
went back.
The dining room has a several notable collections. There is a huge amount of silver, two upright
wooden urns for place settings, as well as three separate chests, full. There's a stand-up display
that has a number of cow-creamers. My name's Kramer, cow-Kramers, I like them. All silver.
On his mother's side, he was related to the Bell Family, the great silver dynasty in San Antonio. Up
on one shelf in the dining room there's a favorite piece, it's a shell-shaped piece of silver with a
tiny model of a sailing ship, at the pinnacle. It's a gravy boat.
The art hanging at one end of the dining table is 'Sybil and the Tarquin,' the last of the pagan
roman emperors, and she was a seer.
I like to point out that I'm not known for my good tastes, and when I pass judgement, keep my
tastes in mind. Frequently, I shouldn't be allowed to dress myself.
The centerpiece setting is mismatch of color and culture. It is burgundy cut-glass, inlaid with semi-
precious gems, gilt gold and silver with camels and lions. The story is, this is the very centerpiece
that rode through the Suez Canal, on its opening, with Queen Victoria, in her barge.
Finally, there's selection of painting along one wall, and they include a rare Julian Onerdonck from
Williamson County. In his era and to this day, he is still widely regarded as a premier Texas
Impressionist painter.
The mirror hanging in the dining room looks like the same frames as in the Napoleon Parlour and
sitting rooms. The tale told, passed on to me in training, is that the mirrors were gifts. Mr. Mathis
was marching through recently liberated France, and he happened upon a bombed out mansion,
owned by the town's mayor. Mathis was digging around in his pickets, scraping together a few
dollars, to pay for the mirrors, and the mayor begged Mathis to accept them as a gift for freeing
their country from Fascist German oppression.
The mirrors showed up in Houston, a few years later, with freight due. Unclear on what it was, Mr.
Mathis reluctantly accepted the bill, and he was overjoyed to find his treasures - the people of
France remembered him. The last mirror was left un-re-silvered, possibly just for the telling of the
tale.
Out the dining room door, into the hallway, again, peek around the corner at the base of the
magnificent stairwell, and there's the Violano Virtuoso. This was from the old Pearl Brewery's bar,
6. the Buckhorn Saloon, from 1883. By the sixties, this unusual piece had made its way to Walter
Mathis's collection. I've seen it work, more than once. It has two player-violins, and a player piano,
all in a single case. Plays a waltz. Either disturbing, musically, or amusing, from a gadget point of
view. Wind up and listen to it play a waltz.
Up the stairs, in the stairwell itself, the downstairs is primarily European while the upstairs starts
the Americas collections. The first is the art while climbing the stairs. It's from South America, a
centuries old school, the combination of the Spanish masters and the local color shows up with the
amount of gold gilt used, throughout. Some strange interpretations, too.
Upstairs...
Turn the corner and there's another piano, under a display - along the wall - of more South
American santos as well as relics gathered in Mexico. Starting in 1910, much of the Catholic
church's hold on the land was released during revolution, and the relics eventually found there
way here. There was one intern, summer before the Villa Finale opened, all she did was polish the
silver that on top of the upstairs piano.
From the hallway, it's a left into the Periwinkle Room. The color is available from Lowe's, just ask
for 'Villa Finale Periwinkle.'
Among artworks and other items, there are two cases of note. Along one wall, there's a collection
of over 300 stick-pins. Walter Mathis got his first stick-pin from his grandmother, and that started
his life-long obsession with collections and preservation.
Walter Mathis, especially with his huge collection of religious artifacts, he wasn't a church-goer. He
was until his downtown Episcopal Church tore down a historic structure, an old house, historic
house, to make way for a parking lot. He resigned and never went to another church. Never
looked back, as they say.
There's a huge assortment of watches and timepieces, but more interesting, to me, is the
collection of shaving mugs. Started when he was fifteen, the mugs capture the essence of a time
gone by. The mugs are displayed in a pair of custom-built cabinets that were designed to reflect
the architecture of his manse. As ephemeral data points, the mugs are marketing from a day gone
by, and the shaving mugs differ from, like, a coffee cup, since there is a little shelf for a bar of soap
and the shaving brush.
One of the curators worked at a site in California, talked about the importance of the historical
value of the shaving mugs.
It's a two-step into the Yellow Room. Artwork, a throne, stairs to the tower, and a set of columns,
rescued from his home in Monte-Vista. There's an odd collection of Staffordshire figures, and one
is more curious, looks like Ben Franklin but it's labeled, "Geo. Washington."
Staffordshire ceramics was likely produced by child labor.
Shaving stands, sewing kits, Walter Mathis bemoaned the fact that he was a Victorian, born a
hundred years too late.
7. Tucked against one wall, there's a set piece that is identical to one in Maximilian's palace in
Mexico City. Another guide posited the connection - downstairs, Napoleon - upstairs, his
illegitimate son -
The master of the house, Walter Mathis, in an apparent humorous display, he had a gold cherub
with its chubby little butt pointed towards the center of the room.
The valences, over the windows, when the restorer was working, she'd heard that the valences
were from a plantation in Mississippi. Or near Houston, never got the straight story on that, but
they were removed for the new paint, and it turns out, it was bit of a puzzle to put them back on, as
they were different sizes.
The sketch up on the wall is an Edouard Leon study of a Mounet (?) - best part of that? It was a
'lady of substance,' and that caused quite the scandal. A 'lady of substance' wasn't supposed to
pose for a common artist's works.
Back into the hall, and it's painter time. One of the most exquisite paintings is one of the
Onerdonk's of Prickly Pear in Bloom.
There's another painting, at the bottom, and it's one of the few that was done while Onerdonk was
in studying in New York, mentioned in his letters. There are the usual amazing bluebonnet
paintings, too. What he was a famous for.
There's one painting, inscribed to Walter Mathis's mother, 'From a little friend, to a little friend, in a
little friendly way.'
Passing around the corner is another bedroom, there's a wooden-press. Flower press? Probably a
blanket press, since there's was a strong tie with Rockport, and the Rockport Quilt Guild.
The small bedroom has his parents' wedding bed. It came from St. Louis, down the Mississippi
River, where it was loaded on another boat and delivered to Rockport. According to the myth, one
or more of his brothers and/or sisters was born in that bed.
More interesting, though, is the array of the family tree, mother on the right side, father on the left,
tracing back through the generations.
In the front room, visible from the bedroom, has an array of Victorian memorabilia, Bristol Glass, a
peacock, beaded purses, antique calling cards and Victorian card clips. There is a large carved
ivory 'china' boat, and an allegedly working Victrola, hand-crank type of record player.
During the great flood of 2007, this room suffered water damage. Like many men of similar
vintage, Mr. Mathis insisted on doing his own maintenance, and that suffered towards the end.
Hence the water damage.
Back in the hall, opposite from the piano, there's a large sideboard with a glass front. It's 'Century
Glass,' souvenir glass from the St. Louis worlds fair, circa, 1904. Another grandmother gift. The
collection was embellished when the McNay (museum) asked to display it. Walter collected some
9. Down the stairs, it's a narrow staircase, certainly not ADA-compliant, and potentially dangerous for
the loose carpets, there is the most magnificent collection of paintings and prints.
The bulk of the collection, from what I've gathered, came from the purchase of the Mary Bonner
Estate. What I was told, Mary Bonner went to Paris to study painting, and one teacher told her that
she din't have the strength to be a painter so she should look at print-making instead.
Relying on her native San Antonio background, her prints of cowboys and similar Texas-themes
became the toast of France.
It happens. They love Texans. You do know, Texas is bigger than France?
The Mary Bonner collection, alone it that back stairwell is enough to render the whole trip
worthwhile.
There are several sketches of the missions, again, later Mary Bonner works.
The stairs unwind into the kitchen. This was a working kitchen. Rumor has it, the refrigerator still
has frozen foods, left over from before the Historic Trust took over.
There's all kinds of flatware, cookware, Wedge Wood, and China. The story is, one plate was used
for serving until Walter Mathis found out the value of the platter. Now on the wall.
The woodwork itself was rescued and repurposed from the Sullivan House, another casualty in
San Antonio's growth.
Because it was a real, working kitchen, the spices that were "pretty," and had "eye-appeal," those
spices were displayed. The shuttered cupboard, now and office, held the unattractive spices.
There are jars of pasta and candy, sweets and so forth, and they haven't been changed, at least
not yet. Probably won't be touched, looks fine, seems preserved.
The chandelier in the kitchen, kind of a hideous pastiche of glazed, colored glass, wood and
brass? The story is, it was in the front room, originally. Walter Mathis had taken it to a
consignment shop, and some guy offered him $500, on the spot, for the chandelier. When queried
why, Walter was going to sell it for $50, these are 1969 Dollars, so that was a great deal of money,
then the prospective buyer pointed out that the lamp, chandelier, was signed by Tiffany. A real
Tiffany Lamp.
(Provenance on this is suspect, too. Very suspect.)
It now hangs high overhead in the kitchen.
Adjacent to the kitchen is the Butler's Pantry, with a full wet-bar, the wood work more of the
rescued cabinetry.
Finally, the Pewter Room. At this point, I'm out of energy, having talked for the better part of 45
minutes or so, and quite tired. Pewter Room. Lots of pewter on the shelf, beer steins, and the
10. Rhine Maiden.
Another gloriously hideous chandelier, actually, an antique Bier Garten. candelabra, from the old
country. Came from a German Saloon with German immigrants, perhaps a little before the Villa
Finale was built. By the turn of the century, it wound up at the Buckhorn Saloon, open during
Prohibition, to make it's way to Walter's back den. Ride of the Valkyries? Yes, that kind of Rhine
Maiden, cf., Wagner's Ring Cycle, first and last opera. She was supposed to guard the gold in the
Rhine.
The other bizarre piece is a very art nouveau lamp. The threesome. Kind of hard to tell, but looks
like two naked women intertwined with a single topless guy. Story was, he bought this as a
tabletop lamp, and at close to five or six feet tall, it doesn't really set well on a tabletop, but that's
what it is now.
Out the back door, onto the back porch. It's easy to see, while getting off the booties, where the
new stuff had been added on the original building. Underneath the back portion, a cellar was
added.
One of the owners, owned the Casino when it was located n downtown San Antonio, and when
the Prohibition hit, moved his operation to his cellar. Unverified. Gambling operations, bawdy
house, speakeasy, all by reputation, but not substantiating facts support the allegations.
Once the booties are off, there's a small arc around the building Walter Mathis's ashes are interred
under a small flag, the small gatehouse and the big carriage house serves as onsite offices for
some, plus a bathroom and lockers for over-sized purses.
The original plan for this section of the RiverWalk was to carve through the Villa Finale property,
imminent domain and all. Mr. Mathis, as a civic leader and patron of the arts, fought city hall - and
won. Look a the aerial plat, and the river's course bends around his property.
There are three friezes, set in the southern wall, borders the property. Same artist as the
Cenotaph for the Alamo, downtown.
The tour concludes in the wrought-iron gazebo, cupola. Walter's niece was married there, in the
spring of 1970, and the hose has been, like a museum, ever since.
Family members have toured Villa Finale, and the most common comment, "Wow, just like he left
it, except now, everything is so clean...."
As a labor of love, BexarCountyLine.com is homage to the visually rich tapestry of San Antonio,
TX.
It's town, the county, it all predates Colonial America, and this is a single attempt to catch the
exciting and the mundane, all in one place.
http://www.BexarCountyLine.com
11. Daily digital still life in Alamo City.
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