18th-Century Interiors: A Closer Contemplation (Part Two)

In the previous post in this mini-series, I shared a collection of images that give insight into the domestic life of the family at the apex of colonial Virginian society: that of the Royal Governor, who was appointed to his eminent position by none other than the King himself.  The Governor's Palace, so named as an acknowledgement of the money and time poured into the exquisite building, includes architectural and design features rarely - if ever - seen in the homes of other colonial Virginians.

Even the wealthiest of colonial families lived a noticeable (and respectful) step below their royal representative.  Next to the Royal Governor, the most prosperous citizen of Virginia's colonial capitol city was Peyton Randolph, Virginia Burgess, patriot, and president of the First Continental Congress.  It was said by many of his contemporaries that had Randolph lived through the war, he would probably have been our new country's first president.  Alas, he died in 1775.

His home in Williamsburg, just down the street from the Governor's Palace, is one of the largest in the city.  Randolph's household was correspondingly grand; though he lived alone with his wife (and the occasional niece or nephew), the inventory taken at his death reveals that 27 slaves were also housed on the property.  That same inventory has been used to furnish and present the house (it is an original structure dating to 1715) as it would have looked in 1775.  Here is a peek into the domestic space of one of Virginia's gentry on the eve of the Revolution.  Keep in mind as you view these pictures that the majority of Virginia's population lived in a single room with a dirt floor.

 

18th-Century Interiors: A Closer Contemplation (Part One)

During my trip to Colonial Williamsburg a couple of weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to catch one of the new curator-led tours of the Governor's Palace.  This new series of tours, offered nearly every day this summer in the late afternoon, provides the opportunity to see the grandest building in the colonial Virginian capitol through the eyes of the museum professionals who now help to preserve and present it.  The curators leading the tours range in expertise in everything from architecture to porcelain to musical instruments - and yes, in textiles as well! - so you can be sure to find a tour that caters to your personal interests.

Curator of Costumes and Textiles at Colonial Williamsburg, Linda Baumgarten,

leads a textiles-specific tour of the Governor's Palace.

Colonial Williamsburg, June 2013.

Hearing that Linda Baumgarten, curator of CW's collection of textiles and costumes, would be doing the tour the day I arrived, I made certain to secure my ticket early in the morning to ensure I wouldn't miss this unique opportunity.  Before going into the Palace, Baumgarten briefly explained the role of the curator in general, and the highlights of her specialty specifically.  Then, bringing us room to room as we moved through the building, she paused to point out and discuss individual items: curtains and blinds, bed hangings and rugs, wallpaper and wall coverings, fashion dolls and bedcovers.  It was fascinating to hear her converse about items I've seen numerous times, and I began to look at the minutiae of details that defined each and every room through different eyes.  Here's a little photo "essay" of some of my favorite little finds as I snapped away while she talked.

The residence of the Royal Governor was the most opulently decorated building in colonial Virginia. Indeed, so excessively extravagant did it seem to the colonists that they nicknamed it the "Governor's Palace," and it's easy to see why!

The cornice of the larger bedstead in one of the bedchambers is covered
in the same fabric from which the bed hangings are made.

As this room is interpreted as one belonging to the Governor's two eldest daughters,
a fashion doll and an embroidered pocket rest on the bedside table.

One method of fastening back bed curtains.

The young ladies' dressing table.

Details of a painted cornice on the bed in the next room.

You can see the system of rings and cords used to create the
draped effect of the bed curtains.

New crimson silk damask now covers the walls in the upper center room.

The Governor's private dressing room.

The ceiling of the Palace ballroom.

Can you see the seam in the carpet?  The carpet of the ballroom was woven
and shipped in strips from England and then sewn together when it was installed.

The gilt border is paper mache covered in 24k gold.

I adore the bold, bright colors of the ballroom and the supper room.
Baumgarten explained that it is not paint that provides this stunning color, but
wallpaper, which was extremely popular in these bold shades in the early 1770s.

Clicking on any of the images will bring you to their flickr home, where you can access them in larger sizes.  You can also find the full album from the Williamsburg trip here.