Henry Francis DuPont Winterthur Museum
Encyclopedia
Winterthur Museum and Country Estate is an American
estate and museum
in Winterthur
, Delaware
. it houses one of the most important collections of Americana
in the United States of America. It was the former home of Henry Francis du Pont
(1880–1969), a renowned antiques
collector and horticulturist. Until recently, it was known as the "Henry Francis DuPont Winterthur Museum".
In the early 20th century, H. F. du Pont and his father, Henry Algernon du Pont
, designed Winterthur in the spirit of 18th- and 19th-century European country houses. The younger du Pont added to the home many times thereafter, eventually moving to a smaller house on the estate when the main building became a public museum in 1951.
Winterthur is situated on 979 acres (4 km²), near Brandywine Creek, with 60 acres (0.2 km²) of naturalistic garden. There were 2,500 acres (10 km²) when it functioned as a country estate.
Initially a collector of European art and decorative arts, H. F. du Pont reported that it was Electra Havemeyer Webb
, later the founder of Shelburne Museum
in Vermont
, who first interested him in American art and antiques through the paintings of Charles Louis Heyde. In 1929, he drew worldwide attention when he purchased a tambour desk, made and labeled by John Seymour, Cabinetmaker in Boston, at Parke-Bernet auction galleries in New York for a then-record sum for Americana in excess of $30,000. Subsequently, he became a highly prominent collector of American decorative arts, building on the Winterthur estate to house his collection, conservation laboratories, and administrative offices.
There are 175 period-room displays in the museum and approximately 85,000 objects. Most rooms are open to the public on small, guided tours. The collection spans more than two centuries of American decorative arts, notably from 1640 to 1860, and contains some of the most important pieces of American furniture and fine art. The Winterthur Library and Research Center includes more than 87,000 volumes and approximately 500,000 manuscripts and images, mostly related to American history, decorative arts, and architecture. The facility also houses extensive conservation, research, and education facilities.
In the 1990s, more informal museum galleries were opened in a new building adjacent to the main house where special rotating and permanent exhibits are now housed. The museum also is home to the Winterthur Program in Early American Culture and the Winterthur/University of Delaware
Art Conservation program.
The museum takes its name from the city of Winterthur
(in Switzerland
), the ancestral home of Jacques Antoine Bidermann, son-in-law of Eleuthère Irénée du Pont
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
estate and museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
in Winterthur
Winterthur, Delaware
Winterthur is an unincorporated community in northern New Castle County, Delaware, United States. It lies at the intersection of Delaware Routes 92 and 100, north of the city of Wilmington, the county seat of New Castle County. Its elevation is 269 feet...
, Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
. it houses one of the most important collections of Americana
Americana
Americana refers to artifacts, or a collection of artifacts, related to the history, geography, folklore and cultural heritage of the United States. Many kinds of material fall within the definition of Americana: paintings, prints and drawings; license plates or entire vehicles, household objects,...
in the United States of America. It was the former home of Henry Francis du Pont
Henry Francis du Pont
Henry Francis du Pont , Harvard 1903, married 1916 Ruth Wales was an American horticulturist, an expert on early American furniture and decorative arts – particularly of the Federal furniture, and a member of the prominent du Pont family....
(1880–1969), a renowned antiques
Antiques
An antique is an old collectible item. It is collected or desirable because of its age , beauty, rarity, condition, utility, personal emotional connection, and/or other unique features...
collector and horticulturist. Until recently, it was known as the "Henry Francis DuPont Winterthur Museum".
In the early 20th century, H. F. du Pont and his father, Henry Algernon du Pont
Henry A. du Pont
Henry Algernon du Pont , known as "Colonel Henry", was an American soldier and politician from Winterthur, near Greenville, in New Castle County, Delaware. He was a veteran of the American Civil War, and a member of the Republican Party, who served two terms as U.S...
, designed Winterthur in the spirit of 18th- and 19th-century European country houses. The younger du Pont added to the home many times thereafter, eventually moving to a smaller house on the estate when the main building became a public museum in 1951.
Winterthur is situated on 979 acres (4 km²), near Brandywine Creek, with 60 acres (0.2 km²) of naturalistic garden. There were 2,500 acres (10 km²) when it functioned as a country estate.
Initially a collector of European art and decorative arts, H. F. du Pont reported that it was Electra Havemeyer Webb
Electra Havemeyer Webb
Electra Havemeyer Webb was a collector of American antiques and founder of the Shelburne Museum.-Biography:Electra Havemeyer was born on August 16, 1888 to Henry O. Havemeyer and Louisine Elder, their youngest child...
, later the founder of Shelburne Museum
Shelburne Museum
Shelburne Museum is a museum of art and Americana located in Shelburne, Vermont, United States. Over 150,000 works are exhibited in 39 exhibition buildings, 25 of which are historic and were relocated to the Museum grounds...
in Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
, who first interested him in American art and antiques through the paintings of Charles Louis Heyde. In 1929, he drew worldwide attention when he purchased a tambour desk, made and labeled by John Seymour, Cabinetmaker in Boston, at Parke-Bernet auction galleries in New York for a then-record sum for Americana in excess of $30,000. Subsequently, he became a highly prominent collector of American decorative arts, building on the Winterthur estate to house his collection, conservation laboratories, and administrative offices.
There are 175 period-room displays in the museum and approximately 85,000 objects. Most rooms are open to the public on small, guided tours. The collection spans more than two centuries of American decorative arts, notably from 1640 to 1860, and contains some of the most important pieces of American furniture and fine art. The Winterthur Library and Research Center includes more than 87,000 volumes and approximately 500,000 manuscripts and images, mostly related to American history, decorative arts, and architecture. The facility also houses extensive conservation, research, and education facilities.
In the 1990s, more informal museum galleries were opened in a new building adjacent to the main house where special rotating and permanent exhibits are now housed. The museum also is home to the Winterthur Program in Early American Culture and the Winterthur/University of Delaware
University of Delaware
The university is organized into seven colleges:* College of Agriculture and Natural Resources* College of Arts and Sciences* Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics* College of Earth, Ocean and Environment* College of Education and Human Development...
Art Conservation program.
The museum takes its name from the city of Winterthur
Winterthur
Winterthur is a city in the canton of Zurich in northern Switzerland. It has the country's sixth largest population with an estimate of more than 100,000 people. In the local dialect and by its inhabitants, it is usually abbreviated to Winti...
(in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
), the ancestral home of Jacques Antoine Bidermann, son-in-law of Eleuthère Irénée du Pont
Eleuthère Irénée du Pont
Éleuthère Irénée du Pont de Nemours , known as Irénée du Pont, or E.I. du Pont, was a French-born Huguenot chemist and industrialist who immigrated to the United States in 1799 and founded the gunpowder manufacturer, E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company...
.
Display facilities
- Main museum (period rooms and offices) 96,582 sq ft. (8,970 m²)
- The Cottage (home of H. F. du Pont after opening of the museum) 21,345 sq ft. (1,980 m²)
- The Galleries 35000 sq ft (3,251.6 m²). (3,300 m²), 22000 sq ft (2,043.9 m²). (2,000 m²) display area
- Research Building 68456 sq ft (6,359.8 m²). (6,340 m²)
- Visitors Center 18755 sq ft (1,742.4 m²). (1,742 m²)
See also
- Largest Historic Homes in the United StatesLargest Historic Homes in the United States-Largest historic houses by square footage:-Largest privately owned houses by square footage:-References:*Loviglio, Joann. "ABC News." Regal Ruins: Palatial Mansion Near Philly Crumbles. Associated Press, 26 July 2010. Web. 13 Sep 2010. ....
- List of botanical gardens in the United States
- List of museums in Delaware
- Hagley Museum and LibraryHagley Museum and LibraryThe Hagley Museum and Library is a nonprofit educational institution located in Wilmington, Delaware. Hagley Museum and Library collects, preserves and interprets the history of American enterprise.- Hagley Library :...
- Nemours Mansion and GardensNemours Mansion and GardensThe Nemours Mansion and Gardens is a country estate with jardin à la française formal gardens and a classical French mansion located in Wilmington, Delaware. The mansion resembles a Château and contains more than seventy rooms spread over five floors occupying nearly . It shares the grounds with...
- Longwood GardensLongwood GardensLongwood Gardens consists of over 1,077 acres of gardens, woodlands, and meadows in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, United States in the Brandywine Creek Valley...
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Wilmington, DelawareNational Register of Historic Places listings in Wilmington, DelawareThis is a list of properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Wilmington, Delaware:This page was transferred for reasons of size from National Register of Historic Places listings in New Castle County, Delaware, of which it is an integral part...
External links
- Winterthur Museum
- Brandywine 10
- DuPont Heritage
- Chateau Country
- NRHP Site Listing with Photo
- Karp, WalterWalter KarpWalter Karp was an American journalist, historian, and writer published in magazines such as American Heritage and Horizon, and also was a contributing editor for Harper's magazine , which re-published some of his political history books in 2003...
, "Henry Francis Du Pont And The Invention Of Winterthur", American HeritageAmerican Heritage (magazine)American Heritage is a quarterly magazine dedicated to covering the history of the United States for a mainstream readership. Until 2007, the magazine was published by Forbes. Since that time, Edwin S...
, April/May 1983