Some things to be thankful for... Those that came before you Accidental survivals There are still those who can teach you how to hew a log and split a shingle That people take their camera with them everywhere Busy, bustling times And times for contemplation
Month: November 2010
“Another Chimney-piece, with a very rich frame over it, adorned with a Pediment.” Abraham Swan, The British Architect.
With an ashlar base beneath thick rubble stone walls covered in stucco, brick quoins on the corners, and cut stone jack arches above the sash windows, the facades of the main house at Mount Pleasant were predominantly the concern of the masons. But it is the woodwork that describes the interior spaces, creates their variations … Continue reading “Another Chimney-piece, with a very rich frame over it, adorned with a Pediment.” Abraham Swan, The British Architect.
“The architect models in space as a sculptor in clay.” Geoffrey Scott, The Architecture of Humanism
Approaching the main house on her way to the drawing room, a visitor in the 1760’s would be struck by the disciplined symmetry of the façade and skillful use of the classical orders. Perhaps the similarity to several buildings in town, whether recently completed or existing only as engraved prints, would be noted. Paul Goldberger … Continue reading “The architect models in space as a sculptor in clay.” Geoffrey Scott, The Architecture of Humanism
There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea. Henry James, “The Portrait of a Lady”
If your social status were such that you were likely to receive an invitation to visit and take tea with Margaret Macpherson in her drawing room at Mount Pleasant, your journey in the 1760's would have been much different than one made today. After three miles on the Wissahickon Road heading northwest out of the … Continue reading There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea. Henry James, “The Portrait of a Lady”
In Proportion to the Trouble 