Parlor - Art and Architecture
All of the woodwork in the Parlor uses magnificent old growth bird’s eye maple and it is again done by William Van Strattum. Use of the bird and flower motifs in the room is a nod to the material.
The mantle is also a stunning example of the Arts and Crafts Movement. It incorporates all of the movement's hallmarks: Locally produced materials; worked by hand; to bring out their innate beauty.
The beautiful parquet floor, like the other floors on this level, incorporates all three woods used throughout the house - cherry, white oak, and bird's eye maple.
Another important work of art is the tile surround on the fireplace. The tiles were painted in place by noted Victorian artist Fredrika Crane. Hand painting was again part of the Aesthetic Movement. The tiles, a signed work, depict a scene from "Evangeline," the popular poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
Fredrika Crane was known not only for her exceptional talent but also as a female artist who refused to get married. She knew that once a woman married in Victorian America, she ceased to have any legal rights and ceded all control of her money, her labor, and in a very real sense her future, to her husband. Instead, Fredrika insisted on living independently, under her own name, and earning her own living. This made her virtually unique in Victorian America and - in a very real sense - a social rebel.
At the time, all upper class women like Kitty Rogers were expected to be accomplished in the fine arts and so parents would hire tutors for their daughters. Importantly, Henry and Cremora asked Fredrika Crane to teach Kitty how to paint. By choosing a mentor who is a strong, independent woman, Henry and Cremora tell us something about what they wanted for their daughter. This plays a critical role in Kitty’s later life.
We will see more of Crane's artwork, and even Kitty's, when we move upstairs.
