Library - Art and Architecture

Library - Art and Architecture

Victorians had this notion of male and female spaces in a house.  This is clearly Henry Rogers' space. It was a room where he conducted business as well as relaxed.

The room features dark cherry woodwork from Wisconsin stands, and like all of the rest of the woodwork in the house, that is hand carved by one man (who we will speak about more in the Grand Hall).  Using local woods and hand carving was an important part of the Arts and Crafts movement in the 1880s.  Hearthstone offers many examples of this.

The furniture here, like in much of the house, was not owned by the Rogers family.  Most of the pieces in this room are “Eastlake” design (named for the designer Charles Eastlake). Each is typical of the period and social status of the family.

The Victorian age saw the rise of interest in the natural world (think Darwin and the popularity of this work).  This led to the amateur collection and study of flora, fauna, fossils, and the like.  The room includes many examples of each.

The room is naturally filled with books to reflect Rogers’ taste, learning, and money.  Rogers combines his love of literature and art in the spectacular tile surrounds on each of the fireplaces throughout the house.  All of the tiles are original to Hearthstone.  Most of them, like these, were imported from England and were made by the Minton Hollins and Company.  In fact, their experts told us that these tiles are one-off art pieces commissioned by Henry Rogers.  That speaks volumes about the money that Rogers was lavishing on his new home.  Hearthstone has more Minton Hollins tiles that any other building in the United States.

Each set of tiles throughout the house has a different literary theme.  This beautiful set depicts the works of Sir Walter Scott's "Waverly Series".