The gilded dining room
I knew that the most opulent homes of late nineteenth century in America were built by the Vanderbilt’s, tycoons of the NY Central Railroad. I did not realize how many homes they built, nor did I know that many of the homes had just one architect, Richard Morris Hunt. They include The Breakers and the Marble House in Newport, Rhode Island and the Biltmore in Asheville North Carolina. Years ago when I was stationed in Newport in the Navy we toured the Marble House. Keely and JoAnne’s brother, Joe, have both recommended Biltmore.
Visiting The Breakers
Last Saturday, on a return visit to Newport, we toured The Breakers, summer home of Cornelius Vanderbilt. The home is immense-65,000 sq. ft. The magnificent first floor rooms are almost indescribable. The supersized main dining room could alone be responsible for the term “gilded age” as so much of the ornate wall decorations, door casings, and ceiling are covered in gold leaf of varying thicknesses, washes, and degrees of polish. My favorite rooms were the billiard room-the nineteenth century version of a “man-cave;” and the music room-just a gorgeous space to match the beauty of the sounds produced there. Also extremely impressive were the technics used to vary the wall décor. Various uses of metals, such as platinum, and leather, in addition to the gold leaf gave the walls very unusual textures. As the economic fortunes of the super-rich changed in the depression, the house actually was unused for a time. Now it is owned by the Newport Preservation Society (http://www.newportmansions.org/).
The People behind the House
I’m always interested in the personal side of the story. The house was run by 40 staff—maids and butlers of various kinds who were under the leadership of Mrs. Vanderbilt. Many would have been newer immigrants. In her bedroom which was also her office, was a row of call buttons to summon them. She also might be required to change clothes as many as seven times a day. Interestingly, the family was very religious with Mr. Vanderbilt teaching Sunday School and the children restricted as to what entertainments they were allowed on Sunday. Mr. Vanderbilt who built the house only enjoyed it in good health one summer as he had a stroke the following year.
Luxury for show; verses to ponder
One cannot help but feel in visiting such a place that much of the luxury was over the top for the sake of ostentation. This was definitely wealth on display. The rich and powerful of the day met here and showed off their status by making wealth visible as people have done for centuries and still do. On the one hand, a prayer such the Psalmist prays would have seemed natural to the Vanderbilt’s; “Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name” (1 Ch 29:12-13 NIV).
While one can understand the cultural history of how such a display of wealth came to be, one cannot help but feel that it was questionable Christian stewardship to put so much wealth into such extravagant exhibition. Those of us enjoying the perspective of a hundred years of history, think instead of other verses; “All can see that wise men die; the foolish and the senseless alike perish and leave their wealth to others” (Ps 49:10 NIV); or “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life” (1 Ti 6:17-19 NIV).
