Object Search Record
Images
Metadata
Catalog Number |
1976.1.A200.004 |
Object Name |
Plan, Landscape |
Date |
1907 |
Title/Pattern |
Original Plans for Foundation Plantings around Blithewold Il, 1907 |
Artist/Author/Creator |
DeWolf, John |
Description |
John De Wolf's landscape drawing showing suggested foundation plantings around the entirety of the Blithewold II mansion, c1907. Black ink on tan wove paper. The hand-drawn 1907 planting design for the foundation plantings of Blithewold II is quite detailed and provides information around the entire mansion. Background: Most notes below were taken directly from the Cultural Landscape Report pages 128-133 "Original Designs for Documentation of Historical Planting." Report was prepared by Tom Elmore, Historical Landscape Architect, in 2022. Original planting designs, historical photographs and written descriptions of proposed designs or installed designs all help document the layout and intent of the designer. Blithewold's archives are filled with carefully organized family papers, photographs, clothing, paintings, books etc. Research confirms that Bristol native and landscape architect John DeWolf worked with the family to create ornamental grounds for their summer cottage that is emblematic of the Country Place Era. Unfortunately, only two of DeWolf's original designs are known to exist. These plans include this 1907 Foundation Planting Design around Blithewold II as well as a no-named planting design for the Shrub Walk (1976.1.A201), no date given. These plans are extremely helpful to understand what he proposed in both areas. Period photographs visually document what was planted, but do not give us the details about the specific plants. Based on archival photographic evidence, these two planting designs were installed. (See photograph folders dating to c1910 in box #1976.1.A018 East Lawn / West Lawn and box #1976.1.A022 Shrub Walk from Bosquet,among others.) John DeWolf wrote his Suggestions for Proposed Plan for the Improvement of Ornamental Grounds Belonging to A.S. Van Wickle, Esq. Bristol, Rhode Island, ca 1986, which describes his design intentions for improving the landscape. It is interesting to note that this proposed plan was for Blithewold I, which burned to the ground in June 1906. His recommendations for the grounds away from the mansion seem to have been implemented. Since this plan or set of plans have not been located a true understanding of the design is unknown. The limited graphic documentation of DeWolf's designs is unfortunate because so much information is in the archives that helps document the landscape and yet this data gap exists. The lack of his original landscape drawings and plans limits a detailed understanding of his original design intentions as he had planned them. You can find this section of the CLreport in full by using the Media link. |
Materials |
Ink/Paper |
Condition |
Very Good |
Associated with |
Bessie Pardee Van Wickle McKee DeWolf, John Two Blithewold Mansions |
Search Terms |
Blithewold II Landscape Landscape drawing Horticulture Garden Flowers Plan Map Drawing |
Catalog Sub-category |
Documentary Artifact |