There are places that are special to each of us. Places that are rooted deep in our hearts and remain brilliant in our minds over the years. Places that delight us every time we go back.
For me, this place is The Huntington Library, Art Gallery and Botanical Gardens. First visited as a fifteen-year-old teenager, when entry was still free and to which I have returned many times over the decades since.
For me, this place is The Huntington Library, Art Gallery and Botanical Gardens. First visited as a fifteen-year-old teenager, when entry was still free and to which I have returned many times over the decades since.
The Huntington was founded in 1919 by Henry E. Huntington, an immensely successful businessman who built a financial empire including railroad companies, utilities, and real estate holdings in Southern California.
After amassing his fantastic wealth, Henry Huntington wanted to establish a legacy in the style of the great philanthropists of the East Coast such as the institutions established by Henry Clay Frick and J. Pierpont Morgan, whose fine collections were made available for scholars and displayed to the general public.
After amassing his fantastic wealth, Henry Huntington wanted to establish a legacy in the style of the great philanthropists of the East Coast such as the institutions established by Henry Clay Frick and J. Pierpont Morgan, whose fine collections were made available for scholars and displayed to the general public.
But Henry’s dream was to be based in his beloved West Coast. From the time of his first visit to the San Gabriel Valley in the 1890’s, he expressed his delight in the area saying, “All that was necessary to capture me was my first visit to, and study of, Southern California.” He later wrote, “You come here and you are conquered….”
Regarding his belief in his ambition to build his great library, gallery and botanical garden, he is quoted as stating “The Huntington Library is not for a day only. If we envision the future, I believe the Pacific Coast will one day be the center of culture extending around the world.” His words turned out to be greatly prophetic.
Regarding his belief in his ambition to build his great library, gallery and botanical garden, he is quoted as stating “The Huntington Library is not for a day only. If we envision the future, I believe the Pacific Coast will one day be the center of culture extending around the world.” His words turned out to be greatly prophetic.
above - vintage postcard of Southern California - Wikimedia
The heart of the Huntington galleries, library and gardens is the grand Beaux Arts mansion built by Henry and his wife Arabella as their place to “settle down”. It was nicknamed “Huntington’s Palace”.
Construction began in 1909 using local architects Myron Hunt and Elmer Grey and was designed using an eclectic combination of Roman, Renaissance and Baroque elements. They also built a number of outbuildings such as a garage (now used as the Boone Gallery) and a bowling alley/billiards room (now used as the Rose Garden Tea Room).
Construction began in 1909 using local architects Myron Hunt and Elmer Grey and was designed using an eclectic combination of Roman, Renaissance and Baroque elements. They also built a number of outbuildings such as a garage (now used as the Boone Gallery) and a bowling alley/billiards room (now used as the Rose Garden Tea Room).
above - vintage photo - Huntington Mansion 1915 - Wikimedia
Photo above by Carol Moreno, unauthorized use prohibited
Arabella loved eighteenth century French décor and added her great influence to the interior design and furnishing of the home, but Henry also had firm influence as he directed that the interior walls be white except for the mahogany library and demanded that the home be “fire-proof” and have, “plenty of light”. Walking through the light-filled mansion, you can easily imagine the elegant privileged life lived in the fabulously decorated rooms.
In 1910, Henry began to focus his energy on collecting. Over the following decades, he purchased rare books, manuscripts and artwork, trying to measure up to the great libraries and galleries of Britain and Europe. Among the treasures in the collection are the Ellesmere manuscript of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, a Gutenberg Bible on vellum, and a world-class collection of the early editions of Shakespeare’s.
In 1919 he commissioned Hunt and Grey to construct a great library building on his estate.
In 1919 he commissioned Hunt and Grey to construct a great library building on his estate.
Photo above by Carol Moreno, unauthorized use prohibited
above 2 photos - The Ellesmere Chaucer 1400-1405 (The Canterbury Tales) by Geoffrey Chaucer
above and below - The Gutenberg Bible -Mainz Germany c. 1455
Above - First Folio edition of Shakespeare’s collected plays, published in 1623,
With Arabella (already a respected art collector herself and collector of many of the Renaissance pieces) guiding him, Henry also invested heavily in art and after the devastation of WWI, when aristocratic British and Europeans needed to sell their artwork to survive, he was able to purchase a number of great paintings, sculptures and decorative arts.
The European collection spans the 15th through the 20th centuries. After Arabella’s death, Henry expanded the eighteenth-century French collection in her honor.
The European collection spans the 15th through the 20th centuries. After Arabella’s death, Henry expanded the eighteenth-century French collection in her honor.
Madonna and Child With St. John by Francesco Granacci, 16th century
Above -Portrait of a Young Man by Domenico Ghirlandaio - c. 1490
Above - Madame de Vermenoux - 1777 by Jean-Antoine Houdon
Above - Mademoiselle de Migieu as Diana by Jean-Marc Nattier
Above - The Kiss of Innocence, or, The Swing by Marguerite Gerard, c. 1787-1788
Indulging his love of all things British, Henry collected a number of eighteenth-century English masterpieces.
Above - Teucer by Sir William Hamo Thornycroft c. 1881-1904
Above - Sir George Lyttelton, Bart., later Baron Lyttelton, with Lt. Col. Richard Lyttelton, later Gen. Sir Richard Lyttelton, K.B., and Rachel (Russell), Duchess of Bridgwater by Arthur Devis, 1748
Above - Vase Manufactured by the Royal Porcelain Company, Worcester, England c. 1830-1840
Above - The Blue Boy by Thomas Gainsborough, c. 1770
Above - Pinkie by Thomas Lawrence c. 1794
Above - Head of a Young Girl by John Gibson, c. 1820
The American Art Collection, located in the Virginia Steele Scott Gallery, most of which was obtained after Henry Huntington’s death, spans the late seventeenth century to the 1980’s
George Washington by Gilbert Stuart 1797
Above - The Western Brothers by John Singleton Copely, 1783
Above - The Fisher Boy by Hiram Powers, c. 1850
The Inner Studio by William Merritt Chase, 1882
The estate acres, which were originally cultivated with crops such as citrus, peaches and nuts and avocados, were planted with gardens under the direction of landscape architect William Hertrich. The gardens that date back to Huntington’s time at the estate include the North Vista Lawn, Camellia Collection, Desert Garden, Japanese Garden, Rose Garden, Lily Ponds and Palm Garden.
Unfortunately, our latest visit was in January and the Rose Garden was for the most part pruned and bare. But my favorites, the Camillias, were doing their best to bloom!
Unfortunately, our latest visit was in January and the Rose Garden was for the most part pruned and bare. But my favorites, the Camillias, were doing their best to bloom!
Photo above by Carol Moreno, unauthorized use prohibited
Photo above by Carol Moreno, unauthorized use prohibited
Many other types of gardens have been added over the decades not the least of which are a Grand Conservatory dedicated to botanical science and a Chinese Garden.
Photo above by Carol Moreno, unauthorized use prohibited
Above photo by Carol Moreno, unauthorized use prohibited
Photo above by Carol Moreno, unauthorized use prohibited
Henry E. Huntington died in 1927 while Arabella had predeceased him by three years. Both are buried in the mausoleum on the property, designed by John Russell Pope, who later designed the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C.
Photo above by Carol Moreno, unauthorized use prohibited
photo above courtesy of Huntington.org
I remain eternally grateful for the Henry and Arabella Huntington’s philanthropic vision of a great art gallery, library and botanical garden which has given us The Huntington Library, Art Museum & Gardens, a great gift of beauty and peace to enjoy throughout the generations.
RSS Feed