On Saturday, I met up with Janet from JCB and two of her friends to tour Homewood, a historic house on the campus of Johns Hopkins University. 
Unfortunately, the guide had a hawk-eye and we were not able to even take the sneakiest of pictures. 
In fact, when someone stepped back into a room which we'd just visited, the guide yelled at him to come back in the room with us!
Unfortunately, the guide had a hawk-eye and we were not able to even take the sneakiest of pictures. In fact, when someone stepped back into a room which we'd just visited, the guide yelled at him to come back in the room with us!Homewood was owned by the son of Charles Carroll of Carrollton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Here's an excellent article and audio slideshow about the history of Homewood and details of its renovations from the Chronicle of Higher Education.
The house was restored with an unlimited budget over a 25 year period and as our guide pointed out (numerous times), it doesn't have any of the original furnishings, although they've found some on Ebay!
Homewood front elevation
Window on the front pediment
Homewood back elevation
Rear detail
Homewood back elevation Rear detail Interior images: JHU
Hi! Rcvd my message that you'd posted soemthing new, came over & got carried away, back-reading soooo much of your gr888 blog here! I just had SO MUCH FUN!!! Thre's something about your writing style that's "comfy" to me, making everything delightful! I thank you! Warmly, "one of your newer folowers" Linda (in AZ)
ReplyDelete*** Boy, I know it's L-A-T-E, and I A-M a "bit tired", but can't BELIEVE I didn't "proof" this for typos~~~ I actually don't USUALLY make so many~~~ rather embarrassing, wouldn't you say? YIKES! Smiles n' thanks again, Linda)
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you liked Homewood! I just started working there, and part of my job is to schedule the guides. Even though I know everyone wants their own pics, I'm glad the guides are being diligent about protecting the collections! Did you get to see the privy during your visit?
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for such nice coverage of Homewood. burab sent me a link to your blog - with which I have simply fallen in love! Confession: I am the Curator. To echo burab's sentiments, it's good to know that docents enforce rules (it is a condition of most museum loans from other institutions not to allow photography) but nevertheless it was also a little cringeworthy because I knew exactly who you were talking about. It is always my hope that docents can communicate such policy without barking at our visitors. If you'd ever like to come back, you have a personal invitation for a behind-the-scenes behind-the-ropes tour with me where you can shoot your heart out at any of the architecture or things we own.
ReplyDeleteThe fanlight is absolutely exquisite!
ReplyDeleteomgosh! the green room ... third image down ... i LOVE it!
ReplyDeleteI'm the president of the board of a historic house museum (one well known to JCB), and I have to speak up in defense of the 'no photo' policy. Naturally, one always things of oneself as the first and only visitor who wants to sneak a photo, but multiply that by many visitors over many years, and the potential light damage from those many flashes becomes very real, unfortunately. The museum would be failing in it's job to protect and keep objects in good condition otherwise. On the subject of docents, one always hopes that the docent will be able to gauge well the level of interest and give the tour accordingly without herding the visitor. I remember that for years, tours to the wondrous Beauport in Gloucester MA were made an unpleasant ordeal by the snippy and unsympathetic docent training there. Love your blog, read it regularly, but remember, no pictures, and no fondling the curtains. :-)
ReplyDeleteBW, I completely understand, and it was said in jest!
ReplyDeleteThe docent does make all of the difference. This gentleman was older and not too patient with the visitors. It took almost two hours to see eight rooms!
He also did something that we all agreed we didn't like and that was to quiz the audience. If you don't know the answer, you feel stupid. If you do know the answer, you don't want to be a show-off!
how modern do the rugs look in images 4 & 5? i wonder if they are authentic? maybe when you go back for your all access behind the scenes tour, you might ask (lucky you on that!).
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite houses!
ReplyDeleteKDM
I have had many dreams about living in Homewood.
ReplyDelete