Hillwood
Mansion and Collections Restoration
The completion of a three-year project to fully renovate and restore the Hillwood
estate continues Marjorie Merriweather Posts commitment to providing a
state-of-the-art showcase for her world-class collection of Russian imperial and 18th-century
French decorative art. When Mrs. Post bought the Georgian-style estate in the late 1950s,
she hired architect Alexander McIlvaine to significantly enlarge and redesign the 36-room
mansion to include lighted display cases with pullout identification label drawers for her
finest pieces. When Hillwood reopens September 26, the new facilities will further
enhance the exhibition and preservation of the collection for the enjoyment and education
of the public.
Hillwood has undergone major structural repair, as well as the restoration of its
interiors and select objects on display. A new Visitor Center with improved
orientation facilities has been added, as well as a resource center housing catalogues and
books pertaining to the collections and an interactive computer kiosk on the second floor
of the mansion. In addition, an advanced lighting system recessed into the ceilings
of the main exhibition rooms make it easier to view and study the objects on display.
During the renovation process, the entire collection was temporarily removed from the
mansions exhibition rooms the Entry Hall, the hexagonal Russian Porcelain
Room, the French Drawing Room, the Icon Room displaying treasures by Fabergé, the French
Regency-style Dining Room, the Breakfast Room, the Pavilion, the English-style Library,
the Russian Liturgical Gallery and the bedrooms upstairs.
A traveling exhibition of more than 180 of the museums finest pieces toured the
United States, allowing more than 250,000 visitors at eight museums across the country to
enjoy the collection. The remainder of works was safely stored in specially designed racks
and containers on the estate to facilitate study and conservation efforts. Conservators
carefully treated and cleaned furniture and French tapestries, they polished and rewired
the chandeliers and period light fixtures throughout the museum, and they also restored
many of the picture frames in the collection.
"There were two key aspects of the renovation and restoration of the estate,"
said Hillwood conservator Albert Marshall. "One was pinpointing just the right
specialists and materials to recreate original surfaces discovered throughout the house,
and the other was the carefully installing new wiring, ventilation and security systems
while maintaining the integrity of the interior decorative elements. A major challenge was
restoring and replicating materials manufactured in the mid to late 60s, when Mrs. Post
bought and redesigned the mansion, at the same time preserving the essence of the
environment she had created."
Restoration of Interiors
Curatorial and conservation staff researched methods to replace damaged or
deteriorated interior finishes, such as wall coverings, with similar or identical
materials. Over the years, fabrics had faded or deteriorated, while the steady flow of
visitors had worn the floors and other surfaces. Damaged fabrics were replaced with those
of the same quality, requiring the extensive research of original receipts and historical
photographs in the museum's archives. Appropriate materials and manufacturers had to be
selected, and new fabric was woven and installed in both the Icon Room and the Pavilion.
In particular, the Icon Room wall covering from the noted fabric house Scalamandre was
meticulously recreated from the original, as was the dramatic purple silk velvet covering
in the Pavilion. Also, the gold-colored silk-on-silk velvet in all the built-in cases
throughout the mansion was rewoven in Italy.
The majority of surfaces, however, were restored rather than replaced. Crews of
specialized craftsmen were enlisted to restore the intricate marquetry floors, and
treatment of the Front Hall's plaster surface brought back the original brilliant
interior. The pine wood paneling in the two libraries also was cleaned to reveal intricate
detail work that had become obscured by a buildup of dust and wax.
Structural Repair
Structural improvements included upgrading environmental conditions to better
protect the interiors and the collection, and the most important mechanical work involved
installing a new heating, cooling, and ventilation system that pipes hot and cold water
into the mansion from a new central plant. The mansion's underground walls also were
waterproofed to protect the structural integrity of the foundation, and the house was
completely rewired and provided with upgraded fire suppression and security systems.
Because work in the mansion involved heavy construction and the interior walls could
not be removed, interior protection was installed and a secondary set of freestanding
walls was constructed. Once the renovation and restoration process was complete, the
chandeliers and period fixtures were reinstalled and tested, the draperies were cleaned
and re-hung or replaced, and thousands of objects were carefully reinstalled throughout
the mansion. |