Dumbarton Oaks: Garden Into Art

Product Description The Dumbarton Oaks Research and Study Center in Washington, D.C., administered by Harvard University, is a famed museum and study center specializing in pre-Columbian art, Byzantine studies, and garden history and design. Long known for its museum pavilion, designed by the noted architect Philip Johnson, Dumbarton Oaks sits within one of the most spectacular gardens in America. The founders of Dumbarton Oaks, Mildred and Robert W. Bliss, were important American philanthropists; the garden was developed between 1920 and 1965 by Mildred Bliss. She worked with several designers, the most significant of whom was the American landscape gardener Beatrix Farrand. The romantic but disciplined design, a series of small individual terraces and winding walkways, reflects the character of Mildred Bliss: her place in society, her travels, and her spiritual ideals. Cool formality, joyful opulence, and feelings of intimacy, reticence, and artlessness are all present in the garden. Private, public, and utilitarian areas coexist within the integrated whole. This volume, the first to present the gardens of Dumbarton Oaks, features more than one hundred color photographs of the garden in all seasons. Photographer Ping Amranand has documented the garden over the course of more than a decade, and his exceptional images capture all aspects of the garden. Susan Tamulevich's text details the original conception of the garden, its implementation over the course of half a century, and its continuing inspiration as an unparalleled American landscape. From Library Journal This volume thoroughly documents, in words and pictures, the estate of Dumbarton Oaks, once the private property of diplomat Robert Bliss and his wife, Mildred, and now owned by Harvard University. Located in the Georgetown area of Washington, DC, it was initially purchased by the Blisses in 1920, and over the next 50 years, Mildred Bliss and renowned landscape architect Beatrix Farrand transformed the grounds into one of the most spectacular gardens in the United States. This book is about how these two remarkable women achieved this success. Tamulevich, who has written for magazines and newspapers on landscape, architecture, and design, uses telegrams, maps, letters, and other correspondence to show how each phase of the garden transpired. Bliss never ran out of ideas, and she was masterly at selecting ornamental decorations in the garden, while Farrand's genius as a plantswoman and architect served her friend well. The gorgeous photographs by Thai photographer Amranand are presented in four sections, showing each season of the garden; also included are numerous historical photos of the garden, ornaments, and early design plans. This is both a fascinating historical account of a great garden and a remarkable portrait of two great women. Recommended for public and academic libraries and essential for serious garden collections. Phillip Oliver, Univ. of North Alabama Lib., FlorenceCopyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. From the Publisher This volume, the first to present the gardens of Dumbarton Oaks, features more than 100 color photographs of the garden in all seasons. Photographer Ping Amranand has documented the garden over the course of more than a decade, and his exceptional images capture all aspects of the garden. The accompanying text, by Susan Tamulevich, details the original conception of the garden, its implementation over the course of half a century, and its continuing inspiration as an unparalleled American landscape. About the Author Susan Tamulevich is a writer based in Connecticut. Ping Amranand is a photographer based in Thailand. Philip Johnson, who died in 2005, was one of the most influential architects of the twentieth century.