When industrialist Nathaniel Wheeler finished his parlor in 1865, he chose to have it decorated in the latest fashion: Renaissance Revival. Inspired by the stylistic innovations of the court of Napoleon III, the finest furniture of the era was executed by French emigre cabinet makers. They brought to America the art of French polishing and parquetry in lay, incised and applied gilding and ormolu. They contributed as well to an integrity and artistic ability in the design and execution of elaborate tufted and roused upholstery. These are the hallmarks of Renaissance Revival decorative arts and the standard by which superlative examples of this era are evaluated. The restored Wheeler Drawing Room, whose entire decorative concept and execution is attributed to the distinguished New York firm of Pottier & Stymus, is one of the finest examples of Renaissance Revival in this country, and may be viewed in all its splendor at the Barnum Museum in Bridgeport, Connecticut. |