Marjorie Merriweather Post's Passion for France

Art historian Dr. Rebecca Tilles, former curator at Hillwood Estate, speaks about the legacy of Marjorie Merriweather Post, one of the most influential collectors, philanthropists, and businesswomen of the twentieth century.
About the Program:
Marjorie Merriweather Post (1887-1973) was born in Springfield, Illinois to a middle-class family. She inherited the helm of the Postum Cereal Company from her father at the age of 27, eventually becoming the director of General Foods, making her one of the wealthiest women in America. Post’s collecting began as a young woman during the Gilded Age, expanding during the glamorous 1920s in New York and Palm Beach, and encompassing the role of diplomat as the wife of the Ambassador to Soviet Russia and Belgium in the late 1930s, finally culminating as one of the most influential philanthropists and society hostesses in Washington, D.C. between the 1940s-60s. She designed and decorated a multitude of impressive residences, notably a sprawling 54-room triplex apartment on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan (1925), the Mar-A-Lago estate in Palm Beach (1927), Adirondack Great Camp Topridge, New York (1923), and, finally, Hillwood, Washington, DC (1955), which she bequeathed to the public following her death.
For many of these residences, she relied on and collaborated with a select number of designers, architects and dealers, including Sir Joseph Duveen, French & Company, and McMillan Inc., among others. Through these relationships, and as a result of her frequent travels overseas, she developed an interest in French 18th-century art and interiors, including paneling, furniture, porcelain, paintings, clocks, sculpture, and precious jewels and objects of virtue, many of which came with a royal provenance. This lecture explores Post’s passion for French interiors and her design and replication of the French Drawing Room in many of her residences, culminating at Hillwood.
This is a recording of an event held by the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art (ICAA), a nonprofit educational organization committed to promoting and preserving the practice, understanding, and appreciation of classical design. To see more educational videos and courses like this one, or if you are interested in attending our classes or becoming a member, visit www.classicist.org .
About the Speaker:
From January 2018 to May 2022, Rebecca Tilles was curator of 18th Century Western European art at Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens in Washington, DC. At Hillwood, she curated the exhibitions Perfume & Seduction (2019), Kristine Mays: Rich Soil (2021), and The Luxury of Clay: Porcelain Past and Present (2022). She is currently based in London and Paris and is working on a new publication on collectors George and Florence Blumenthal and is a contributor to the upcoming publications The Museum and the Art Market for Bloomsbury’s “Contextualizing Art Market” series (2023) and The Wonder of Wood: Decorative Inlay and Marquetry in Europe and America, 1600-1900 in conjunction with Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library (2024).
Rebecca completed her PhD in Art History from the University of Sussex (2019) where her dissertation was entitled George and Florence Blumenthal: A Collecting Partnership in the Gilded Age, 1858-1941.” Prior to beginning her PhD, Rebecca worked as a curatorial research fellow in decorative arts and sculpture in the Art of Europe Department at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston from 2007-2014. She holds a BA (with honors) in French and French Cultural Studies from Wellesley College (2003), an MA in European Decorative Arts from The Bard Graduate Center in New York (2007), and studied at the Ecole du Louvre, Paris.
Sponsors:
This lecture is presented as part of the Interior Design Series at the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art (ICAA). The ICAA is very grateful to Allison Caccoma Inc., Lindley Martens Design, Tammy Connor Interior Design, Tucker & Marks Inc. and Sarah Blank Design Studio for their generous support of this program, along with the Series Supporting Sponsors de la Torre Design and Susan Ferrier.
This lecture is also presented as part of The Françoise and Andrew Skurman Lecture Series on Classical French Architecture.
Lead Annual Public Programs Sponsor: RINCK
Seasonal Public Programs Sponsor: Dell Mitchell Architects
Seasonal Public Programs Sponsor: Hyde Park Mouldings

[@Booka60]

Excellent speaker!

[@ML-xi2rt]

Excellent presentation and very very enjoyable!

[@Msny1988]

My Goodness Exceptional job of presenting Ms. Post's life.

[@barmybarmecide5390]

Hell yeah I love France

[@lovinglife419]

Very interesting! Thanks for sharing!

[@69waybetter]

Great video

[@hewitc]

You forgot Hetty Green. And Post wasn't part of the Gilded Age of the 1880's.

[@johnscanlan9335]

MMP certainly didn't live in the Gilded Age, which was the late 19th Century.

[@user-xt3gh6du9r]

Robber Barons , no, Industrial Statesmen, yes.

[@boblaker8676]

You seem to have to done your homework the hard way. Congratulations. You inspire me to finally READ my book of her Collections from Rizzoli, which I purchased and wanted, but have not read yet. My introduction to her was via her daughter, which I always found striking in roles like Butterfield 8 until The Player.Everytime I hear Mar-o_lago in connection with Trump, I cringe and think: It's a disgrace that his name should be so synonymous with this amazing palace, and I hope she haunts the Donald in his sleep everytime he spends a night there...

[@Wanamaker1946]

Actually, I think she’s pretty pleased because Donald Trump saved Margo. He bought it nonstock and barrel with all the Antiques in the house all her furniture and it’s beautifully preserved to this day so I think you have a somewhat unhealthy attitude towards Donald Trump. She Mar A logo to be the Presidents southern White House. Wish her desire has come to pass.

[@boblaker8676]

@@Wanamaker1946 Always wondered about that as I thought her daughter would have had a say in that and that she never did puzzled me. But from what you are saying it makes sense. Thank you for your resonse.

[@gricelbarahona1331]

Mr President Donald Trump ,Si quiere Llevar a Marjorie Taylor Green a Mar a Lago , no tengo problema Usted a demostrado que Ella es la Niña de Sus Ojos ok Creo que lo peor que puedo perder Es Mi dignidad y no quiero una Porque Dios Me Ama y Yo también Me amo … Su casa está linda ,Que Dios Se la Bendiga ,Pero prefiero las cosas de Arriba las del Cielo . Aparte si un día Dios Me diera una Casa en un nuevo momento prefiero Una Casa Nueva . Porque las casas donde han vivido Otras Personas tienen presencias Estradas . No digo que esto sucede en Su casa Pero tan poco seria imposible , Si Yo viviera allí ,Tendría que estar Orando y reprendiendo y ungiendo Y hechando fuera espíritus . Así que la más indicada en Marjorie Taylor Green ,Porque si Ella puede Estar en El Capitolio con Toda la Masonería y con Todos Los Masones Yo No … Yo se a lo que Dios Me llamó y se Qué hay cosas lugares y Personas Que afectan . Y Yo tengo que guardarme ,Porque Ese es deseo de Dios para Mi …

[@modfus]

It fascinates me how so many newly rich Americans (from the 19th century to the present day) want to live like 18th century French aristocracy. I think of Mark Wahlberg and Tyler Perry who both created their own "petits Versailles" in recent times.

[@MrRocktex1978]

only the look of Wahlberg's house on the outside. On the inside it is not decorated in the 18 th century style. And I believe Tyler house as well. Sadly the french aristocracy styles on the inside is not considered modern in this day and age. Seen as dated by the younger generations that prefer Ikea

[@brierhussong9283]

"promosm"

[@Lynda-oo7ey]

Who cares??She was just a wealthy woman.