A few years back, the Smithsonian's Sackler Museum hosted and exhibit from Dan Waterson called Filthy Lucre. My immediate reaction was that something terrible happened in the room, like a fire or earthquake, maybe both, and it was terrific.
I would find the original room in the adjoining museum, the Freer. Freer had purchased the room upon the sale from the estate of former shipping tycoon, Frederick Leyland. Leyland had commissioned the room from James McNeil Whistler in 1876. Freer had the room deconstructed and shipped to his estate in Michigan, and then it ended up in DC with his museum. That's kind of the extent of my knowledge. But I liked what I saw.
So I tried to replicate the look in my home office, adding gilded shelves, a turquoise coat of paint, and vases.
I added portraits of Alexander and Theresa Benitza Laurent, who moved to the US in the 19th century. Alexander was a doctor, who trained in Germany after leaving the French military. They died in Nashville, TN, during a cholera outbreak. Alexander, as a doctor, decided to stay and help.
This print will be swapped out with a new version of the peacock princess. Coming soon.
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