National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior

Mr. Vanderbilt's Bedroom
Resource History and Description of Existing Conditions
Mr. Vanderbilt's Bedroom is accessed through the South Foyer, a connecting door from
Mrs. Vanderbilt's Bedroom, and a door from his bathroom. McKim determined the
arrangement of the rooms in the layout of the floor plan. The room has spectacular western
views of the Hudson River and bright southern light.
The room was lavishly decorated by Georges Glaenzer in a Renaissance Revival style.
The walls are covered with lush tapestries that are richly bordered by a paneled walnut dado and
a faux-carved and gilded frieze. The bed is set off by a pair of monumental carved and twisted
columns with gilded foliage and gilded Corinthian capitals. It has a shallow canopy with arches
that terminate in pendant rosettes. There are small built-in nightstands on either side of the bed
just inside the columns. The bed itself has a carved head and foot board with figural members at
each corner. The door leading to Mrs. Vanderbilt's room on the east wall is concealed by an
unbroken line of the tapestry covering on the wall and paneling, as is the door to the South
Foyer and the bathroom. The ceiling is made of composition with elaborate scrolling foliate
designs that are separated by gilded, pierced, and carved cross-members that meet in a carved
medallion with figural elements and a pendant rosette. The outer timbers of the ceiling enclose
more faux-carved scrolling composition panels and terminate in alternating pairs of carved
ram's heads and scrolled brackets. There is much whimsy and character in the many carved
faces that are worked into the decorative paneling. The old women, men, and animals with
exaggerated features that exist amidst the swirling scrolls animate the bedroom walls.
Nine drawings by Glaenzer document this space, most of which are dated October 26,
1897. 718 The fact that the drawings are numbered beginning with #1 suggests that this was the
first room which Glaenzer was hired to decorate. According to tradition it was installed by
Norcross Brothers. 719 Glaenzer's drawings called for elaborately carved built-in pieces of
furniture. The side cabinet on the eastern wall flanked by a pair of pedestals was entirely
eliminated. In its place is a carved walnut sideboard (possibly Herter Brothers from the New
York City house). The door on the eastern wall adjoining Mrs. Vanderbilt's Bedroom was
moved closer to the South Foyer. On the western wall the form of the built-in bureau is
somewhat different than the drawings. 720 The drawing called for shelves on the sides, although a
717
The space originally had a red plush sofa with loose cushions, according to the Curry Inventory. This
sofa has been returned to the Vanderbilt Mansion from the Shears family and is now in storage. The
paintings were also moved around. In 1938, the Sleighing Party was hanging here and has been replaced
by a Woman Holding Flowers. The original teakwood stand in situ in 1938 was replaced by a walnut table
by 1940.
718
Drawing #1 (10/26/97) North Elevation
#2 (10/26/97) South Elevation
#3 (10/26/97) East Elevation
#4 (10/26/97) West Elevation
#5 (10/26/97) Ceiling Plan
#22 (10/26/97) Side Elevations of Mantel Breast and Bed
#23 (10/26/97) West Elevation, revised Design for Window Trim
#24 (10/26/97) South Elevation, revised design for Window Trim
#33 Side Elevation of Cabinet, Side Elevation of Dressing Case
719
John Claremont interview
720
The bureau is lined in bird's eye maple.
133