2012 Calendar of Events

Glorious Splendor: the 18th-Century Wallpapers in the Jeremiah Lee Mansion
lecture and reception
Judy Anderson
Wednesday, February 29, 2012, 6:00
The Colonial Dames of America
417 East 61st Street
$45 per person, $20 for American Young Georgians and students; please reserve by February 22.

The magnificent original wallpapers in the Jeremiah Lee Mansion in Marblehead, Massachusetts, were hand painted in the 1760s and, amazingly, survive today. Judy Anderson, former curator of the Lee Mansion, will discuss her book about the English mural papers and the block-printed wallpapers that decorate the Palladian house built in 1766-1768 for the wealthy ship owner Jeremiah Lee.

This lecture is sponsored together with the Colonial Dames of America; a reception follows the lecture and copies of the book will be available for purchase.

A Musical  Feast in the Palaces of the Georgian Era
concert and reception
Gotham Early Music Scene
Wednesday, March 21, 2012, 6:00
The Colonial Dames of America
417 East 61st Street
$35 per person, discount for students and American Young Georgians; please reserve by March 14.

The American Friends of the Georgian Group join with the Colonial Dames of America, Gotham Early Music Scene, and the St. George’s Society to present an evocation of an evening in the palaces and county houses of England’s four great Georges, with an introduction to the musical developments of the period featuring works by Purcell, Bach, Handel, Haydn, and Mozart. The performers include Rufus Müller, tenor; Marika Holmqvist, violin; Dongmyung Ahn, violin; Rachel Evans, viola; Christine Gummere, cello; Dongsok Shin, fortepiano and harpsichord. A slide show by John Kinnear will be presented and a reception will follow the concert.

Provincial Palladianism in Georgian America: Old World Dreams, New World Realities
lecture and reception
Wendell Garrett
Wednesday, April 18, 2012, 6:00
Sotheby’s Institute of Art
570 Lexington Avenue, 6th Floor
$45 per person, $20 for American Young Georgians; Please reserve by April 11

The “aristocrats” of Colonial America established themselves in houses that reflected their owners’ importance in the community and they built public buildings that followed the principles of classical architecture. AFGG advisory board member Wendell Garrett, architectural historian and delightful lecturer, will tell us how the qualities exemplified by the Palladian style were translated to the New World and used to make social and economic statements. Buildings such as Monticello, in Virginia, and the Redwood Library, in Newport, were typical of this style. The lecture will be followed by a reception.

THE VENETIAN ADRIATIC April 29–May 6, 2012 This fabulous seven-night tour will take us from Venice to the Dalmatian coast to ex-plore the extraordinary architectural legacy of the Venetian Republic. The journey will begin in Venice and we will travel from there to Parenzo and Pirano, where we will see the Tartini House and the Church of St. George. From there to Rovigno, home to Ve-netian palazzi, medieval townhouses, and thirty churches. We will follow the coastline to Zara (Zadar) and visit the Roman Forum and the circular St. Donatus church, then on to Sibenik and the Cathedral of St. Jacob, ending the day in Trogir, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Next day we travel on to Spalato (Split) for evening passeggiata at Dio-cletian’s Palace. We will also visit the archaeology museum there. A ferry will take us to the island of Hvar and its Spanjol Fortress, cathedral, and arsenal. We return to the mainland and travel through Ston to Dubrovnik, our final destination, where we will explore the Rector’s Palace and Baroque church of St. Ignatius before our farewell dinner on Saturday night. Click here for more information about the itinerary (PDF) >> For further information call 212/991-9191 or e-mail office@americangeorgians.org

A Fabulous Interior
tour and reception
Wednesday, May 16, 2012, 6:00
222 East 57th Street
$95 per person. Note: space is limited and advance reservations are required for this event.

Many of our members had the opportunity last year to visit Weatherstone, the beautiful country house of one of the most prominent designers anywhere. Renowned for her unerring eye and innate sense of style, this friend of the AFGG has invited us for an exceptional visit to her New York apartment, where we will be able to enjoy the urban version of her exquisite taste. The tour will be followed by a reception.