Villa Finale Paintings on loan to San Antonio Museum of Art!

"Casa Ranchera"

The San Antonio Museum of Art has asked to borrow two Theodore Gentilz paintings from the Villa Finale Collection for a show entitled Theodore Gentilz: Mission Life of San Antonio and Northern Mexico which opens on March 2^nd and closes May 20^th 2012.  The show is part of an exhibition series called San Antonio Collects, truly a great fit for Walter Mathis and his Villa Finale.  The paintings Man and Pueblo Home, a charming watercolor and Casa Ranchera, oil on canvas, are two great examples of Gentilz’s illustrative style.

 

 

"Mexican Man with a Cane Walking Before Pueblo Houses"

Theodore Gentilz, (1819-1906) was an established young painter when he set sail for Texas in 1843, leaving his home in Paris, France, forever.  He was invited to come to Castroville by fellow Frenchman Henri Castro, the founder of that town, but settled in San Antonio where he opened a studio in 1847.  He left as his legacy a rich pictorial account of the people of San Antonio, its environs, and Mexico.  He also worked as a surveyor, creating detailed, illustrated maps of areas surrounding San Antonio and most of northern Mexico.  Many of his paintings of Mexico, like the two on loan, were painted during surveying trips.  All of Villa Finale’s Gentilz collection, eight in total, hangs in the Mathis Sitting Room.

Theodore Gentilz: Mission Life of San Antonio and Northern Mexico, runs from March 2nd through May 20th, 2012.  For more information about the San Antonio Museum of Art’s exhibit, please click here.  You may also contact SAMA directly at (210) 978-8100.  The San Antonio Museum of art is located at 200 West Jones Ave., San Antonio, TX 78215.

Conservation Celebration!

This fall season has been a wonderful time at Villa Finale…the reasons?  We’ve had fifteen objects return from their long summer sojourns in conservators’ studios.  Three Julian Onderdonk (1882-1922) oil paintings and twelve mantel clocks came back to roost in the past two months. 

"Pool on the Guadalupe," before treatment.

The paintings, thanks to a generous grant award from the Dallas-based Summerlee Foundation, were cleaned and stabilized.  Through no fault of anyone, just age, they had issues such as actively flaking and lifting paint, discolored varnish, unsuitable or no backing, improperly executed retouching, losses or punctures and overall discoloration. Mark van Gelder of Art Conservation Services of Austin painstakingly handled all of those issues, cleaning inch by inch with cotton swabs, repainting where paint had flaked, tightening the canvas and stabilizing the frame.   Van Gelder conserved on one small painting entitled Valley Near Williams Ranch – Twenty Miles West of Kerrville, which hangs in Villa Finale’s Dining Room, one medium-sized Texas bluebonnet painting and one very large painting entitled Pool on the Guadalupe River. 

Here is where I will be perfectly honest with you, dear reader: previously I did not care for, in the least, Pool on the Guadalupe River.  It was a muddy, dark painting with no depth whatsoever and something or someone had punctured the painting right in the center of the pool.  But when I went to van Gelder’s studio to see the finished product, my jaw hit the floor.  Here before me was a stunning deep river pool, greenish-gray, lined with limestone ledges and stands of fall trees in the background.  It was wonderful! I understood why Onderdonk painted this scene and why Walter Mathis acquired it.  It was a pleasure to behold. 

"Pool on the Guadalupe," after treatment.

So not only do your eyes get a treat at Villa Finale, your ears will too when you hear the chime of our many clocks.  Their repair was another grant funded project, this time from an award from the National Trust’s Historic Sites Fund.  

The clocks add a liveliness and warmth to the house that Mathis enjoyed – the sound and movement of the clocks also give energy and vitality to the current interpretation of the museum.  It goes without saying that the clocks are also an important part of Villa Finale’s decorative arts collection and are inherently valuable.  They date from the mid- to late 1800’s and are primarily French.       

My colleague, Sylvia Gonzalez-Hohenshelt and I put together a little video about the clocks for your viewing pleasure:   CLICK HERE TO VIEW VIDEO

My visit to a Texas civil rights treasure

A little over a week ago I had the pleasure of visiting the former Corpus Christi clinic of Dr. Hector P. Garcia, founder of the American G.I. Forum and civil rights leader.  The building is now in danger of being lost – however, a group of caring individuals is currently mobilizing to save the structure.  In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, I was invited to write about my visit for the National Trust’s blog at PreservationNation.org.  Click here to read the story.

I have included more photographs of my visit here for readers of Villa Finale’s blog.  Now that Villa Finale is a National Trust Historic Site, we want to make people aware of the importance of historic preservation as well as inspire others, much like Walter Mathis did, to become actively involved in the effort.

If you would like to join the preservation movement and the vision of Villa Finale, we invite you to consider a membership to our site which includes a number of benefits.  Click here for more information.

A glimpse in time: The Meusebachs

The Ellis-Meusebach House today.

Recently, I had the pleasure of meeting  Sarah Reveley, a sixth-generation Texan who is scheduled to speak at the Villa Finale Visitor Center in the fall about the Texas Historical Commission’s efforts to save damaged historical markers and historic buildings throughout Bexar County (click here to see Sarah’s website).  Being lovers of history, she and I began to talk about family heirlooms – this is when she mentioned letters written by her great-aunt Emmy Kailer relating her visit with the Meusebach [Moys-a-bach] family at their home on King William Street.  Of course, this immediately peaked my interest because the Meusebach home is right across the street from Villa Finale and it was one of the first houses purchased and restored by Walter Mathis in the King William neighborhood.

Here’s a little bit of background on the Meusebach family.  Baron Otfried Hans Freiherr von Meusebach, who later adopted the name John O. Meusebach, arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1845 as the new commissioner-general for the Protection of German Immigrants in Texas.  In August 1845, John founded the town of Fredericksburg which served as a second stop en route to the Fisher-Miller Land Grant.  At roughly 40 years old, John married 17-year-old Countess Agnes of Corenth with whom he had eleven children: only seven of their children would reach adulthood.  Two of their sons, Otto and Max, lived at the house at 414 King William Street (then numbered 416) in the 1890s. 

A portion of Emmy's original letter to her mother.

Otto Meusebach had purchased the home in 1889 from original owners Smith and Josie Ellis for $2,500 (that’s over $60,000 in today’s values), and he, his wife Martha, sons Kurt, John and daughter Anita all moved in.  Max lived with his brother Otto’s family until about 1892.  By all accounts, the Meusebach brothers were colorful characters, especially around San Antonio’s bars.  If you haven’t had a chance to hear about them, I invite you to listen to the Meusebach house’s audio on our cell phone tour, The King William Homes of Preservationist Walter Mathis. 

Now let me get back to Sarah Reveley’s great-aunt, Emmy.  (The exact connection between the Kailer family and the Meusebachs is unknown although it is likely Emmy’s father, Eugen Kailer knew the Meusebachs through business connections.  Eugen was once editor of New Braunfel’s Zeitung newspaper.)  Emmy visited the Meusebachs in San Antonio all the way from her home in New Braunfels in September, 1898.  Written entirely in German (thanks to Sarah for sending translations), on September 19 Emmy tells her mother how much she wants it to stop raining so she and Anita Meusebach could go to the theater … one can only imagine how terrible it was to navigate the muddy streets of the city back then!  Emmy’s mother wrote back the next day saying:

How happy I am that you’re doing well and arrived safely!  I’m only a bit scared that you won’t like it here anymore, when you’re being spoiled in San Antonio.  We’ve already shied away from the weather and thought about whether it’s raining where you are.  It’s rained a lot here and the paths and walks are so muddy that one doesn’t think about going out.

Emmy wrote back on September 22nd telling her mother how much she is enjoying going to the theater, even attending matinees with Anita Meusebach, how she plans to buy her little sister Hildegarde a fan (Hilde is Sarah Reveley’s grandmother), and about one of the Meusebach’s chickens singing to her every morning at her window.  It is easy to see the young Emmy’s excitement at being in the “big city” and spending time with the teenaged Anita Meusebach.  It is very sad to think that only two years later in May 1900, 16-year-old Anita would die of peritonitis.  

Peritonitis, an inflammation of the membrane that lines the abdominal cavity, is caused by a bacterial infection and was a common cause of death, especially maternal death, in the 19th century.  Infections spread into the abdominal cavity and were typically associated with poor hygiene – the practice of washing one’s hands was still in its infancy.  Mortality rates fell dramatically after people began practicing good hygiene, especially in the medical field.

Announcement of Anita Meusebach's death, May 1900.

Regardless of the reasons for Anita Meusebach’s death, the tragedy was surely devastating for the family.  In 1902, Otto sold the home on King William Street – he died the following year.  His sons went on to prosper, however.  Kurt became a coal merchant and John went on to be the treasurer of the San Antonio Machine and Supply Company.  Click this link to see an 1880′s photograph of Baron Meusebach’s sons: [Ernst, Otto, and Max Meusebach, sons of John O. Meusebach] :: ITC – General Collection.

A very special THANK YOU to Sarah Reveley for sharing her great-aunt’s letters with Villa Finale.  Emmy Kailer has given us great insight into the Meusebach family and life in late 19th San Antonio.

 

Sign up for our monthly e-newsletter to receive more information on Sarah Reveley’s presentation in the fall and other programs at Villa Finale by sending your email address to VillaFinale@nthp.org.

Staying “in tune” – update on our “Music for Your Eyes” tour and more

Walter Mathis's Edison Cylinder Phonograph.

Since its debut last April, our Music for Your Eyes tour has become one of our most popular programs selling out each time it has been offered (click here for tour information).  I am one of the ”hosts” for the musical experience as is Meg Nowack, our curator, and Syeira Budd, Villa Finale’s Community Programs Coordinator.  During the past four months, my colleagues and I have enjoyed sharing historic information behind Walter Mathis’s music machines as well as demonstrating these wonderful items. 

Walter Mathis loved music and enjoyed filling his home with its beautiful sounds.  Among the demonstrations on the tour are the circa 1912 Deluxe Model Violano Virtuoso, two Victorian music boxes, an Edison Cylinder Phonograph, and the grand finale of the 1910 Bechstein-Welte reproducing piano - I cannot tell you how many people have left the tour humming or whistling to the piano’s melody!  People on our tours have enjoyed hearing the rich history of the machines and the background information to some of the songs played.  All of the items on the tour are diverse in machinery as well as origin.

Meg demonstrates the reproducing piano.

South Texas as a whole has a wonderful musical history which is influenced by its diverse population.  Once part of Mexico and strongly influenced by Mexican border states, “Tejanos” of the era soon mixed their musical traditions with those of European immigrants.  It isn’t difficult even for the most “untrained ear” to hear the Waltz and Polka influences in Tejano music.  Make sure you check out the “Tejano Explosion” event during Fiesta San Antonio.      

Speaking of European immigrants, German music in Texas can be traced back as early as the 1830s with the arrival of the first settlers here.  The polkas we all associate with the very popular Oktoberfest originated in 19th century Bohemia.  The German version of this genre, also known as “Oompah,” is very identifiable by its use of the tuba, clarinet, trombone and of course, the accordion.  If you would like to get a feel for what the King William neighborhood would have been like during the late 19th century, visit the Beethoven Maennorchor on Pereida Street on First Friday or during one of their Gartenkonzerts - you will not be disappointed!   

One of the music boxes demonstrated on the tour.

Of course, any mention of Texas and music wouldn’t be complete without a nod to Country music.  In Texas, the genre is uniquely influenced by its many immigrants: Spanish, Mexican, French, German and more.  San Antonio has a variety of historic venues where people enjoyed live country music performances during the genre’s golden era including The Majestic Theater, the Empire Theater – where Gene Autry performed – and the Aztec Theatre.  If you would like to take a trip back in time, the Aztec Theatre hosts the San Antonio Rose Live show which is a tribute to classic country music in an equally classic venue.

If you enjoy music, and enjoy little historical tidbits like those I mentioned, make sure you join us on the next Music for Your Eyes tour.  The experience is a treat for your eyes … and ears.

A picture is worth 1,000 words

Dillard R. Fant in front of Villa Finale, ca. 1904.

If you have been following our blog, you may have read a series of posts I wrote in 2009 called “The Perils of 401 King William,” a five-part series relating the story of Villa Finale’s many owners.  It’s fascinating that despite the home’s many high-profile occupants, very few early photographs of the property are known to exist.  Until this week, the earliest photograph our staff had ever seen of the house dated to about 1915 when the property was owned by Eva and Dwight Potter.     

Earlier this week I received an email from Frederick and Patsy White; Patsy is the great-granddaughter of Dillard R. Fant, one of the twelve owners of 401 King William Street.  Fant was a well-known trail boss who is credited with extending the famous Chisholm Trail to Corpus Christi.  His wife, Lucy, daughter of original Texas settlers, was involved in many charitable organizations in San Antonio.  The couple had ten children; Patsy White’s grandmother, Lucille, was number eight.  You can read more about the Fants’ ownership of the house in my original blog post here.

Lucille Fant and James South, ca. 1905.

I personally have been fascinated with the history of Villa Finale’s ownership and have given presentations on the subject, sharing the few photographs we have in a PowerPoint presentation.  You can imagine my excitement when I discovered Frederick and Patsy were kind enough to forward snapshots of the Fant family taken on the property during their ownership … this was a thrill!  My excitement was doubled when Anita South, whose husband is a great-grandson of Dillard Fant, forwarded various snapshots of the family.  It’s amazing how you can read about these people from the past, but it isn’t until you see their images that they really come to life.

On behalf of Villa Finale’s staff, I would like to thank Patsy, Frederick and Anita for helping us with our ongoing research into Villa Finale’s ownership.  Dillard R. Fant and his family are definitely an important part of the home’s long and fascinating history.

Fant family, ca. 1890s.

Villa Finale Restoration Update

Here is a brand new video showing the progress of Villa Finale’s restoration. Enjoy!

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Watching paint dry…

A shutter from the dreaded north side.

We have had the nicest people come through on Villa Finale’s Hard Hat Tours.  They are interested in just about everything, from the kitchen ceiling to the old piece of wallpaper I found upstairs behind the base board in the Green Sitting Room. (yep, wasn’t always green, it was blue and swirly at some point).  The tours are a joint effort between the Manager of Public Programs, Sylvia Hohenshelt, Manager of Buildings and Grounds, Chris Roddy and me, Manager of Curatorial Resources.  We have a great time showing our small groups of visitors through the house under construction. 

Cocooned Meissen Dog Band.

 The tour officially starts at the Villa Finale Visitor Center, but Chris and I don’t see them until they arrive at the gate.  The dialogue is a relay between the three of, Sylvia tells the visitors about the history of the house, as we’re walking from room to room, and Chris and I talk about building restoration and curatorial information, respectively.  Since there isn’t a stick of furniture on view, I must be quite creative, curatorially speaking.  I do explain how we packed up the house, piece by piece, into acid- free temporary housing, show them my finding aid for each box and tell them that, if requested by a researcher, I could unearth the …Meissen Dog Band, for example.  I show them how each delicate little piece is cocooned in polyester fluff and tissue.  We also describe how we’ve swaddled every large thing in unbleached muslin and heavy plastic sheeting. 

Even the smallest grate has a number.

We give a pretty good run-down of the project and all of its detail and subtleties.  Right now, several windows are being restored under the car-port, and they each have their own story.  You can see if panes of glass were replaced, or not, and you can tell if the person who replaced them was lazy or not by how they were replaced and glazed. And every single exterior shutter has been taken off, labeled, and will be straightened out and repaired.   If it’s a nice day, we take the group into the garden and explain what will occur there, the storm drain system, the plant removal and replacement.  And our visitors are still interested!  Storm drains! Wow!

A New Year A New Beginning

The perimeter fence goes up as we prepare for construction.

This new year promises to bring a new beginning to Villa Finale, starting with the commencement of construction at 401 King William in early January.  Updates are to be made to the interior and exterior of this historic house but it won’t stop there.  As the Landscape Technician for the grounds,  I am pleased and excited to say that the landscape will be getting a face lift as well.  Since the landscape is considered historic, we will be preserving it as best we can and attempting to restore the landscape to its original beauty.  Why stop there?  Well, we  won’t.  From the ground up with this landscape project, we will be taking a ’Green’ approach.  No chemicals or herbicides will be used in the demolition, soil amending will be done with compost and natural materials as opposed to synthetic fertilizers.  As for the new irrigation system to be installed, great care will be taken to efficiently operate it so no water will be wasted or misused.  We will strive to be a self-sustaining and environmentally friendly site. We will not be contributing any yard or kitchen waste to our landfills, we have been and will continue to create our own compost for use in the landscape. In addition, lawn/plant fertilization and weed/pest control will all be done organically so the use of toxic chemicals will not be needed.  We look forward to this new year and eagerly await all the great changes it will bring.  Check back with me, as I will continually keep you posted of things going on with the Villa Finale grounds.

HAVE A MERRY little CHRISTMAS!

The holidays are now in full swing in San Antonio.  The Riverwalk is all lit up, the houses in King William are decked out, and so much more!  There are also other “little” traditions around the city … literally!  Last year we highlighted the gingerbread house at the Guenther House Restaurant which is located just a short walk from our Visitor Center – well, it is such a work of art that we decided to write about it again this year.  The gingerbread masterpiece, which is a replica of the Guenther House itself, goes up just after Thankgiving after 150 hours of “sweet” work.  The 90 pounds of edible goodness include: Peanut Butter Logs, royal icing, Skittles, spearmint leaves, Apple O’s, Starbursts, Smarties, Chicklets, Rock Candy, marshmallows, piping gel, Vienna Cookies, yogurt pretzels, sour green ropes, gum drops, fruit stripe gum, Lego’s Candy, Mother’s Cookies, candy canes, gumballs, pretzels, gelatin sheets, Silver Dragees, and Twizzlers Ribbon – whew!  Congratulations to the folks at Guenther House for another job well done! 

The Fairmount Hotel less than a mile away from King William also has their own “little” holiday tradition.  As guests drive up to valet parking they are greeted with fun holiday decorations, including this adorable little chapel.  If you’re into miniatures like some of us, or are just a kid at heart, you will really appreciate this adorable building.  If you visit, take a peek inside the chapel – it’s as cute as the exterior.  And of course, make sure to see the rest of this beautiful historic hotel … and say hello to Luke, The Fairmount’s famous Hotel Dog Concierge!

The last stop on our “little” holiday journey is our own Villa Finale Visitor Center.  We have started our own holiday tradition by exhibiting the Mathis Rockport Doll House for the holidays.  The Doll House, a replica of the Mathis family home in Rockport, Texas, was built for Agnes Mathis Bain, sister of Walter Mathis, by the Rockport Art Association as a gesture of gratitude for her generous donations.  Completed in 1981, the Rockport Doll House is 1/12 scale, measures approximately 5′ x 6′, has working lights, period furnishings, and is meticulously recreated down to the wall paper – a true work of art!  Being a lover of doll houses myself, I know I would be through the roof if I were ever to have one of these under my Christmas tree! 

Make sure you visit us at the Visitor Center, take a walk down to the Guenther House, and stop by The Fairmount Hotel.  These little holiday traditions are truly a BIG treat! — Sylvia Hohenshelt