19th-century architect Stanford White is arguably one of the greatest American architects of all time — after all, he designed some of the country's most iconic buildings and monuments, many of which have been designated historic landmarks for their awe-inspiring beauty. But how did a young apprentice not only become a head partner at the most prestigious architectural firm of the day, but also the favored architect among New York's Gilded Age elite? From ornate commercial buildings in New York City to tasteful mansions in Newport, Rhode Island, this is the story of Stanford White's epic rise as a legendary architect — and poetically tragic fall in one of the very buildings he designed.
Join New York Adventure Club as we explore the life and legacy of Stanford White, a 19th century American architect who combined design elements of history's greatest architectural accomplishments with the needs of his contemporary clients to produce some of the country's most beautiful buildings.
Led by Sylvia Laudien-Meo — art historian, museum educator, and NYC tour guide — this digital showcase of Stanford White, with a focus on his New York City projects, will include:
- A brief overview of Stanford White's early days, and how his apprenticeships and European travels inspired his later interior and exterior designs
- A closer look at Stanford White's career rise in the architecture world, and how he formed tight connections to the New York elite and art community, including artists like Tiffany, La Farge, and Augustus Saint-Gaudens
- The evolution of his architectural and interior design style throughout his career, from Shingle Style and the American Aesthetic Movement to American Renaissance
- A selection of his architectural masterpieces in New York City and beyond, including Tiffany & Co., NY Life Insurance, Washington Arch, the original Madison Square Garden, as well as extravagant private mansions and clubs
- A discussion of aspects of his personal life, ranging from his friendships to his passion for art, beauty, and beautiful women — and how one of his controversial love affairs led to his tragic murder and the 'trial of a century'
Afterward, we’ll have a Q&A with Sylvia — any and all questions about Stanford White are welcomed and encouraged!
Can't make it live? Don't worry, you'll have access to the full replay for one week!
See you there, virtually!
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***A full replay of the experience will be available to all registered guests for up to a week
****If the event has already passed, but it's been less than a week, you can still register for it on our website's active replay section!
About Sylvia
Sylvia Laudien-Meo is a freelance Art Historian who works in and around the city in various capacities, specializing on Modern and Contemporary art, with a strong focus on Public Art. She teaches art history at Fairleigh Dickinson University and has been working as a museum educator at MoMA, the Guggenheim and the Jewish Museum for over many years, engaging visitors in conversation based, interactive art experiences of permanent collections and changing exhibitions.
For the Municipal Art Society, UFT, Brandeis Univ., and private clients, she has been touring the city for over 20 years, exploring art and architecture, parks, neighborhoods and history. Working in various different capacities gives her a unique opportunity to make intriguing connections and weave together the complex perspectives that make out the tapestry of our fascinating city.
SLM holds a Masters Degree in Art History (with minors in History and American Studies) from the Joh. Gutenberg University in Mainz, Germany, as well as a Tourism degree from the EST in Paris France.
Testimonials
"Sylvia is a great presenter, and it is clear that she has done a lot of research." -Jeffrey
"Excellent presentation and slides." -Lynn
"Wonderful images, fascinating artistic connections & alliances, knowledgeable & pleasant presenter." -Janet
"Very informative with a great 'tour guide'!!" -Elizabeth
"Great vintage and contemporary photos. Great comparative architecture showing inspiration of designs." -Peggy
"Commentator was enjoyable, knowledgeable , gave educational insight without being overly academic, lots of interesting anecdotal information." -Sean
"Sylvias lecture and photos worked so well together. She was interesting to listen to and very knowledgeable. Looking forward to another program." -Pamela
"Very detailed and speaker was knowledgeable of the subject matter." -Robert
"The virtual tour guide, Sylvia, was very knowledgeable, and covered alot of ground." -Jeffrey
"The wide array of projects Stanford White executed and what his role models were. Excellent presentation." -Mardine
"Our speaker clearly knew and liked her topic ....her enthusiasm was catching!" -Judith
"Lecturer was knowledgeable and interesting but had way too much info to cram into an hour and an hour and 45 is too long. I would recommend two parts." -Evelyn
"Sylvia’s presentation & knowledge were outstanding. Photos were classic." -Diane
"Combination of visuals with interesting history. Sylvia Laudien-Meo does a wonderful job with her "tours" . I hope I can experience a live tour with her in the future." -Anne
"Great pace, lots of info and broad range of photos. Tour guide was fantastic." -Ellen
"Sylvia! Once again she does such a great job. She like knows everything about everything in NYC and surrounding areas. Her presentation is so genuine and thorough." -Noelle
"I love the scope of information and how she made the connections with people like La Farge and Tiffany. She did a great job of showing the architecture that inspired him." -Maria
"Many beautiful images - deeply knowledgeable speaker." -Eve
"Great photos and lots of detailed information, including locations of buildings." -Pat
"Silvia was so knowledgeable, it was great to listen to her presentation. Great photos and slides." -Richard
"Extremely well researched and exciting presentation." -Jeffrey
"I enjoy Sylvia's webinars which are very interesting." -Non
"I liked the speaker, and I liked how many photos she used." -Richard
"The presenter was clearly well-prepared and very energetic in her delivery. The time went very quickly." -Marian
"She was really well organized and knew her subject really well. And she talked in complete sentences! She's really improved her delivery and if this extends to other webinars, then I won't avoid subject she the presenter for." -Lee
"Happy to learn more about Stanford White and his buildings since I live in the Midwest and have run into him during the course of learning about local art and architecture and those who knew Mr. White." -Kathleen
" Thanks for another marvelous presentation! What a prolific architect! I especially loved all the Villard Houses interior images." -Peter"
" Enthusiastic presenter, good illustrations." -James
" Great photographs and background history" -Mervyn
" I liked learning about Stanford White and his milieu -- what a fascinating group! I also enjoyed learning more about architecture in relation to other artforms." -Ann
" Enthusiastic review of works of great architect." -Benjamin
" Excellent introduction to one of America's most important architects." -Charles
" The presenter was very knowledgeable and personable. The "visual aids" were very interesting and informative." -Paul
" The presenter was very engaging and knowledgeable about the subject." -Maryann
" Very knowledgeable presenter; good visuals." -Judith
"Love the old pictures of the period buildings. And the history." -William
"The presenter had deep knowledge and was extremely personable." -Stephen
"The presenter really knows her stuff! Excellent." -Mag
"Seeing all of the pics of old New York, AND, I liked that she answered questions along the way." -Jan
"Excellent lecture" -Kenneth
"The enthusiasm of the presenter and general content was of personal interest to me." -S
"I loved her content and visuals. also, she was a very good speaker; she didn't even seem to be looking at notes but just talked." -Lauren
"Excellent content. Very informative and interesting" -MF
"Visuals were excellent. Knowledgeable speaker." -Claude
" I learned a lot, the presenter was very knowledgeable and had a cute personality. She was great." -Jennifer
"The photos and information was comprehensive and interesting. I loved it. Every event I've attended has been very good." -Linda
"The pictures are always beautiful. I'd love to see some of those places in person. Sylvia's presentations are always amazing. Her knowledge repository and the ability to pull & connect from it make for an enlightening experience every time." -Aleisa
"Enjoyed it!" -Eileen
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Categories: Virtual, Gilded Age
