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taboo5 | profile | all galleries >> United States >> Mansions, Estates, Gardens, Churches, Zoos and Museums in the U.S. >> Hudson Valley, NY Mansions, Estates, Gardens, Churches and Schools >> Olana - Frederic Church's House at Hudson, NY (September 2009) tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Olana - Frederic Church's House at Hudson, NY (September 2009)

Olana is the home of the 19th century Hudson River School painter Frederic Church (1826–1900). Church was one of the most renowned American artists of the Hudson River School of painting. The name “Olana” means "our church on high" in Arabic. Olana was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1965 and is now a New York State Historic Site. The house could be described as a combination of Persian and Victorian styles. Frederick Church took an extensive trip to Alexandria, Beirut, Damascus, Jerusalem, Petra and Baalbek with his wife Isabel and their young son Frederic Jr. from December 1867 to February 1868. The influence of these travels can be seen in the stone, brick, and polychrome-stencils and pastel colors that Church used at Olana. The main house was built, with the help of architect Calvert Vaux, between 1870 and 1891. Church continued to improve Olana until his death in 1900. The landscape was designed over a 40-year period. Church transformed the surrounding agricultural fields into gardens, tree-lined drives, a park and a lake. Olana was built on top of a hill and has a magnificent view of the Hudson River. Today, the interior of Olana remains much as it was during Church's lifetime, furnished and decorated with objects from his travels, including: furniture, carpets, sculptures, bronzes and objects of art, seemingly thrown helter-skelter throughout the house, evoking the feeling of a desert camp. There are some 40 paintings by Church and his friends in Olana. The house is intricately stenciled inside and out; based on his Middle Eastern travels. The house contains Church's last studio, built as an addition in 1888–1890. The overall effect of Church’s architectural masterpiece is that of serenity. Olana is a unique, eccentric and appealing mixture of East and West.
Olana - Frederick Church's House at Hudson NY cover page.
Olana - Frederick Church's House at Hudson NY cover page.		 Frederic Church photograph (taken between 1855-1865) from the Library of Congress (Brady-Handy Photograph Collection).
Frederic Church photograph (taken between 1855-1865) from the Library of Congress (Brady-Handy Photograph Collection).		 Map of the Hudson Valley, NY showing Olana.
Map of the Hudson Valley, NY showing Olana.		 Sign at the entrance showing the layout of the grounds.
Sign at the entrance showing the layout of the grounds.
View of Olana from the entrance path.
View of Olana from the entrance path.		 The modern picture window adds light to Church's last studio, built as an addition to the house between 1888–1890.
The modern picture window adds light to Church's last studio, built as an addition to the house between 1888–1890.		 The southeast façade of Olana shows how large the house is.
The southeast façade of Olana shows how large the house is.		 The tower combines both Persian and Victorian styles of architecture.
The tower combines both Persian and Victorian styles of architecture.
Decorative iron designs surround the roofline of the balcony.
Decorative iron designs surround the roofline of the balcony.		 Detail of the eastern façade of Olana with its unusually shaped windows.
Detail of the eastern façade of Olana with its unusually shaped windows.		 Close-up of the Persian-inspired stenciling along the cornice of the house.
Close-up of the Persian-inspired stenciling along the cornice of the house.		 The polychrome-stencils and pastel colors seen on the south side of Olana were influenced by Church's travels.
The polychrome-stencils and pastel colors seen on the south side of Olana were influenced by Church's travels.
View of the entire south side of the house with the imposing tower on the left.
View of the entire south side of the house with the imposing tower on the left.		 Note the elaborate stencil designs, eastern influences and the bell on top of the tower, as well as the Persian-style entrance.
Note the elaborate stencil designs, eastern influences and the bell on top of the tower, as well as the Persian-style entrance.		 The western façade of Olana as seen from the hill below.
The western façade of Olana as seen from the hill below.		 The balcony is a prominent feature of the western side of Olana to take advantage of the Hudson River View.
The balcony is a prominent feature of the western side of Olana to take advantage of the Hudson River View.
Close-up of the western balcony.
Close-up of the western balcony.		 View of the Catskill Mountains from the balcony.
View of the Catskill Mountains from the balcony.		 In the distance is the Rip Van Winkle Bridge, which spans the Hudson River between Hudson, NY and Catskill, NY.
In the distance is the Rip Van Winkle Bridge, which spans the Hudson River between Hudson, NY and Catskill, NY.		 A magnificent view of the Hudson River as seen from Olana.
A magnificent view of the Hudson River as seen from Olana.
As I was leaving Olana, I passed this lake which was created by Frederic Church.
As I was leaving Olana, I passed this lake which was created by Frederic Church.		 West Rock, New Haven (1849). Following are other paintings by Frederic Church in chronological order:
"West Rock, New Haven" (1849). Following are other paintings by Frederic Church in chronological order:		 One of Frederic Church's most famous paintings called Niagara (1857).
One of Frederic Church's most famous paintings called "Niagara" (1857).		 Iceburgs painting (1861).
"Iceburgs" painting (1861).
Twilight of the Wilderness (1860).
"Twilight of the Wilderness" (1860).		 Aurora Borealis (1865).
"Aurora Borealis" (1865).		 Rainy Season in the Tropics (1866).
"Rainy Season in the Tropics" (1866).		 The Parthenon (1871).
"The Parthenon" (1871).
Syria by the Sea (1873).
"Syria by the Sea" (1873).		 Morning in the Tropics (1877).
"Morning in the Tropics" (1877).

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