The Hudson River Valley commands breathtaking vistas and I can only imagine what Henry Hudson must have seen as he sailed down the river and saw the Catskill Mountains!
Frederick Church was an American landscape painter and a central figure in the Hudson River School of American landscape painters. The only pupil of Thomas Cole, a founder of the Hudson River School along with Asher Durand, Church and Cole painted large panoramic landscapes often depicting mountains, waterfalls and sunsets with an emphasis on light and a respect for natural detail.
In 1860, Church bought a farm in Hudson New York and an additional 18 acres on a hilltop overlooking the Hudson River and soon began the construction of a Persian inspired mansion. Inspired by travel in the Middles East to what is now Lebanon, Israel Syria, Jordan and Egypt, Church hired Calvert Vaux to help design this incredible home which was subsequently named, Olana. Calvert Vaux is known for designing Prospect Park in Brooklyn New York and as the assistant architect to Frederick Law Olmstead in the design of New York's Central Park.
The house, which showcases much of the work of Thomas Cole and Frederick Church is a unique mixture of Victorian architectural elements and Middle Eastern decorative motifs. It is a villa with asymmetrical towers and block masonry punctuated by fanciful windows and porches. Middle eastern motifs are carried out in colored brick, wood, slate and ceramic tile and especially with stenciling. The mansion is now a New York State Historic Site and is under the auspices of the Department of Parks.
The town of Hudson is a mecca for fabulous artists and antique dealers and should be visited in its own right. I am planning on taking a client who loves mid-century modern furniture up to Hudson because of their incredible selection. And, I might add, the restaurants and bakeries in Hudson are to die for and the farm stands along the country roads have fabulous apples and a variety of pies. I bought a white peach pie and served it for dessert this week and everyone raved!
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