Front Door Entrance Grille

1891-1892

FRONT DOOR ENTRANCE GRILLE (American, 1892) to Marble House, designed by Richard Morris Hunt (American, 1827-1895) and made by the John Williams Bronze Foundry, New York. Four posts in the shape of Corinthian pilasters divide the grille into three bays. The central bay forms the door, each half of the door is 10 ft 8 in x 6 ft 1 in and weighs a ton and a half, it is set on pivots rather than hinges to allow for easy opening. The entire grille is 16 ft x 25 ft 4 in and weighs more than 10 tons. The grille is ornamented with acanthus leaf motifs, shells, masks of Apollo set against a sunburst background (the symbol of Louis XIV), and central cartouches on the front doors. These ornamentations are done in bronze plated with gold. While part of the work was designed to be executed in wrought iron, no iron of sufficient fineness could be found and a soft steel was substituted.

American

forged steel

gilt bronze

192" x 304"

Gift of the Estate of Mr. Frederick H. Prince, 1963.

PSNC.14506