Discovering the Parlor Frieze
by Jeff Larry
In 2002 paint historian Frank Welch conducted a paint analysis of the Cottage’s first and second floor rooms to learn more about how the painted finishes may have looked during Lincoln’s time.
Typical Paint Analysis Cross Section
This past January, in preparation for preservation and restoration projects in the parlor, I reviewed Welch’s report and found a comment where he suggested that some of the colors he was finding in the parlor may be part of a painted frieze. A frieze is a “broad horizontal band of sculpted or painted decoration, especially on a wall near the ceiling.” With the recently refinished floors covered with construction paper and the parlor temporarily removed from the Cottage’s self-guided tours, this seemed like an opportune time to do a few paint exposures.
Senior Preservationist Jeff Larry working on the first exposure
An exposure is when layers of paint are carefully removed until the layer of interest is revealed. I ran a few tests using different types of chemical strippers and found that the Citrus Strip product was the least aggressive thus providing more control on the removal of over seventeen layers of paint on the walls. The stripper was applied and allowed to sit for thirty minutes. It was during this time I was able to return to the other projects in the parlor which included the removal of modern lock components, maintenance to historic locks and hardware as well as returning two doors to their original swing.
T & C Clark Best Broad hinge – One of the few remaining original hinges in the Cottage dating to 1842
The first exposure at the upper wall began at ten inches wide and ran down from the ceiling approximately fourteen inches. It was on the first day, after removing the 1950s institutional green paint, countless beiges, a very stubborn and glossy olive paint, and about five layers of yellow, that a band of bright blue began to appear. By the end of the following day I had completed exposing the entire motif.
I decided to expand the exposure to the left and to the right and find a point where a pattern might emerge. To the right a different motif appeared followed by a repeat of the first motif.
To the left I was surprised to find a black circle begin to take form and even more surprised when the black circle became surrounded by a decorative border and contained a cluster of purple flowers! Unfortunately, the remaining portion of the floral motif was destroyed at some point when the wall was channeled to install a metal pipe.
An additional exposure was completed above the parlor doors revealing a second generation of decorative painting. The subtle shading in the bands of color suggest an attempt to imitate a crown molding.
Welch’s analysis also notes the presence of glue that would have been used to adhere wallpaper. Was this one of the seven rooms that were papered prior to the Lincoln’s arrival in 1864? I did recently find a wallpaper fragment between the floor joists just below the parlor. Or, were one of the two decorative painting schemes present during Lincoln’s time? At this point we just do not know but we have a lot of clues that may help narrow down the dates when the different paint schemes were seen on the walls. We also have plans to bring paint historian Matthew Mosca back to the site to review all of the evidence with me and provide advice on the best way to proceed.
Some fun discoveries were also made regarding the door hardware in the parlor which will be revealed soon– stay tuned!
Bourbon and Bluegrass is Back!
Exciting Programs Blossoming at the Cottage this Spring
We have something for everyone in April and May. For the history buff? A new Scholar Session on CNN’s Lincoln: Divided We Stand. For the gardener? A Landscape Beautification Day. For the sportsperson? A bike ride recreating Lincoln’s historic commute. For the gamer? Game week with Game Genius. For the curious young mind? Our weekly social studies program.
Check out our events page for more info.
Goodbye to the Original Lincoln Slippers!
This past month we bid farewell to Lincoln’s carpet slippers, which we were honored to house for the better part of two years. You can see them back at their permanent home at the Hayes Presidential Library and Museum or order a pair of your own custom made by Stubbs and Wootton in the style of the originals.
Take our quiz below about Lincoln’s presidential apparel that we wrote in their honor!
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Apply to our 2021 Students Opposing Slavery Summit by May 10th!
Please alert the young activists in your lives that registration for the summit is now open. Applications are due May 10th.
In this year’s summit, students from around the world will come together to solve an actual problem that anti-trafficking experts are currently facing.
Apply here.
“April is the Cruelest Month”
This month, which happens to be National Poetry Month, will mark 156 years since Lincoln’s last visit to the Cottage, the fateful night at Ford’s Theatre, and the morning of his death. As we approach these somber anniversaries, we remember the below words recited by Maurice Smith from the poem “Belonging to the Ages” in his collection Railsplitter during our Civil War poetry event with the Folger Shakespeare Library in February:
President Lincoln’s Cottage in the News
- Voice of America introduced the Cottage to their Indonesian audience
- Our Community Now included the Cottage in a list of museums that have reopened
- The Washington Post Magazine included the Cottage in a print feature on the Historic House Museum Consortium of Washington, DC on March 14th
SUPPORT PRESIDENT LINCOLN’S COTTAGE
Support our educational programs, preservation efforts and public events by making a contribution to President Lincoln’s Cottage. Donate online today.
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