European Renaissance with a

In 1910 Industrial businessman and naturist, James Deering purchased 180 acres of wild subtropical land and commissioned designer Paul

Chalfin, architect F. Burrall Hoffman and landscape architect Diego Suarez to build the estate as his winter home. Built between 1914 and 1916 and constructed of steel-reinforced concrete stucco and limestone, it was designed in the style of the Italian Renaissance Deering so

A meandering narrow road ensconced in lush greenery and native tropical rockland hammocks leads to a South Florida gem and National Historic Landmark: Vizcaya Museum and Gardens.

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Tropical TwistBy Francesca cruz

PHotoS CouRteSy oF Bill sumner Vizcaya museum and Gardens

favoured, and although engineered to have all the vanguard modern conveniences of the early 20th century—including central heating, an automatic electric telephone switchboard, two elevators, and the first refrigerator of its time—Deering wanted the estate’s appearance to be that of a centuries old Baroque villa.

He christened the residence after the northern province of Vizcaya, located in

the Basque region of Spain. While the main structure only took two years to build, Suarez did not complete the formal gardens until 1922, due to the outbreak of World War I. the two-story home has the Biscayne Bay as its backdrop and its 34 main rooms contain Deering’s vast collection of 16th-19th-century european art—including antique furnishings, lighting fixtures, doors and fireplaces purchased by the family on shopping expeditions throughout europe.

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European Renaissance with a

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The esTaTe upon arrival a massive marble statue of the Roman god of wine, Bacchus, stands over a 2nd century marble basin that welcomes guests entering the main loggia. the design of this section of the home ranges from Neoclassical to Rococo with hand coloured wallpaper panels made in 1814 in the Parisian workshop of Joseph Dufour. the ceremonial 2,000-year old Roman marble tripod, and the Hispano-Moresque rug depicting Hercules slaying the Nemean Lion—one of the few remaining 15th-century Spanish heraldic carpets in the world—once owned by the grandfather of King Ferdinand of Spain gallantly sits in the largest room in the home, the living room. In the Rococo decorated music room you will find a harpsichord signed and dated, 1619, by its maker Giovanni Battista Boni of Cortona, Italy. Displayed in the dining room are tapestries that once belonged to english poet Robert Browning. A reoccurring theme that appears in a variety of forms throughout the home, and considered symbols of Vizcaya, are the caravel (voyage ships used by explorers) and the seahorse.

Historical and fanciful names along with different design periods were used to incorporate the décor of the second floor guest rooms. the Pantaloon room named after characters of the Commedia

dell’Arte incorporates Venetian influences. the Manin room, named after the Austro-Hungarian politician, Ludovico Manin, is decorated in the simple Biedermeier style. Antique silks and 19th-century oil paintings cover the walls of the Belgioioso room named in honour of the beautiful Countess of Belgioioso. the Lady Hamilton room, with its Neoclassical design, is named after prominent ancient art collector and wife of the english ambassador to Naples. the Cathay room, the medieval anglicized name for China, incorporates Chinoiserie—a reinterpretation of Chinese themes in european art made popular in the 17th-century that had resurgence in the early 20th-century. the espagnolette, an opulent room with Rococo décor, refers

to the French taste for Spanish fashion in the 1700s. the Galleon, Caraval, Goyesca (named after Spanish painter Francisco de Goya) and the Giudecca rooms all with French, Spanish and Italian Neoclassical influences allowed Deering’s guest to indulge in european luxury while looking out onto tropical frondescence to the west and a sun-swept bay to the east.

Sadly, Deering only lived in his beloved home nine years; he passed away in 1925, leaving the estate to two nieces, who by 1952 had sold part of it off. the 50 acres that were left, including the villa and gardens, were sold to Miami Dade County under the condition that the estate would be kept as a museum in perpetuity. today,

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Vizcaya plays lady host to countless galas; she is the setting for many a Hollywood movie; is an ideal place for blushing brides to celebrate nuptials, but most importantly is a key destination for the worldly tourist to take in the beauty of the estate and gardens, appreciating the dream home of an art connoisseur and early conservationist of South Florida’s native eco-region.

The Gardens While the design of the gardens is based on French and Italian principals, native plants such as Live oak, Jasmine, Philodendron and Palms were incorporated into the layout. the main garden features Italian inspired architecture with fountain basins, ornamental urns and obelisks carved from Cuban limestone and Florida Coral. Semi circular lily pools and ornate vine-clad gazebos adorn the landscape; the walkways are beset with Italian sculptures depicting Greek and Roman mythical characters. the Fountain Garden, originally named the Rose Garden leads to the Maze—a familiar feature in european Renaissance gardens providing a delightful diversion for guests. traveling past the lily pool, and through the small vine-covered gazebo, visitors come upon the Secret Garden, a place to rest and meditate. An arched doorway leads guests to the bay front where the commanding Stone Barge, a breakwater for small boats, stands erect with sculptures by A. Stirling Calder outlining its borders; a place that held many a roaring dinner party, al fresco, during Deering’s time. •

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Garden View III (credit Francesca Cruz)

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