ONE OF MY TREASURED PLACES… BONNET HOUSE - L’UN DE MES ENDROITS PRÉCIEUX… BONNET HOUSE

English Version - *version française dessous*

ONE OF MY TREASURED PLACES… BONNET HOUSE

Francine and I love cruising and many of them leave from Fort Lauderdale.  Usually, we arrive a day before the cruise’s departure date and likewise, we usually stay a day or two upon our return.  We call them “off days”.

 


It was during one of these “off days” almost ten years ago that we stumbled across Bonnet House Museum and Gardens.  We make it a point to visit Bonnet House every time we are in Fort Lauderdale.  It is a magical place!

 

The house goes back to 1920 and was built by Frederic Clay Bartlett and his wife Helen.  The Bartletts came from wealthy families based in Chicago both were connected to what became True Value Hardware.  Bartlett wanted to become a painter, and his father subsidized a European art education with the proviso, that once completed he needed to sell his paintings. 

 

The Bartletts were also early collectors of Impressionist art.  Much of it was donated to the Art Institute of Chicago.  This includes Georges Seurat's, “Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte”.

 

Sadly, Helen died in 1925.  Bartlett then married Evelyn Fortune Lilly in 1931.  Eventually, with her husband’s  encouragement Evelyn started painting as well. 

 

What makes, Bonnet House so magical for me are the beautiful gardens as well as their plantation styled home which feature’s Bartlett’s enormous studio.  You can see examples of the couples paintings throughout the house.

 

Frederic passed away in the 1950s but Evelyn returned every winter and in 1983, Evelyn Fortune donated Bonnet House to the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation for all of us to enjoy.  It is well worth a visit if you ever pass through Fort Lauderdale. 

 

Here is a link to their website… https://www.bonnethouse.org

 

Version française 


L’UN DE MES ENDROITS PRÉCIEUX… BONNET HOUSE

 

Francine et moi adorons les croisières et beaucoup d’entre elles partent de Fort Lauderdale. En général, nous arrivons un jour avant la date de départ de la croisière et, de même, nous restons généralement un jour ou deux après notre retour. Nous les appelons nos « jours de repos ».

 


C’est au cours d’un de ces « jours de repos », il y a près de dix ans, que nous sommes tombés sur le musée et les jardins de Bonnet House. Nous nous efforçons de visiter Bonnet House à chaque fois que nous sommes à Fort Lauderdale. C’est un endroit magique !

 

La maison date de 1920 et a été construite par Frederic Clay Bartlett et sa femme Helen. Les Bartlett venaient de familles riches basées à Chicago et étaient toutes deux liées à ce qui est devenu True Value Hardware. Bartlett voulait devenir peintre et son père a subventionné une formation artistique européenne à condition qu’une fois terminée, il vende ses peintures.

 

Les Bartlett ont également été parmi les premiers collectionneurs d’art impressionniste. Une grande partie de ses œuvres a été donnée à l’Art Institute of Chicago. Cela inclut le Dimanche après-midi à l'île de la Grande Jatte  de Georges Seurat.

 

Malheureusement, Helen est décédée en 1925. Bartlett a ensuite épousé Evelyn Fortune Lilly en 1931. Finalement, avec les encouragements de son mari Frederic, Evelyn a commencé à peindre également.

 

Ce qui rend Bonnet House si magique pour moi, ce sont les beaux jardins ainsi que leur maison de style plantation qui abrite l'énorme studio de Bartlett. Vous pouvez voir des exemples de peintures du couple dans toute la maison.

 

Frederic est décédé dans les années 1950, mais Evelyn y est revenue chaque hiver et en 1983, Evelyn Fortune a fait don de Bonnet House au Florida Trust for Historic Preservation pour que nous puissions tous en profiter. Cela vaut la peine d'y faire un tour si vous passez par Fort Lauderdale.

 

Voici un lien vers leur site Web… https://www.bonnethouse.org


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