FuiiRE 3. — Exterior of the White House, ca. 1810, showing the slonc wall, 

 fence, and ornamental gate posts designed by Latrobe during the time he 

 served as Surveyor of Public Buildings in the JefTerson administration. 



(Phntn courtesy Library of Congress.) 



'->m 



around which all of the city's official society revolved. 



On that first evening, the Oval Drawing Room was 

 not yet ready to be opened to the public and guests 

 were received in the room, called the ''Ladies Drawing 

 Room" or "Mrs. Madison's Parlor," that is today 

 known as the Red Room. Contemporaries have left 

 us graphic descriptions of the room, which was said 

 to be done in the "very latest Sheraton style." 

 Latrobe's architectural talents are suggested in the 

 treatment of the draperies. The curtains in the room 

 were made of sunflower yellow damask with a valance 

 of swags and draperies topping each window. This 

 valance continued all around the top of the room, 

 the stiff festoons looping up to a pole placed near the 

 ceiling line. The fringe with which all the draperies 

 and valances were trimmed caused a mild furor; it 

 was made of long and short drops, silk over bits of 

 wood, and must have enhanced the elegance of the 

 room. 



In front of the fireplace, "on a fireboard" beneath 

 the mantle the .same yellow damask was arranged in 

 a fluted pattern known as a "rising sun." The furni- 



ture of the room was upholstered in bright yellow 

 satin: the high-backed sofas and stiff chairs were ele- 

 gant with no pretense of comfort. The room's 

 furnishings were completed with a new carpet, a few 

 pier tables and card tables, plus a "piano forte" and 

 a fine guitar ordered expressly by Mrs. Madison.^ 

 In this setting the First Lady received, often dressed 

 in blending buff or yellow satin, or in a contrasting 

 crimson. ^ 



A number of letters have survived that give details 

 of the so-called "domestic arrangements" and attest 

 to close collaboration between the First Lady and 

 Latrobe on every phase of the interior work done at 

 the White House. Most of these letters date from the 

 spring and summer of 1809. They were written to 

 Dolley Madison by Latrobe when he was in Philadel- 

 phia or New York on official business acquiring 

 material for the White House. 



' National .Xrchivcs. .XccouiU of Benjamin Henry Latrobe, 

 furniture of President's House ( May 29. 1809). 

 •Ethel Lewis, Thr Uhilr House (New York. 1937), p. 69. 



PAPER 4 9 : BEN J.A.NUN L.ATROBE .\ND DOLLEY >L\DlSON DECOR.\TE THE WHITE HOUSE 



157 



