In 1848, Gustave Herter arrived in America from Germany, fleeing political and economic chaos. His brother, Christian, joined him a decade later. By 1875 their firm, renamed Herter Brothers, was supplying the White House with furnishings, as it had been doing for some of America's wealthiest families since 1858. During this opulent period, Herter Brothers could claim to be the leading cabinetmaking and decorating firm in the country.

Superb work done by the firm for their fabulously wealthy patrons - a who's who of the Gilded Age, including J. Pierpont Morgan, William H. Vanderbilt, and Jay Gould - for whom the Herters created some of their most lavish furniture and complete interiors. These commissions included woodwork, plasterwork, lighting fixtures, window treatments, wall and ceiling paintings, carpets, textiles, mosaics, stained glass, and decorative objects in addition to furniture.

The furniture produced by Gustave and Christian Herter spans a remarkable range of styles. The brothers demonstrated a fine-tuned ability to adapt and absorb different trends, creating original objects that stand apart from the sources from which they were drawn. A selection of Greek, Pompeian, Renaissance, Louis XV and Louis XVI motifs may coexist harmoniously on the same piece. Later furniture incorporated elements of the English design-reform movement and the Herters' interpretation of Japanese art into a distinctive look, striking in its combination of modern references, luxurious materials, and exquisite craftsmanship. (1.)

1. exerts printed without permission from: © 1997-1999 Spencer Marks and Various Publishers. All rights reserved.