Both indoors and out, James and Sallie Dooley’s estate reflects their love of natural beauty. They filled their residence, the Maymont Mansion, with a treasure trove of nature-inspired decorative and fine arts and landscaped the surrounding 100 acres with beautiful parkland, magnificent trees, and glorious gardens. This spring, the special exhibition “A Passion for Nature” will encourage guests to take a closer look at the bountiful representations of flora and fauna, from lilies and dragonflies adorning Art Nouveau objects to realistic sculpture of lions and owls, found in the decorations of the Gilded Age mansion. The special feature of the exhibition is the Dooleys’ limited edition set of the Haviland White House dinner service created in collaboration with artist Theodore Davis during the presidency of Rutherford B. Hayes. The flamboyant set, with distinctive designs for each course of a formal dinner service, is vividly decorated with an array of American wildlife and plants in their natural habitats. The Dooleys’ collection, which is the largest on permanent public display in the world, will be complemented by equally spectacular pieces on loan from the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center in Fremont, Ohio, the Musée de la Civilisation in Québec, Canada, and private collections. In addition, fashions on loan from The Valentine will reflect the growing interest in the natural world during the Gilded Age, showing the inspiration of nature in textiles as well as design adaptations for outdoor pursuits. Lovingly crafted butterfly and pressed flower collections will represent some of the nature-inspired creative outlets of the time, and original garden plans and plant catalogues will illustrate Sallie Dooley’s love and knowledge of horticulture. As spring blossoms at Maymont, step inside the mansion for a fresh look at the intricacies and wonders of the natural world that have flourished there for 100 years and continue to inspire “A Passion for Nature” throughout the estate. Guided tours available every half-hour; last tour begins at 4:30pm.
