Quincy House Tour

1469mn

1469

1469 Maine Street, like its neighbor 1461, belongs to the period of the 1860’s and 1870’s associated with renaissance revival styles of American architecture. While 1461 Maine is associated with the Italian renaissance, this house alludes to revival of great architecture of the seventeenth century in France. Known as the second empire, this architectural style was motivated by additions to the Palace of the Louvre in Paris done in the 1850’s. That project was executed in a very flamboyant interpretation of the original Louvre facade that faces the Tuilleries Gardens. The project was so important that its architecture, like the other classical styles, was brought to America and adapted to the upper class houses of the 1860’s and 70’s.

The most dominating feature of this house is the convex Mansard roof of slate and cast iron, the trademark of the Second Empire. Cast iron allowed American architects to design and build almost any classical form without needing the skilled stone masons of France or Italy. The ribs on the roof are a leaf-like form and curl up into an ornate upper cornice. Outlining the very top of the roof is a wrought-iron balustrade that has been extremely well preserved.

In overall massing, the house resembles an East Coast townhouse in that is does not have multiple projections often associated with the Victorian era. The ornate front doors sit under a small portico decorated with modified classical columns and cornice. Beside the front entry portico is a large three-sided bay with very tall double hung windows. Notice these windows do not contain several mullions but are rather large panes of glass. Windows such as these would remain popular through the turn of the century. The second Empire was only in high fashion for about 10 years, but its contributions to the American residential landscape are significant.