Page 117 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Washington, DC

THE WHITE HOUSE AND FOGGY BO T T OM  115

5 Renwick Gallery
Pennsylvania Ave at 17th St, NW.
Map 2 F3 & 3 A3. Tel (202) 633-7970.
q Farragut West. Open 10am–
5:30pm daily. 8 7 =
∑ americanart.si.edu
Forming part of the
Smithsonian American Art
Museum (see p102), this
elegant red-brick building
was designed and constructed
by James Renwick Jr. in 1858.
It originally housed the art
collection of William Wilson
Corcoran until this was moved
to the current Corcoran Gallery
of Art in 1897. The magnificent Renwick Gallery, a fine example of French Empire style
The building was later
bought by the Smithsonian. tentatively embracing new Today the building houses
Refurbished and renamed, technologies. In the Octagon government agencies, including
the Renwick Gallery opened Room, Hiram Powers’ famous the White House Office, the Office
in 1972, primarily to conserve sculpture, The Greek Slave, will of the Vice President, and the
and display the Smithsonian’s be displayed as a 3D print, National Security Council.
collection of 20th-century made from a scan of the
and contemporary American original plaster model. 7 Corcoran
arts, crafts, and design. For further exploration,
In late 2015, the Renwick there is an extensive Gallery of Art
reopened after a renovation collection of interviews 500 17th St, NW.
that included the updating of and craft-related Map 2 F4 & 3 A3.
its heating and cooling systems videos on the Tel (202) 639-1700.
and the control system for Renwick website. q Farragut West,
digital and electronic work. Farragut North.
However, the renovation 6 Eisenhower Closed for renovation.
revealed a number of & 8 7 - 7 d
surprises: concealed vaulted Executive Lion statue guarding the = ∑ corcoran.org
ceilings were disclosed after Office Corcoran Gallery
the modern drop ceilings Building One of the first fine
were dismantled. Covered art museums in the country,
windows were opened to 17th St at Pennsylvania Ave, NW. the Corcoran Gallery of Art
let natural light flow in. The Map 2 F4 & 3 A3. q Farragut opened in 1874. It outgrew
Renwick now has a custom West. Closed to the public. its original home (what is
carpet for its grand staircase, ∑ whitehouse.gov now the Renwick Gallery
designed by French architect building) and moved to this
Odile Decoq. Formerly known simply as the massive edifice designed in
The Renwick, though focused Old Executive Office Building, 1897 by Ernest Flagg. A
on the history of art, is also this structure stands on the privately funded art collection,
West side of the White House. the Corcoran was founded by
It was once the home of William Wilson Corcoran – a
the War, Navy, and State banker whose main interest
Departments. Built over was American art.
17 years between 1871 and The Corcoran is undergoing
1888 by Alfred B. Mullett, its renovation and will reopen as
exuberant French Second a space for exhibiting pieces
Empire design, inspired by from traveling shows curated
the 1852 expansion of the by the National Gallery of Art.
Louvre in Paris, generated It will also display works from
much criticism at the time. the NGA collection and iconic
The building has long been the paintings from the original
site of historic events, such as Corcoran collection, such as
the meeting between Secretary Frederick Church’s magnificent
of State Cordell Hull and the painting Niagara, housed
Imposing facade of Eisenhower Executive Japanese after the bombing in what will be called The
Office Building of Pearl Harbor. Legacy Gallery.

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