This topic invites debate, given the long and murky history surrounding the concept of architectural authenticity. ![]() And the awareness of the practice raises several questions: Could Washington not afford stone, or was it not practical for use in Mount Vernon’s expansion? Was rustication emblematic of a young nation’s inferiority complex in light of Europe’s architectural gravitas? A more profound and unsettling question follows: Did Washington not apply the same standards of authenticity to architectural expression as he did to verbal and written expression?īlaine Brownell Wood siding at the Mount Vernon Estate made to look like stone. This material revelation concerning one of America’s most beloved historic buildings is intriguing. He therefore called for the process of rustication, in which pine boards were cut into panels and beveled to mimic stone masonry before being surfaced with two coats of paint, the latter of which was topped with cast sand. Although the building has always been clad in wood siding, George Washington-who directly supervised each renovation-wanted it to look like stone. The tour of the mansion revealed a bit of information that I’m surprised to have never learned in any history class, architectural or otherwise: The house’s original façade finish is intentionally faked. Before my visit, I was vaguely aware of the house’s history: a simple, one-and-a-half-story, farm-style structure built in 1735 by Washington’s father, Augustine, and acquired in 1754 by the younger Washington, who would expand it significantly over the next half-century. I had the opportunity to tour George and Martha Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate, in Virginia, for the first time this summer. ![]() Martin Falbisoner, Wikimedia Commons The rustication technique used on the wood siding of George and Martha Washington's Mount Vernon Estate to emulate stone encourages a discussion of material authenticity.
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