How to Use the Images

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Photo 2: View of the Vanderbilt Mansion today.

Photo 3: View of the Vanderbilt Mansion today.

The architectural style of the Vanderbilt mansion is known as Beaux-Arts. Typical features of Beaux-Arts buildings include a large and grandiose appearance; symmetrical facade (both sides of the central entrance are identical); exterior columns or pilasters (rectangular columns attached to a wall); wall surfaces embellished with floral patterns, garlands, medallions, or similar details; and a flat, low-pitched roof.

Questions for Photos 2 and 3

1. Identify some of the features which make this a Beaux-Arts style building.

2. Are there any houses or public buildings in your town that represent the Beaux-Arts style?

3. Why do you think wealthy families such as the Vanderbilts considered it important to construct such elaborate houses? Why was the Beaux-Arts style appropriate for these houses?

* The photos on this screen have a resolution of 72 dots per inch (dpi), and therefore will print poorly. You can obtain a high quality version of Photo 2 and Photo 3, but be aware that each file will take as much as 31 seconds to load with a 28.8K modem.