Category: Richard Morris Hunt

Biltmore Estate: Where Affluence Abounds

A member of one of America’s most affluent 19th–century families realized his architectural dream in the western North Carolina home he named Biltmore Estate. The name is loosely derived from George Vanderbilt’s Dutch heritage, “Bildt,” referring to a town in Holland; and “more,” an old English word meaning rolling, upland country, refers to the French…


How Alva Vanderbilt’s Sumptuous Chateau Set the Bar for High Society Homes on Fifth Avenue, New York City

In 1843, young Richard Morris Hunt and family traveled from America to Europe, where he gained his formal education. Initially, Hunt pursued training in art, but at the encouragement of his family, he took up architecture. Hunt studied under Geneva architect Samuel Darier and later joined the Paris studio of architect Hector Lefuel. In Paris,…