EXPLORING SENIORS
Vizcaya in Miami, Florida
Discovering
By Barbara Rizza Mellin
On Christmas Day 1916, one hundred and
one years ago, Industrialist James Deering
(1859-1925) of the Deering Harvester Co.
and his guests arrived by yacht to Biscayne
Bay, Miami, Florida and to Vizcaya, his
newly completed estate, inspired by
Renaissance villas of Spain and Italy. Each
year, to celebrate that event and mark the
holiday season, Vizcaya decorates the Main
House as it might have looked at that time.
Deering assembled a broad conglomeration of original
works, as well as skillfully crafted reproductions. Today,
this unique estate on the National Historic Register
offers visitors a sculpture-filled garden and a Main
House with 34 decorated rooms showcasing over 2,500
art objects and furnishings. Many of the rooms, designed
under the guidance of Paul Chalfin, showcase the
décor of distinctly different periods.
The largest room (25x50 feet) is the formal living room,
or Renaissance Hall, which includes objects dating from
the 1300s to the 1600s. On one wall hangs The Admiral’s
Carpet, named for the grandfather of King Ferdinand of
Spain (an admiral in the Castile Navy). The design of this
earth-toned 15th Century carpet, though not overly
16 FOR SENIORS ONLY!
Vizcaya barge. Photo provided by Vizcaya