Nemours: A Portrait of Alfred I. duPont\'s House Hardcover Dust Jacket Like New For Sale

TheNemours Estateis a 200-acre (81ha)country estatewithjardin à la françaiseformal gardens and aFrench neoclassicalmansion inWilmington, Delaware, United States. Built to resemble a Frenchchâteau, its 105 rooms on four floors occupy nearly 47,000sqft (4,400m2). It shares the grounds at 1600 Rockland Road with theNemours Children\'s Hospital, Delaware, and both are owned by theNemours Foundation.[1]

Nemours was created byAlfred I. du Pontin 1909–10 as a gift for his second wife, Alicia. It was named for the north-centralFrenchtown ofNemours, which was affiliated with his great-great-grandfather,Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours.Carrère and Hastingsdesigned the mansion, which is in theLouis XVI styleofFrench architecture.[2][3]

The house contains rare 18th-century French furniture and an eclectic collection of notable antiques, works of art and tapestries. Artworks range from 16th-century religious works to paintings by the European masters to early works by AmericansFrederic RemingtonandSidney Lawrence.

Of particular interest is a rareLouis XVImusical clock, circa 1785, byDavid RoentgenandPeter Kinzing, which plays four tunes on adulcimerandpipe organ.[1]Another clock at the mansion with a connection to French royalty is one made forMarie Antoinette, which she never received.[4]

The mansion also has a chair from the 1937 coronation of KingGeorge VI, an event which was attended by Alfred I. du Pont\'s third wifeJessie, and a chair fromIndependence Hall.[4]Alfred I. du Pont\'s own portrait is also in the mansion.[4]

The estate has the most developed and largestjardin à la française(French formal garden)-style landscape park and collection of individual gardens in North America. The design is patterned after thegardens of Versaillessurrounding thePetit Trianonat theChâteau de Versailles. Their central axis extends ⅓ of a mile from the mansionfacade, paralleling the main avenue leading to the house. The grounds are beautifully landscaped with plantings,fountains,pools, acarillontower, statuary, and apavilionsurrounded by naturalizedwoodlands.[2][5][6]

• The Boxwood Garden – Frenchparterregarden withboxwoodedging and a central faun fountain.
• The Colonnade (1926) – memorial toPierre Samuel du Pont de Nemoursand his sonEleuthère Irénée du Pont, designed byThomas Hastings.
• The Maze Garden – amaze gardenwith main hedges of Western Arborvitae \'Spring Grove\', inner hedges of Japanese Barberry \'Crimson Pygmy\', and central statue of Achievement, byHenri Crenier, atop a base with images ofTritonandNeptune\'s face.
• The Reflecting Pool (1 acre) – 40 feet (12m) in diameter, with 157 jets, backed by Japanesecryptomeria, pink floweringhorse chestnut, andpin oaks.
• The Sunken Gardens – designed by Alfred Victor du Pont and Gabriel Masséna. Features large lake, grottoes, and 1930 statue byCharles-Marie Sarrabezolles(1888–1971). A. V. du Pont (1900–1970) was the only son of the owner and an architect trained at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris.
• The Temple of Love – in classical style, with life-sized statue ofDiana(1780) byJean-Antoine Houdon.

The Nemours Estate reopened its gates on May 1, 2008, after closing in 2005 for a 3-year, $39 million renovation.[1]The work, commissioned by the Nemours Foundation, was performed by refurbished furniture, fabrics, tapestries, interior finishes, paintings, and sculptures. The comprehensive reconstruction included replacing the entire electrical system, draining and repairing the 800,000-gallonreflecting pool, andlandscape restorationof the extensiveformal gardensplantings, constructed design elements, and statuary.[6]

In June 2012, the state of Delaware filed suit against the duPont Trust and Nemours Foundation, claiming the trustees were not following duPont\'s intentions, Delaware was not receiving their proper yearly distribution, and the $72 million renovation should not have been included in Delaware’s share of foundation distributions. Delaware Attorney GeneralBeau offerenalso objected to the Nemours Estate limiting access to 48 people per property tour, aged 13 and above only.[7]