VILLA TERRACE

On the advice of friends, I recently paid a visit to Villa Terrace, along with my camera.  Villa Terrace is located on the bluff above Lake Michigan on Milwaukee's lower east side.  It was originally built in 1924 as a private residence.  Ultimately, it became a modest sized decorative arts museum.  The museum includes both the residence and a nicely maintained garden leading down the bluff to Lincoln Memorial Drive, bordering the lakeshore.

The museum does include articles of decorative art, including some wrought iron pieces . . .

a bit of sculpture . . .

and even some interesting drape tassels.

Admittedly, a little unorthodox, but I did like the natural lighting that the window was offering.  (This required my getting down on my hands and knees, by the way.)

But the real interest is in the building and grounds, rather than in its contents.

The gardens behind the residence were very nicely maintained and included a number of nice sculptures.

I also liked the wrought iron gate at the east end of the gardens.

Here is a closeup of the gate that featured a jogger going past on Lincoln Memorial Drive.  My timing wasn't the best on this shot.

The residence was built around a central courtyard that featured a 2nd century marble statue of Mercury (Hermes),

although I learned that only the torso was original; the remainder was reconstructed in the 17th century.  Still, impressive.

Here is a shot of one of the courtyard corridors.

And one of the detail in the courtyard's stylized stone walkway.

Finally, I took a shot of one of the windows in the front wall of the courtyard.

I did like the espaliered shrub next to the window.  My only quibble is with the sunlight that was catching the top of the shrub.

John