Maeda's SIMPLICITY

Old Glory

Rust eats a hearty meal.

On Memorial Day, I visited the Newport Mansions in Rhode Island. For the family tour at the Breakers, we were asked to gather by the cottage by the main gate. This cottage looked like a normal one family dwelling. It turns out that it was the "play house" for the children of the Vanderbilt family. When you see their actual main house, it is easy to understand why this normal size house is comparatively speaking a kind of doll house for human-sized dolls.

Each room feels like you are in some overly lavish Victorian set. We were told by the young guide that many of the rooms there were purchased in France and moved piece by piece to the States. Apparently during the time, many French nobility were extremely short of cash due to the transition from monarchy and the nouveau riche Americans were happy to buy a room or two or three. No wonder why we're so disliked still.

You often hear of how some castles have been moved stone by stone ... but how this happens still feels like a mystery to me. It's hard enough making something out of Lego one day, taking it apart the next day, and putting it back together again at will. A whole castle? Come on. What manner of written plan made it possible to reconstruct a complex structure with such a high degree of perfection?

Upon exiting the mansion, the large iron gate awaits. I wondered what exotic locale this gate might have come from, or how old it might be. Something that can look so strong and sturdy, is not as strong and sturdy as it seems. The illusion of power and grandeur is something that no object, no person, and certainly no country can uphold for eternity.

Posted by maeda at May 31, 2005 11:55 PM