Pastoral Scenes and Furniture
A Virtual Tour of the Poetry and Literature Center at the Library of Congress

The room’s décor reflects the spirited nature of its benefactress, a woman said to appreciate equally the verse of Shakespeare, the elegance of Stradivari’s violins (five of which are displayed in the Jefferson Building’s Whittall Pavilion, on the ground floor), and a well-mixed Manhattan. A vibrant jade coats the walls and lines the floor, while painted pastoral scenes compliment the ornamentation of the room’s caned and gilded furnishings.