Topic: Notable Figures

The life of Frederick Douglass, the great 19th-century statesman, orator, writer and abolitionist, was a triumphantly American story. He was born into slavery in the early years of the 19th century and died at the very height of the Gilded Age. His tremendous talents as a leader brought him out of slavery and into the heart of the… Continue reading Episode #107: Frederick Douglass’s Gilded Age

Irish-born Augustus Saint-Gaudens came to this country as a small child and throughout his career and life, reaching into the early years of the 20th century, became an artist who truly defined a look for America in sculpture. His extraordinary natural talent grew into a master artist who was able to create lifelike depictions in marble and bronze that brought… Continue reading Episode #105: Augustus Saint-Gaudens: Sculptor of the Gilded Age

As the Librarian of Gilded Age financier J.P. Morgan‘s extraordinary personal collection of rare books, manuscripts, and historical objects, Belle Da Costa Greene was one of the most visible and formidable players in the art world of the early 20th century. With her deep expertise and drive, she sourced precious objects from major galleries and at… Continue reading Episode #100: Belle Da Costa Greene: The Untold Story of J.P. Morgan’s Personal Librarian

She was a Gilded Age society beauty. He was a New York architect passionate about preserving the city’s past. When John Singer Sargent accepted the commission to paint their portrait as a wedding present commissioned by one of the couple’s friends, he perhaps didn’t realize how difficult it would prove to be. Capturing Edith Minturn Stokes strong personality as one of the… Continue reading Episode #99: John Singer Sargent: Painting a Gilded Age Love Story

Of all the balls and parties thrown during the Gilded Age, the extravagant evening hosted by Bradley and Cornelia Martin at the Waldorf in 1897 was perhaps the most legendary, but also perhaps the most filled with misconceptions. This episode shares the story of the Bradley Martins and explains the fascinating background of the ball that makes this… Continue reading Encore: Bradley Martin Ball

Stories of the Gilded Age so often focus on the world of adults and more often on the highest layer of elite society. Of course, there was much, much more to the story of America’s social and economic growth at the end of the 19th century that involved those of the middle and lower classes — and… Continue reading Episode #90: Children of the Gilded Age: Seen and Not Heard (Until Now)