House and Environs

House and Environs. . , Frederic Church designed his house and surroundings as a work of art, a home for his family, and a place of beauty and repose. The Churches first used the name Olana to refer to the house and grounds in 1878. Olana may be a variation of the name of an ancient Middle Eastern fortress city, Olane, which overlooked beautiful mountains and a fertile river valley. If that is so, it is easy to understand how the Churches would have found similarities between the ancient city and their hilltop home., Working with architect Calvert Vaux, Church developed his architectural ideas in much the same way that he planned a work of art: pencil sketches followed by more finished color sketches. Then, instead of painting a large canvas, he built it in wood, stone, and brick within a designed landscape. Church recalled residences seen during his journeys to Europe and the Middle East, referred to volumes of Eastern Art, and adapted designs in collections of sketches and photographs to create the elaborate ornamentation of his home., He carefully planned his visitors' views as they traveled through the property, ending their journey with the most spectacular views at the top of the hill. Foliage kept the house hidden from sight until the visitor reached the intersection of the south approach road and the east lawn, where you are standing now. Farther along, trees again screened the house, focusing the visitor's attention instead on the spectacular panoramic view. As the visitor approached the house, its east and south facades appeared in the angle preferred for viewing buildings set within a Picturesque Landscape composition.