VIVA MEXICO!

Spanish Colonial Revival Furnishings of California

Presented by Paul McConnell, GCA

In the early 1900’s America was in love with the glamour of ‘Old Mexico’ and the West. Far removed, both geographically and spiritually, from the overcrowding and hard labor of the large industrial Eastern and Mid-Western cities, this “last frontier” captured the imagination of the nation. California was perceived as the Golden West, and her Mexican and Spanish Colonial past was idealized as colorful and romantic.

The Spanish Colonial revival movement was born in the architecture of the Panama-California Exposition of 1915 in Balboa Park. This Spanish influence spread not only to vernacular eclectic architecture of the Mission revival style but was evident in furniture, hand painted tiles, pottery, ironwork, textiles and fine art that filled the early California bungalows. The style continued to thrive in Hollywood “Western” film set decoration and in the furnishings bought by movie stars. These objects are in high demand today to recreate the treasured historic ambience from that nostalgic era.

Paul J. McConnell, GCA, will chronicle the influence of Mediterranean Renaissance and Baroque design, both ecclesiastical and secular, on the Spanish haciendas and early 20th Century decorative arts of California, and its continuing influence today.

Mr. McConnell is a personal property appraiser as well as a consultant and expert witness, specializing in antique furniture and decorative arts. He has a B.A. from the University of New Mexico, and was Professor of Furniture at the College for Appraisers for 7 years, where he developed and taught a 20-week course on the History of Furniture. He served as Contributing Editor to Collector’s Digest Magazine, was a frequent guest speaker at the Collectors Conference at Scripps College, and was honored as Collector Magazine’s 1997 “Collector of the Year”, an award for outstanding contributions to education in the field of antiques.

This will be a fun and fascinating program you don’t want to miss.