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Wickham-Valentine Conservation of 1812 Spirit Varnish

Richmond, VA: 1991

The 1812 Wickham House in Richmond is a splendid example of neoclassical architecture, with a subdued exterior hiding some of the nation's finest Neoclassical wall painting and a remarkable cantilevered central staircase. The home was built for attorney John Wickham, best known for leading the successful defense strategy that acquitted Vice President Aaron Burr of treason. In the late 1980s, the Museum undertook a thorough restoration of the interior and exterior of the historic residence that uncovered many of the previously hidden neoclassical finishes that had been supplanted in the Victorian fervor of the Valentine period of ownership.