GRANDEUR SAVED’ AT GIBBES MUSEUM SHOWCASES AIKEN-RHETT HOUSE

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 CHARLESTON, S.C. —“Grandeur Saved: Photographs of the Aiken-Rhett House by Michael Eastman,” is on view at The Gibbes Museum of Art through May 13.

Large scale photographs invite reflection on the past and questions about the future of Charleston’s historic structures in the exhibition, which coincides with the 2007 Antiques Week in Charleston and is presented in conjunction with the 2007 Art and Antiques Forum benefiting the Gibbes Museum of Art.

Built in 1818, the Aiken-Rhett house stands alone as the most intact townhouse complex showcasing urban life in antebellum Charleston.

The Aiken-Rhett house showcases three distinct periods of architectural design. Its original Adam style features were modified in 1836 in the Greek Revival style. An art gallery addition in 1858 added a Victorian influence. The property includes an extensive collection of outbuildings including the original carriage house, stable, kitchen building, slave quarters and privy.

Under the ownership of William Aiken in 1833, the Aiken-Rhett house was one of the most impressive residences in Charleston. More than a century later, the house piqued the interest of Michael Eastman, a photographer renowned for his striking use of color. Eastman captured the structure’s rich hues and textures in epic proportions, with some of the prints measuring as large as 7 by 9 feet.

Owned by the Historic Charleston Foundation since 1995, the Aiken-Rhett House and outbuildings are being preserved and interpreted as a museum site for visitors to enjoy. Eastman’s photographs celebrate the foundation’s work while emphasizing the importance of historic preservation. “Grandeur Saved” at the Gibbes is the first public showing of this exhibition.

The museum is at 135 Meeting Street. For more information, www.gibbesmuseum.org or 843-722-2706.