Iconic Bachelor Homes of the 20th Century

Explore the fascinating intersection of architecture, design and personal identity through the private residences of four notable American bachelors. Iconic Bachelor Homes of the 20th Century: Talks at Vizcaya welcomes acclaimed author and professor R. Tripp Evans on Wednesday, March 12 at the historic Vizcaya Museum & Gardens. Evans will present his provocative new book, The Importance of Being Furnished: Four Bachelors at Home, examining how these domestic spaces reflected their owners' complex lives and aesthetics.

The talk explores the homes of Charles L. Pendleton, a reclusive gambler with an exceptional eye for 18th-century furniture; Ogden Codman Jr., the influential interior decorator; Charles H. Gibson Jr., who transformed his Boston residence into a literary shrine; and Henry Davis Sleeper, creator of the Eastern Point masterpiece Beauport. Each residence shares connections with the elegant design principles embodied by Vizcaya itself.

Evans, who holds degrees from the University of Virginia and Yale University, is a distinguished scholar of American art and architecture with three published books and a National Award for Arts Writing. The event begins with complimentary wine at 6:30 p.m., followed by the presentation at 7 p.m. Tickets are $5 for general admission and free for students and Vizcaya Members.