Anderson House

One day I visited the Anderson House in Dupont Circle. Anderson was a former diplomat so it makes sense his home is in the neighborhood known as Embassy Row (but I think it's more likely that the neighborhood was the fashionable address at the time).

The Anderson House is now the headquarters for the Society of the Cincinnati, a group established at the time of the Revolutionary War as a society for veterans (officers only). It's dedicated to preserving the rights and liberties motivating the revolution. The Society is named after Cincinnatus, a Roman senator who led the military to victory, then refused to keep his power, refused any reward, and returned to his farm. Anderson was a member. He gave the house to the society in 1937.

The house is in the style of the grand homes of European royalty. It's extravagant.

It has a big emphasis on symmetry, with many doors that don't open/go anywhere--they're just there for appearance.

The Society displays the art the Andersons collected. They had eclectic taste. Their art comes from all over. In addition to paintings from all over Europe and European tapestries, I spotted statues from India (Buddhist), China, Rome, Greece, and Europe (Christian), and also Chinese boxes.

I took pictures on this excursion.