Alexander Jackson Davis Symposium 2025

Symposium: Sunday, June 22nd, 2025, 10 am to 6 pm.
The morning tour begins at 9 am. A separate ticket is required.

This year, Lyndhurst curates a special exhibit exploring the life and work of the architect who designed the influential Gothic Revival-style mansion. Alexander Jackson Davis: Designer of Dreams will open to the public on May 23rd and run through September 23rd, 2025. This exhibition will explore Davis’s career as an architect and designer through his commission and building of Lyndhurst, his extant Gothic revival masterpiece. It will also explore other residences in the region and will reunite Davis’s archive with his fully realized designs. This exhibit will feature a collection of rarely seen paintings, drawings, and furniture.

In honor of this exhibition, our Davis Symposium on June 22nd will explore Alexander Jackson Davis’s work and his influential style. The Symposium will consist of a full day of talks on topics surrounding Alexander Jackson Davis, including his life and the impact of his work on architecture, decorative arts, and landscapes, such as Lyndhurst, one of his most significant architectural achievements.

Speakers:
Howard Zar, Executive Director of Lyndhurst.
Kerry Dean Carso, Professor of Art History at SUNY New Paltz
David Scott Parker, FAIA, Trustee of the National Trust for Historic Preservation
Emma Gencarelli, Collections & Curatorial Coordinator at Lyndhurst
Steven Baltsas, Peggy N. Gerry Curatorial Fellow, Preservation Long Island. 
Benjamin Prosky, President of the Richard Hampton Jenrette Foundation

Schedule:
9:00 am: Early tour of the mansion with the Executive Director, focusing on special Davis pieces being exhibited. A separate ticket will be required for this tour.

10:30 am: Alexander Jackson Davis, an Overview; Howard Zar, Lyndhurst Executive Director.
Who was Alexander Jackson Davis, and how did an artist and amateur theatrical performer become America’s first great architect?  How did someone who never left the United States become a major proponent of a European architectural style? This will explore Davis’s trajectory and examine his role as a tastemaker in a new country seeking its identity.

11:15 am: Alexander Jackson Davis and the Literary Context of the Gothic Revival; Kerry Dean Carso, Professor of Art History, SUNY New Paltz.
While his buildings were supposed to express an erudition reminiscent of medieval European universities and cathedrals, Davis’s Gothic Revival castles drew from popular literature and theater. Carso explores Davis’s influence on popular Romantic authors and painters.

12:00 pm: The Furniture Designs of Alexander Jackson Davis; David Scott Parker, FAIA.
Davis designed furniture for many of his architectural commissions and publications produced by his collaborator, Andrew Jackson Downing. The exhibition includes many pieces of furniture from private collections, and this lecture explores the complicated nature of attributing furniture to Davis’s hand.

12:45 pm: Included Lunch & Tour of the Exhibition Gallery.

2:15 pm: From “Country Mansion in Pointed Style” to Gothic Revival Masterpiece: The Evolution of Lyndhurst; Emma Gencarelli, Assistant Curator, Lyndhurst.
Lyndhurst reflects two significant points in the career of Alexander Jackson Davis. The original residence was constructed between 1838 and 1840 as one of his earliest Gothic Revival country villas in the area. When Davis returns in 1864 to expand the house as his last commission, it is realized in the Gothic Revival style he had envisioned and had not yet fully developed. This talk will delve into the process of constructing Lyndhurst nearly 30 years apart and how some of Davis’ other work has influenced its appearance today.

3:30 pm: “Those Who Love Shadow”: The Working Relationship of Davis and Downing, Steven Baltsas, Peggy N. Gerry Curatorial Fellow, Preservation Long Island. 

In addition to being an architect and furniture designer, Alexander Jackson Davis wanted to be a major influencer of American taste. Davis’s collaborator and friend, Andrew Jackson Downing, was a renowned writer and landscape architect whose numerous publications achieved broad appeal in the 19th century. Utilizing Davis’s architectural patterns in his books, Downing was responsible for popularizing Davis’s designs in his landscapes. This talk examines the relationship between these two prominent figures in American architecture and landscape design.

4:45 pm: Closing remarks: Ben Prosky, President of the Richard Hampton Jenrette Foundation

5:00 pm: Reception.

Your ticket includes all of the lectures, exhibition gallery access, lunch, and a closing reception with drinks and light bites. Tickets for the morning Symposium tour, given by Howard Zar, must be purchased separately to attend.

Important Event Information:

• Please be advised that the tour of the mansion requires periods of standing and flights of stairs. 
• A limited number of tickets are available for events, and they do sell out. 
• Some tickets may be available for purchase on-site, but these are not guaranteed. 
• Please arrive 15 minutes before the start of the morning tour. 
• Check-in at the Welcome Center.
• All ticket purchases are non-refundable.
• A Grounds Pass is not needed if you already have a Tour or Event Ticket. 
• Not recommended for children under 16 years of age.
• To best accommodate groups, including special needs, please contact us in advance to make reservations at 914-303-6844. 

The Alexander Jackson Davis symposium is made possible with support from:

Lee Anderson Memorial Foundation
Richard Hampton Jenrette Foundation

Season presented by:

Watercolor of Lyndhurst, courtesy of the Museum of the City of New York.