White House Red and Green Room Fireplaces
The current fireplace is similar to a pair of fireplaces in the Red and Green Rooms, two of four principal state reception rooms of the White House. Dated 1818, they exhibit similar caryatids with drapery and cushions on their heads, popular neo-classical motifs of the Empire style. The Red and Green Rooms were originally designed in 1803 by architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe (1764-1820) drawing on French and Italian styles of the time. These original interiors, however, were lost in the infamous White House fire on August 24, 1814 during the British invasion of the War of 1812. President James Monroe moved into the restored White House in 1817 which continued to exhibit the Greek Revival inspiration of Latrobe’s original vision. It was during Monroe’s administration that the pair of fireplaces with caryatids were acquired and installed.
