I am fortunate to be able spend each day searching for beautiful objects that will enhance the environments I design for my clients’ comfort and enjoyment. It was during my graduate studies at the Winterthur museum, where I was trained as a curator and a historian, that I was exposed to the artistic and historical significance of objects. I was privileged to have access to the collection formed by Henry Francis du Pont – an extraordinary man who was a decorator, a curator, and an historian and someone very much in the forefront of the newly emerging field of material culture studies. With an unparalleled eye for beauty and the ability to select the perfect object as the focal point of a room, Mr. du Pont’s design philosophy profoundly influences my career.

Last November I was asked to be the honorary chair of the 52nd annual Delaware Antiques Show, which benefits the educational programs at Winterthur, where I gave a talk about my 25 years as a decorator. During my presentation, I recalled my graduate study as a Winterthur fellow and how my time there greatly influenced my work and paid tribute to Henry Francis du Pont. The director Simon Blake recorded some of my thoughts about du Pont and Winterthur in this video, My Time at Winterthur, which was prepared not long before the show.

I was also invited to submit an essay for the 2015 Delaware Antiques Show catalogue by the organizers, and I chose to write about Mr. du Pont. I hope you will enjoy this tribute to one of my personal heroes.

Click on link at right for the article: Debt of Inspiration by Thomas Jayne