The Hall
The hall contains the original hat rack, umbrella stand, two mahogany sofas, pier table, Brussels stair carpet and brass rods, and the chandelier. The hall floor originally was covered with oilcloth. The pictorial wallpaper was printed by duFour in Paris, about 1825. The complete set consisted of twenty-five strips in colors, and was ordered by General Jackson in 1835, being the original paper used when the house was rebuilt. It was shipped by way of New Orleans up the Mississippi and Cumberland Rivers. This paper is of outstanding historical interest, one of the few historic, scenic papers preserved in this country.
The paper represents the legend of the travels of Telemachus in search of Ulysses, his father, and is that part of the story of his landing on the island of Calypso. He is accompanied by Mentor.
Scene I. The landing and the Queen advancing to meet them. Scene II. Telemachus relating the story of his travels to Calypso, the faithful Mentor by his side. Scene III. Calypso gives a fete in his honor, and Cupid begins to play a part. Scene IV. Telemachus resolves to escape; Calypso’s maidens burn his boat, and he jumps from the cliffs.
In October, 1930, the paper was removed from the walls by Mr. James Wilson from the Metropolitan Museum in New York, for the purpose of treating the walls to insure the preservation of the paper, and was then put back.
1. Brass candlestick, presented by Mrs. Percy Warner. 2. Glass Celande or Hurricane shade.