top of page

PUT SOME HISTORY BEHIND YOU

BY: MORTARR STAFF CREATORS + THE OCTAGON

INTRODUCING THE OCTAGON MUSEUM VIDEO BACKDROPS

Your colleagues are probably growing a little weary of those house plants, ironic pieces of art, or trophy shelves behind your face during video calls. Add some historic charm to your background with The Octagon and Mortarr. It’s sure to be a great conversation starter.

The Octagon | Entryway

The entryway was designed to give visitors a positive first impression when they come in from the street. In the winter, it minimizes the loss of heat when the front doors are open, and in summer it cuts down on the dust and flies that would otherwise enter the living space. The doors that separate the entry hall from the stair hall were installed when the Madisons were in residence to further control the public’s access to the President and his wife.

The Octagon | Drawing Room

Above the fireplace here is a modern-day painting by Peter Waddell. According to Waddell, ‘history painting’ is never merely the direct portrayal of historical fact. Rather, it is an act of penetration – penetration into the past, and the subsequent recreation of that past in the present. This depicts the artist’s interpretation of the closing up of the Octagon upon the death of Ann Tayloe in 1855. Grandchildren are helping to roll up the carpet and take down the drapes to make way for the future occupants of the house.

The Octagon | Dining Room

Special furniture forms played a role in the taking of meals as well; sideboards served as staging areas for the meal. Balance, an important classical patterning device, was achieved by placing a knife box at either end with decanters, presentation pieces, and serving plates arranged in between. Silver plateaus served as the focal point of the dining table with dishes arranged symmetrically around the centerpiece. One of the Tayloe granddaughters recalled, “Lights of wax candles and pyramids of fruit, candies, grapes, and oranges at each end, which reflected in the glass, looked particularly pretty.”

The Octagon | Treaty Room

Historically speaking, the Treaty Room is perhaps the most important room in the house. The United States declared war on Britain in June 1812, thus entering into what’s today known as the War of 1812. After the White House was burned by British forces on August 24, 1814, President James and his wife Dolley Madison took up residence in the Octagon. James Madison used Tayloe’s study as his own. It was in this room he signed the Treaty of Ghent, ending the war officially on February 17, 1815. In the center of the room, you can see the table and chair used by President Madison to sign the Treaty of Ghent, the only treaty signed by the U.S. to never have been broken.

The Octagon | Stair Hall

The slow, graceful ascent past the large Venetian window at the landing flanked by urns set in niches was intentionally designed to impress the visitor on the way to John Tayloe’s library. Standing underneath the hanging chandelier, look up to the top of the staircase. There are three floors above the basement, but Thornton added a few additional steps past the third floor and a length of railing to make it appear as though the home has an additional floor.

The Octagon | Wine Cellar

The presence of a vaulted storage area is evidence that this was the Octagon’s wine cellar. Families like the Tayloes, who entertained frequently, placed great importance on being able to serve a wide variety of fine wines and liquors. Alcoholic beverages consumed by the Tayloes and their contemporaries included wine, champagne, French and fruit brandies, claret, rum, whiskey, and gin as well as ales and beers. John Tayloe clearly invested both money and time in purchasing the wine for his cellar and thought his collection valuable enough to be included in his will, specifying that, “I wish my Stock of Liquors & Spirits on hand at my death to be equally divided among all my sons…”

PHOTOS BY: AJJN Photography

1. DOWNLOAD THE OCTAGON IMAGES

2. PICK YOUR FAVORITE

3. ADD IT AS YOUR MEETING BACKDROP

4. ACCEPT COMPLIMENTS

5. SHARE ON SOCIAL AND TAG @MORTARR + @OCTAGONMUSEUM + #MEETMEINTHEOCTAGON

ZOOM INSTRUCTIONS

THE OCTAGON IS NOW ON MORTARR

Visit mortarr.com for the digital tour of The Octagon.

bottom of page