Thomas Jefferson spent most of his adult life designing and
redesigning Monticello. The mansion itself was constructed over a period of
forty years. Jefferson was even quoted as saying, "Architecture is my
delight, and putting up, and pulling down, one of my favorite amusements."
The self-taught architect designed
Monticello after ancient and Renaissance models, and in particular after the
work of Italian architect Andrea Palladio. Jefferson was careful to not fall
victim to the patterned homes of that time. Commenting on buildings in
Williamsburg, Virginia, he wrote, "The genius of architecture seems to
have shed its maledictions over this land." He wanted to make a statement that would last
long after his death. A frontier mountain top and a Renaissance villa? Those
two don’t seem to match all that well, but it was all part of Jefferson’s
vision. He trusted himself to take a big step which influenced builders
throughout the development of the country. This is especially seen in the South
during prosperous times. Large, Renaissance-inspired homes can be found all
over the South.
Work on Monticello was largely completed in 1782; the first
floor of the house featured a bedroom, parlor, drawing room, and dining room.
As the house neared completion, however, Jefferson's wife died, leaving him, as
he wrote, with "a blank which I had not the spirits to fill up."
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Spang Animation Studios created this 3D view of what
Monticello would have looked like after its first completion.
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Some
say the depression he was thrown into sparked his interest to build again. This
time, Jefferson wasn't holding back.
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