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TAKING A TOUR

December 15, 2007 12:36 am

For the free Lance-Star

IF GARI MELCHERS could come back to Belmont for Christmas, he'd probably still feel right at home.

Seventy-five years after the noted artist's passing, visitors to his Stafford County residence will find it looking, feeling and even smelling much as it did during the holidays he spent there with his wife, Corinne.

The holiday tour at Gari Melchers Home and Studio at Belmont will be more informal and hands-on than usual, according to Michelle Crow-Dolby, Belmont's education coordinator.

"The entire house is filled with their belongings," said Crow-Dolby, "but we also have the archival collection to add richness and context to the tour."

She expects visitors will "leave with a good understanding of who Gari and Corinne Melchers were." Crow-Dolby hopes the personal details of their Christmas and New Year's celebrations from the 1920s will encourage visitors to share their own holiday memories.

The hands-on experiences include sniffing jars filled with baking ingredients similar to those Corinne used in her fruitcakes, strolling from room to room while listening to jazzy music from the 1920s, reading about holiday parties in excerpts from Corinne's diary as well as viewing archival photographs and actual Christmas cards from that period.

Gari Melchers, an internationally acclaimed and commercially successful artist, made his home at Belmont with his wife, Corinne, from 1916 until his death in 1932 . The widow lived there until her death in 1955.

Parts of the 26-acre estate date to the 18th century. The couple restored and expanded it. The property, perched on a hilltop in Falmouth, has breathtaking views of Fredericksburg and the Rappahannock River. Belmont, which is operated by the University of Mary Washington, is both a Virginia Historic Landmark and a National Historic Landmark.

The house and grounds are particularly lovely during the holiday season. The exterior of the house was dressed by the Town and Country Garden Club with fresh evergreens accented by bright lemons and clementines. The elegant wreaths, garlands and topiaries outside set the stage for the interior of the house that sparkles with decorations by K² Designs.

Ken Kroko, creative force behind K² Designs, took his decorating cue from a painting that hangs in the first-floor hallway of the Melcheres' home. The artist is unknown, but it depicts Corinne and her brother, Leonard, as small children holding a peacock feather. Kroko used the feather as inspiration.

In the parlor, peacock feathers adorn lush garlands over both fireplace mantels, the piano centerpiece and the branches of the parlor's nearly 10-foot-tall Christmas tree.

Shimmering copper and teal ribbons swirl through the greenery. Glass balls, bells, birds and butterflies adorn the tree branches.

Don't miss the two tiny wooden chairs tucked underneath the parlor tree. As children, Corinne and her brother sat in them.

The dining room, like the rest of house, is filled with Gari and Corinne's own possessions, including their silver and china that features a turkey motif for the season. One can't help but notice the life-size turkey standing in the corner of the room, borrowed from K² Designs just for the tour. It's a nod to Gari Melchers' pride in living on a working family farm complete with turkeys, chickens and cows.

Upstairs, another Christmas tree graces the master bedroom. It was decorated based on excerpts from Corinne's correspondence about her first Christmas tree as a newlywed in Holland. Red wax candles balance on the branches and candy in decorative paper cones dangles from the tree.

Back downstairs in the library, one of Corinne's decorations, a detailed wax sculpture rests under a glass dome. It dates back to the late 19th or early 20th century and was created in Europe--either Spain or Italy. The delicate sculpture of Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus was the subject of one of Corinne's own Christmas card sketches titled "Blessed Christmas."

Corinne was an art student visiting Europe when she and Gari met. After they married, she continued to sketch. Copies of this particular card, along with "A Bountiful Christmas" also sketched by Corinne, are available for visitors to take home as a keepsake.

During the holidays, the couple remembered their neighbors with fruitcakes. Crow-Dolby culled some of Corinne's personal recipes from the archives--part of a project she calls "a researcher's dream." Visitors can hold copies of the handwritten eggnog, plum pudding and fruitcake recipes complete with stains.

To enhance the experience, Crow-Dolby combined the ingredients from some of those recipes into glass jars. Visitors can close their eyes, take a sniff of the deliciously pungent molasses, nutmeg and brown sugar from the Black Fruitcake, for example, and bring back scents of Christmases past.

Corinne's writing also talks about uniformed members of the Quantico Marine Corps band providing dance music for their holiday soirees. Tunes from the Roaring '20s--albeit from a stereo--will be playing in the background during the tours.

The 1920s theme is carried into the gift shop at Belmont. It's brimming with art deco inspired treats--jazzy beaded purses, colorful scarves, sparkly jewelry and lively home decor--a unique collection for some last-minute shopping.

As if that's not enough, a new exhibit of J.C. Leyendecker's illustrations will be available for viewing also at this time through Feb. 3, 2008.

Leyendecker, a contemporary of Gari Melchers, produced 322 covers for The Saturday Evening Post, even more than his fellow American illustrator Norman Rockwell.

There is something for everyone on this tour. In addition to the magnificent artwork and furnishings in the historic home and studio, Crow-Dolby culled the archival collection and picked pieces from Corinne's detailed diaries and letters about the holidays that bring that era to life.