Phillips, Duncan, House
a.k.a. The Phillips Collection;The Phillips Memorial Art Gallery;Ph
1600--1614 21st St., NW., Washington, DCThe Joint Committee on Landmarks has designated the Phillips Collection, at 1600-1614 Twenty-first Street, N.W., a Category II Landmark of importance that contributes significantly to the cultural heritage and visual beauty of the District of Columbia. Duncan Phillips' excellent collection of modern art and its sources is exhibited in a brick house designed by Hornblower and Marshall and built in 1896-97 as a private home. The almost austere exterior of the building hides an interior where a great personal collection of art can be viewed in warm, intimate surroundings. The house has several wings and particularly noteworthy is the handsome Renaissance Revival room added in 1907. A modern museum building was added in 1959-60 and the more usual museum spaces of this building contrast with the domestically scaled exhibition galleries in the older building.
In 1896 Eliza Laughlin Phillips bought from Mary H. Eddy the future site of the Phillips Collection, a vacant lot at the northwest corner of Twentyfirst and Streets, N.W. Mrs. Phillips was the daughter of James Laughlin, a founder of Jones & Laughlin Steel in Pittsburgh, and the wife of Duncan Clinch Phillips (1838–1917), a former Civil War officer and retired Pittsburgh glass manufacturer. During 1896-97 the Phillips home valued at $30,000 was built on this lot. This house was designed by Hornblower and Marshall, a Washington firm founded in 1885. This firm designed a number of notable public buildings, including the old Natural History Building at the Smithsonian, and a number of large residences. The builder was John McGregor.
When Mr. and Mrs. Phillips moved to Washington from Pittsburgh they brought with them their two young sons, James and Duncan. While the boys were at Yale in 1907 the north wing, costing $12,000 and designed by Hornblower and Marshall, was added to the house. It was built on a lot purchased in 1900 from Caroline B. Hornblower, wife of one of the partners in the architectural firm. This wing has been attributed to McKim, Mead & White but its building permits state that the architect was Hornblower & Marshall. It is possible that McKim, Mead & White is the architectural firm responsible for the design of the second story which was added to the wing in 1917.
In 1917 Duncan clinch Phillips died and in 1918 his son, James died. The surviving son was determined to find an art gallery as a memorial to his father and brother. Young Duncan Phillips had already displayed his interest in art in the book he wrote entitled The Enchantment of Art, published in 1914. In 1920 the "Phillips Memorial Art Gallery" was incorporated. In the winter of 1921, the gallery in the wing was opened to the public. In 1921-22 a doorway was added to the wing so that the public could view the collection of modern paintings without going through the house where Duncan Phillips and his family lived.
Since 1920 the gallery has had several names including "Phillips Memorial Art Gallery," "Phillips Memorial Gallery," and "The Phillips Gallery." It is now known as "The Phillips Collection." Phillips continued to add to the collection, and in 1924 a small gallery in the main house was opened to the public. About 1930 the Phillips family moved out of the house so that it could be used entirely for museum purposes. In 1933 an art school opened using space on the fourth floor of the house and in the neighboring houses purchased by the museum in 1926.
Sometime in the early 20th century, a mansarded fourth floor was added to the three-story house, and in the 1930s a skylight was added above the southern room on the fourth floor. In 1959-60 a building was erected on the site of two rowhouses formerly used by the now defunct art school. This wing was designed by Frederick Rhinelander King of the New York firm, Wyeth & King. Duncan Phillips not only founded the museum, donated to it his art collection and his home but also served as its active director until his death in 1966. His wife, Marjorie Acker Phillips, briefly succeeded her husband as director of the art gallery. The present director is Laughlin Phillips, Duncan, and Marjorie Phillips' son. The Phillips Collection is open to the public daily except Mondays.
Local significance of the building:
In 1896 Eliza Laughlin Phillips bought from Mary H. Eddy the future site of the Phillips Collection, a vacant lot at the northwest corner of Twentyfirst and Streets, N.W. Mrs. Phillips was the daughter of James Laughlin, a founder of Jones & Laughlin Steel in Pittsburgh, and the wife of Duncan Clinch Phillips (1838–1917), a former Civil War officer and retired Pittsburgh glass manufacturer. During 1896-97 the Phillips home valued at $30,000 was built on this lot. This house was designed by Hornblower and Marshall, a Washington firm founded in 1885. This firm designed a number of notable public buildings, including the old Natural History Building at the Smithsonian, and a number of large residences. The builder was John McGregor.
When Mr. and Mrs. Phillips moved to Washington from Pittsburgh they brought with them their two young sons, James and Duncan. While the boys were at Yale in 1907 the north wing, costing $12,000 and designed by Hornblower and Marshall, was added to the house. It was built on a lot purchased in 1900 from Caroline B. Hornblower, wife of one of the partners in the architectural firm. This wing has been attributed to McKim, Mead & White but its building permits state that the architect was Hornblower & Marshall. It is possible that McKim, Mead & White is the architectural firm responsible for the design of the second story which was added to the wing in 1917.
In 1917 Duncan clinch Phillips died and in 1918 his son, James died. The surviving son was determined to find an art gallery as a memorial to his father and brother. Young Duncan Phillips had already displayed his interest in art in the book he wrote entitled The Enchantment of Art, published in 1914. In 1920 the "Phillips Memorial Art Gallery" was incorporated. In the winter of 1921, the gallery in the wing was opened to the public. In 1921-22 a doorway was added to the wing so that the public could view the collection of modern paintings without going through the house where Duncan Phillips and his family lived.
Since 1920 the gallery has had several names including "Phillips Memorial Art Gallery," "Phillips Memorial Gallery," and "The Phillips Gallery." It is now known as "The Phillips Collection." Phillips continued to add to the collection, and in 1924 a small gallery in the main house was opened to the public. About 1930 the Phillips family moved out of the house so that it could be used entirely for museum purposes. In 1933 an art school opened using space on the fourth floor of the house and in the neighboring houses purchased by the museum in 1926.
Sometime in the early 20th century, a mansarded fourth floor was added to the three-story house, and in the 1930s a skylight was added above the southern room on the fourth floor. In 1959-60 a building was erected on the site of two rowhouses formerly used by the now defunct art school. This wing was designed by Frederick Rhinelander King of the New York firm, Wyeth & King. Duncan Phillips not only founded the museum, donated to it his art collection and his home but also served as its active director until his death in 1966. His wife, Marjorie Acker Phillips, briefly succeeded her husband as director of the art gallery. The present director is Laughlin Phillips, Duncan, and Marjorie Phillips' son. The Phillips Collection is open to the public daily except Mondays.
Art; Architecture
Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
About National Register Listings
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archeological resources.
The District was the site of one of the first major race riots in U.S. history: The Washington, D.C. race riot of 1919 was sparked by tensions between white and black residents and lasted for several days. It resulted in 15 deaths and over 100 injuries.