Derenne Apartments, Savannah

by Merana Cadorette

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Price

$525

Dimensions

10.000 x 14.000 inches

Title

Derenne Apartments, Savannah

Artist

Merana Cadorette

Medium

Painting - Watercolor

Description

Front entryway, Derenne Apartments; 24 Liberty St.

In the early 20st century, most Savannah architects followed the practice of breaking the mass of larger buildings into 60 foot or smaller units. Thus, most of the city's older buildings have large footprints but subdivide their fronts into false fronts or bays to unite them with established structures . The DeRenne apartment building (constructed in 1919) appears more like two buildings due to deep indentation in the center.

The fancy ‘DeRenne’ name seems to originate with one George Wymberley Jones. He legally adopted the surname in 1866. The change solved the problem of mis-sent mail meant for him or his (Jones) relatives. It also gave him and his family a certain elan in Europe where his children were educated, and he traveled.

One of my favorite lunch places is nearby, and I passed several times a week over the seasons before I saw the gloomy canyon-like façade sunlit.

Here, lighting transforms the simple condominium gateway, courtyard, and entry into a view that calls to mind prehistoric temples such as Stonehenge, where the massive gray square-cut columns in the shadows set off the entry, sun-kissed like an altar-stone at an equinox. Reflections from windows dance under the granite portal to lead the weary dweller home.

Featured in both my "Gates of Savannah" and "Scenes of Savannah" books.

Uploaded

January 6th, 2021

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