Architectural History
Born of another era, generally referred to as the Belle Epoque (French for 'Beautiful Era') these three townhouses on the upper end of Back Bay's Commonwealth Avenue were built at the turn of the 20th Century. This period is often considered to be the “golden age” as peace prevailed in Europe and new technologies were combined with old world craft to create buildings of unparalleled quality.
This set of residences represents Back Bay architecture at the absolute pinnacle of its achievement in terms of construction, finishes and architectural design. The eastern building was designed in an elegant, Georgian Revival style by Little and Browne, best known for their revival of the Colonial style of architecture. 409 Commonwealth Avenue was designed by the prominent firm of Peabody & Stearns for the Minot family. Its carved limestone façade and Renaissance Revival detailing present a formal entry a step above any other in Boston. The western most building, designed by Little and Browne for the Bradley family features an extremely tall piano nobile, or formal floor, and handsome carved limestone detailing. These extremely fine façades convey a grand scale - similar to that of prestigious 5th Avenue or Newport homes of the same era.
The centerpiece of The Bradley Mansion has to be the classic edifice at 409 Commonwealth and the magnificent lobby beyond, both the work of Peabody & Stearns.
Peabody & Stearns was one of the premier architectural firms on the East Coast in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Robert Swain Peabody and John Goddard Stearns, Jr. were responsible for some of the finest homes in Boston’s Back Bay.
According to Annie Robinson, scholar on the work of this brilliant firm, many considered Peabody & Stearns to be Boston’s leading architectural firm following the death of H.H. Richardson in 1886. Their office was training ground for young architects Arthur Little, Henry Ives Cobb and others. Peabody & Stearns were responsible for dozens of buildings in Boston proper, including the famed Custom House Tower, built just ten years after 409 Commonwealth. Beyond the city’s borders, this team was the creative force behind many of the mansions in Newport, Rhode Island and Boston’s North Shore.
The great hall at The Bradley Mansion is a testament to the refinement and drama of the architects’ turn of the century residential work. The gentle swirl of the elliptical staircase, the outrageously decorative balustrade, and the baronial scale of the fireplaces all speak to the incredible richness of an era that warmly embraced the return of fine detail.
The sense of procession and drama conveyed by the original, 120-year old lobby has been refined for 21st century living by designer Klaus Fuchs with a return to rich marble floorings, sumptuously upholstered walls and timeless furnishings.
