SARASOTA - THE RINGLING II

Ca' d'Zan

The winter estate of circus baron John Ringling and his wife Mable is a museum complex. Their winter home, Ca' d'Zan, is one part of it and is open for tours. Ringling was a showman and the house has a distinct theatrical flair. Built in Ventian Gothic style, the house borrows touches of Renaissance and Baroque. 

The Ringling Museum Complex solicits private events. They were setting up for a wedding this day.

The event set-up was a frustration since we, too, had paid for a nice experience and they were blocking pathways and outdoor areas..

The house is on Sarasota Bay.

"The Court - The architect, Dwight James Baum, and the Ringlings referred to the central living space as "the Court".  This room was the focal point for the Ringlings' entertaining, yet its lavish furnishing were made intimate by introducing overstuffed velvet sofas flanking the fireplace.  John purchased the crystal chandelier from the old Waldorf Astoria, which was to be demolished to make room for the Empire State Building."

Artist Willie Pogany's Dancers of Nations on the ballroom ceiling.

Breakfast room chandelier.

There are 21 leaves for the dining room table.

Dining room ceiling. 

John Ringling's bedroom.

Mable Ringling's bath.

The Circus Museum

Another part of the complex is the Circus Museum, the country's first museum to document the rich history of the American circus. We felt its main attraction is the Howard Bros. Model Circus. Some of the other exhibits are worth a look. 

Rescued from its use as a fishing shack in North Carolina, the car is being restored by the museum. It contains 3 sleeping compartments, observation room, a kitchen, dining room, bathrooms and crew quarters. The interior includes inlaid mahogany, gold leaf stencils, ornate mouldings and stained glass.

Waiter setting the table in the dining room of the Ringling car. Photographer Joseph Steinmetz, 

State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory, http://floridamemory.com/items/show/245343

Ringling Museum of Art

Aspiring to be serious art collectors, the Ringling's amassed a vast, impressive collection of 14th- to 18th-Century art. It was housed in a museum built on the grounds and opened to the public in 1931.

The grounds are enhanced by statuary including replicas of Greek and Roman statuary. We thought the fact that it was on a statue justified including a bird. 

Female Anhinga (Snake Bird) on statue in garden.