A Virtual Tour Renovating the Poetry Room »
The Poetry Room
Located in the Thomas Jefferson Building, this small room and an adjoining office constitute the Library's Poetry and Literature Center.
Gertrude Clarke Whittall
This portrait of the poetry center's benefactor hangs in the eastern end of the room, overlooking the legacy of her charity.
Eastern Corner
The furniture in the room was donated by Whittall and includes pieces from the English Edwardian and American Colonial Revival periods.
Best View in Town
The room’s east-facing window offers one of the best views of Washington, overlooking the west front of the U.S. Capitol Building.
Writing Desk
A bust of Dante peers above a writing desk of burled veneer inlaid with tromp l’oeil decoration.
Pastoral Scenes
A vibrant jade coats the walls and lines the floor, while painted pastoral scenes compliment the ornamentation of the room’s furnishings.
Rebekah Johnson Bobbitt
This bust Mrs. Bobbitt, in whose honor the Library bestows the Bobbitt Prize, smiles from the western corner of the room.
Detail of Candelabra
Rebecca Johnson Bobbitt's bronzed face is illuminated by a pair of cast brass candelabras on either side of the doorway.
Rococo-revival
An elaborate mirror hangs next to the entrance to the Poetry Room, in the Poetry and Literature Center office.
Poets Laureate
Portraits of Consultants and Poets Laureate line the office, reminding visitors of the Center’s great history.
