Les Vues de Suisse, After Restoration
Restoration at Greenwood Gardens, New Jersey
Scenic Wallpaper was entrusted with the conservation and restoration of Zuber’s Les Vues de Suisse at Greenwood Gardens in Short Hills, New Jersey, a historic landscape where architecture, art, and nature are closely intertwined.
Project Overview
This Zuber panoramic wallpaper, installed in the mid-20th century and lining the walls and winding stairway at the entry to the historic estate, had begun to show its age. The sky was heavily faded, cracks in the plaster had torn through the paper, and there were areas of flaking paint, small chips, and water staining that disrupted the continuity of the scene.
One section beneath a window had also partially pulled away from the wall and required replacement and reintegration.
Our goal was to stabilize the paper and bring the scene back together while preserving as much of the original artwork as possible.
Les Vues de Suisse, After Restoration
Fading in the sky
Paper lifting from the wall with areas of loss
Fading in the sky
Cracking from damage to the plaster
Water damage from a leak
Paints chips and paint loss from age
Paints chips and paint loss from age
About Zuber Les Vues de Suisse
Les Vues de Suisse was Zuber’s earliest panoramic wallpaper, first produced in 1804. Depicting a series of Alpine landscapes - lakes, mountains, and pastoral scenes - each panel contributes to a continuous composition that wraps the room.
Unlike later Zuber scenics, which are designed to join seamlessly from the last panel back to the first, Les Vues de Suisse was created as a sequence of 16 panels that do not repeat, reflecting its place as the company’s first panoramic.
The design presents an idealized view of Switzerland, with detailed foreground scenes set against expansive skies and distant mountain ranges. It draws from real landscapes, with views inspired by places such as The Staubbach Waterfall, Chateau de Ringgenberg, the village of Brienz, The Furka Glacier, Chateau de Grandson, and Le pont du diable aka the Devil’s Bridge.
The Staubbach Waterfall
Chateau de Ringgenberg, at Lake Brienz
The village of Brienz
The Rhöne Glacier
Chateau de Grandson and the Pfäfers Cloister
The Devil’s Bridge
About Greenwood Gardens
Greenwood Gardens is a 28-acre public garden in Short Hills, New Jersey, set within the South Mountain Reservation. Originally a private estate, the property was purchased in 1949 by Peter P. Blanchard Jr., an IBM attorney and businessman, and his wife, Dr. Adelaide Childs Frick Blanchard, a pediatrician at New York Hospital and granddaughter of the American industrialist and art collector Henry Clay Frick.
At a time when few women pursued careers in medicine, her path reflected a notably independent and determined character.
The Blanchards envisioned the property as a rural retreat, replacing the original mansion with a smaller residence and shaping the grounds in a way that still defines the garden today. Following Adelaide’s early death in 1956, Peter Blanchard Jr. continued to develop and care for the property.
The estate was later overseen by their son, Peter P. Blanchard III, who grew up on the property. In the early 2000s, following his father’s vision, Peter and his wife Sofia led the effort to transform the estate into a non-profit public garden, ensuring its preservation for future generations.
Since opening to the public, the gardens and buildings have been carefully maintained and restored as part of an ongoing stewardship effort rooted in conservation and education.
The interiors, like the gardens, reflect a layered history, making the conservation of original materials - including wallpapers - an important part of preserving the site as a whole.
Restoration Process
The wallpaper was gently cleaned with archival materials to remove surface dirt and bring back the color and detail. Areas of flaking paint were stabilized and cracks were filled.
The sky, which had significant fading and disruption, was carefully repainted using airbrush techniques to match the original tone and gradation. Water-stained sections were addressed and blended back into the scene, and the area that had pulled away was secured, repaired, and worked back in to match the surrounding paper.
All retouching was done by hand, carefully matched to the original color and character of the design.
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The Completed Restoration
With the restoration finished, the panoramic now reads as a seamless landscape once again, with depth and detail fully restored. The visible wear has been gently softened, preserving the character and age of the paper.
This project exemplifies our restoration approach: careful, hands-on work that respects the original material while making the space feel complete and harmonious.
Working with Zuber paper on a staircase is rare. The method used - stepping the paper upward - is very much in line with techniques still employed in restoration today.
Thanks to this work, future generations can enjoy the beauty of Greenwood Gardens as it was meant to be seen.
Les Vues de Suisse, After Restoration
Les Vues de Suisse, After Restoration
Les Vues de Suisse, After Restoration
Les Vues de Suisse, After Restoration
Les Vues de Suisse, After Restoration
Les Vues de Suisse, After Restoration
Les Vues de Suisse, After Restoration
Les Vues de Suisse, After Restoration
Les Vues de Suisse, After Restoration
Les Vues de Suisse, After Restoration
Les Vues de Suisse, After Restoration
Les Vues de Suisse, After Restoration
Les Vues de Suisse, After Restoration
Les Vues de Suisse, After Restoration
Les Vues de Suisse, After Restoration
Les Vues de Suisse, After Restoration