MIAMI – June 25, 2025 – Vizcaya Museum and Gardens proudly announces the successful completion of a significant preservation campaign in its one-of-a-kind Marine Garden. This restoration was completed to mark the centennial of the completion of Vizcaya’s gardens in 1922. The project includes the installation of replicas of artist Gaston Lachaise’s celebrated peacock statues and the recreation of famed Philadelphia blacksmith Samuel Yellin’s original wrought-iron gates, revitalizing a historic space that is integral to the estate’s architectural and cultural narrative. This initiative not only celebrates Vizcaya’s past but also enhances the visitor experience, allowing guests to rediscover the Marine Garden as James Deering and his designers originally envisioned it.
The Legacy of the Marine Garden
Designed in the early 1920s by James Deering’s visionary team, the Marine Garden became a centerpiece of Vizcaya’s unique fusion of European artistry with Florida’s natural landscape. Located at the southeastern edge of the estate, the secluded garden originally featured twin pools connected by an arched bridge, flanked by spiral columns crowned with majestic peacock sculptures.
French-American sculptor Gaston Lachaise, a modernist pioneer who exhibited at the seminal 1913 Armory Show, was commissioned to create the peacock sculptures. The original statues, carved from native limestone, embodied Lachaise’s characteristic blend of elegance and vitality. The garden’s design represented a harmonious blend of art and nature, serving as a transition between the formal gardens and the lagoon-inspired landscape beyond.
Over the past century, environmental factors and hurricanes caused significant damage to the Marine Garden and its architectural features. The remnants of the original peacock columns were eventually relocated to storage for preservation. This project brings back the historical precedent of Lachaise’s artistry and restores a lost feature of Vizcaya’s historical landscape.
“Bringing the Peacock Columns back to the Marine Garden marks a significant moment in the preservation of Vizcaya’s legacy, while adapting to the environmental challenges of present day,” said Joel Hoffman, Vizcaya’s Executive Director. “The garden restoration breathes new life into a cherished space and ensures its story endures for generations.”
Gaston Lachaise’s Peacock Columns
The project culminates a multi-year effort to faithfully replicate both the peacock sculptures and their supporting spiral columns. With generous support from The Lachaise Foundation, Vizcaya had access to one of Lachaise’s original plaster models of the peacocks, an invaluable resource for ensuring an accurate replication. Combining historic documentation from Vizcaya’s archives with digital fabrication techniques, four new peacock columns were created from cast concrete to withstand Miami’s challenging climate.
“Vizcaya is a feather in our nation’s cap and the Lachaise Foundation salutes the institution’s Herculean efforts to bring back the peacocks of Gaston Lachaise to the Marine Garden,” said Paula Hornbostel, Director and Trustee of The Lachaise Foundation. “These beautiful ’stoney’ birds are back on their perch, heralding the timeless beauty of American Modernism, Vizcaya’s gardens and the importance of art patronage, not only that of Deering a hundred years ago, but of Vizcaya today.”
Samuel Yellin’s Gates
As part of the Marine Garden restoration, Vizcaya has also undertaken the faithful recreation of Samuel Yellin’s extraordinary decorative gates that once separated the Marine Garden from the adjacent Rose Garden, destroyed by storm impact decades ago. Originally crafted between 1917 and 1919, the pair of gates spanned approximately 31 feet in length and stood 6 ½ feet tall, showcasing Yellin’s exceptional ability to blend art with functionality.
The new gates, fabricated by Art’s Work Unlimited, Inc., a renowned Miami-based custom metal shop, honors Yellin’s original design by using historic photos and architectural drawings as references. While the original gates were made of wrought iron, the replicas were crafted in aluminum, a more durable material suited to Miami’s harsh coastal environment. The painted aluminum replicates the appearance of wrought iron while providing superior protection from corrosion, thus ensuring the gates’ longevity. Positioned at the transition between the historic Rose Garden and Marine Garden, the new gates restore a vital architectural element to Vizcaya’s landscape while improving safety and sustainability.
“Samuel Yellin’s contributions to Vizcaya’s character cannot be overstated,” said Joel Hoffman, Vizcaya’s Executive Director. “His ability to turn iron into intricate artworks has left an indelible mark on the estate. Restoring the Marine Garden with these gates is a fitting tribute to Yellin’s genius and to Vizcaya’s commitment to preserving its history.”
Preservation Meets Innovation
Vizcaya Museum and Gardens is committed to the preservation of its architectural and natural heritage. The replication of these historic elements, integral to Vizcaya’s aesthetic, demonstrates the museum’s commitment to safeguarding its heritage while embracing innovative methods and local field experts. Through the use of 3D scanning and digital modeling, the projects ensured faithful replicas of the original features, all while enhancing their resilience against Miami’s demanding coastal environment. Vizcaya has implemented measures to protect the Marine Garden and its newly reintegrated architectural elements from future storms, including the addition of a new flood prevention system, known as the Tiger Dam, and the use of more resilient materials such as cast concrete and stainless-steel reinforcements.
About Vizcaya Museum and Gardens
Vizcaya Museum and Gardens is a National Historic Landmark in Miami, originally built between 1914 and 1922 as the winter estate of James Deering. Welcoming 300,000 visitors annually as a public museum since 1953, this European-inspired estate includes a Main House filled with decorative arts,10 acres of formal gardens, native forests and mangrove shores.
On the west side of the property, the historic Vizcaya Village, which offers a Sunday farmers market and new Village Café, is being restored to support new community programs, including urban agriculture.
Located at 3251 South Miami Avenue (with the Village across the street at 3250 South Miami Avenue), Vizcaya Museum and Gardens is open daily, except Tuesdays, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and closed for Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. For more information, visit www.vizcaya.org.
