Cuneo Museum

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The Cuneo Mansion and Gardens are a historic home, art collection and gardens in Vernon Hills, Illinois, built in 1914 and designed by architect Benjamin Marshall of Marshall & Fox. The mansion's first owner was Samuel Insull, an original founder of the General Electric Company. John Cuneo, Sr. purchased the mansion in 1937 after the collapse of the Insull utility empire. Cuneo is best known as the founder of the Cuneo Press and Hawthorn Mellody Dairy. Cuneo had the interior of the Mansion painted with murals from Chicago Ecclesiological Muralist John Mallin. In 2009, the house was donated to Loyola University Chicago.

Vernon Hills, Illinois Village in Illinois, United States

Vernon Hills is a suburb north of Chicago, Illinois in Lake County, Illinois, United States. The population was 20,120 at the 2000 census, and 25,113 in 2010. Vernon Hills serves as a retail hub for its surrounding area.

Samuel Insull American businessman

Samuel Insull was a British-born American business magnate; an innovator and investor based in Chicago who greatly contributed to creating an integrated electrical infrastructure in the United States. Insull created holding companies that purchased utilities and railroads. He was also responsible for the building of the Chicago Civic Opera House in 1929.

Loyola University Chicago university

Loyola University Chicago is a private Catholic research university in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1870 by the Jesuits, today Loyola is one of the largest Catholic universities in the United States. Loyola's professional schools have educated generations of local business and civic leaders, and distinguished programs in medicine, nursing, and health sciences are anchored by the nationally recognized Loyola University Medical Center.

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The mansion, which remained the family home until the death of Cuneo's widow in 1990, is now an art gallery and historic house museum. It opened its doors to the public for the first time in 1991. The mansion's paintings, tapestries, and other furnishings are the result of the Cuneo family's lifelong collecting. In addition to architecture and art, Cuneo is also known for its grounds, designed by the renowned landscape architect Jens Jensen.

Jens Jensen (landscape architect) landscape designer

Jens Jensen was a Danish-American landscape architect.

Starting in 1994, the Cuneo family allowed the Village of Vernon Hills to decorate the gardens with holiday lights. [1] People were invited drive through the "Winter Wonderland" light show. The annual show ended in 2014 when Loyola University decided to develop the land. Many of the decorations can still be seen around the Village during the holiday season. [2]

Interpretive tours of the mansion and its collections are conducted by museum guides and staff. The Mediterranean style mansion features an arcaded central hall, a lavish formal dining room and a private chapel. The collections include antique furnishings, Renaissance paintings, tapestries, silver and porcelain.

Renaissance cultural movement that spanned the period roughly from the 14th to the 17th century

The Renaissance is a period in European history, covering the span between the 14th and 17th centuries and marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity. The traditional view focuses more on the early modern aspects of the Renaissance and argues that it was a break from the past, but many historians today focus more on its medieval aspects and argue that it was an extension of the middle ages.

Cuneo Museum in film

The Cuneo Museum has been the backdrop of several noteworthy films set in Chicago. Specifically, many of the outdoor wedding scenes and reception shots for the 1997 romantic comedy My Best Friend's Wedding , starring Julia Roberts and Cameron Diaz, were filmed at Cuneo Museum. The museum was also the setting for Witless Protection , starring Larry the Cable Guy, which appeared in 2008.

<i>My Best Friends Wedding</i> 1997 film by P. J. Hogan

My Best Friend's Wedding is a 1997 American romantic comedy film directed by P.J. Hogan from a screenplay by Ronald Bass. The film stars Julia Roberts, Dermot Mulroney, Cameron Diaz and Rupert Everett.

Julia Roberts American actress and producer

Julia Fiona Roberts is an American actress and producer. She became a Hollywood star after headlining the romantic comedy Pretty Woman (1990), which grossed $464 million worldwide. She has won three Golden Globe Awards, from eight nominations, and has been nominated for four Academy Awards for her film acting, winning the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in Erin Brockovich (2000).

Cameron Diaz American actress

Cameron Michelle Diaz is an American actress, writer, and former model. She has frequently appeared in comedies throughout her career, while also earning critical recognition in dramatic films. Her accolades include four Golden Globe Award nominations, three Screen Actors Guild Award nominations, and a New York Film Critics Award. In 2013, she was named the highest-paid actress over 40 in Hollywood. As of 2018, the U.S. domestic box office grosses of Diaz's films total over $3 billion USD, with worldwide grosses surpassing $7 billion, making her the fifth highest-grossing U.S. domestic box office actress.

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Coordinates: 42°15′00″N87°57′01″W / 42.2501°N 87.9504°W / 42.2501; -87.9504

Geographic coordinate system Coordinate system

A geographic coordinate system is a coordinate system that enables every location on Earth to be specified by a set of numbers, letters or symbols. The coordinates are often chosen such that one of the numbers represents a vertical position and two or three of the numbers represent a horizontal position; alternatively, a geographic position may be expressed in a combined three-dimensional Cartesian vector. A common choice of coordinates is latitude, longitude and elevation. To specify a location on a plane requires a map projection.