Nothing says “Welcome” like the pineapple. The pineapple motif, used in the wallpaper in the Smith House parlor and dining room, has quite the history, and the term, “Palladian” used to describe the dormer window is a derivative of the name “Palladio,” a Venetian architect born in 1508.

Pineapple motifs

Christopher Columbus is credited with bringing the first pineapple back from Guadeloupe, but Europeans were not successful in growing the sweet fruit until the 1600s. The pineapple became a status symbol because of its rarity and cost.

In 1661 it was the symbol used on Colony of Jamaica’s coat of arms and used in Europe as a design and architectural motif.

The pineapple continued to confer status in Colonial America where wealthy hostesses impressed guests with their access to hard-to-obtain fruits and their skill with displaying these fruits in elaborate dining table arrangements. Generally the pineapple was the centermost fruit on the highest pedestal.

“While fruits in general – fresh, dried, candied and jellied – were the major attractions of the community’s appetite and dining practices, the pineapple was the true celebrity,” according to the online article, Social History of the Pineapple, by Hoag Levins.

Because these social events or visits were the primary means of entertainment and news gathering, being able to host an impressive gathering – and perhaps outdo the person who hosted the last one – was seen as quite the feat.

The pineapple became synonymous with hospitality.

The pineapple was – and still is – an especially popular motif in Colonial Williamsburg. The pineapple design is used in doorknockers, lamp bases, ceramics and wall paper.

Some wallpapers were produced via block printing well into the nineteenth century, and the pineapple motif was one of the earliest motifs used.

“In the 18th century, designs with acanthus, pineapples or other motifs taken from classical architecture were used to complement Palladian interiors,” according to the article, The History of Wallcoverings and Wallpaper on the Victorian Emporium website.

According to Lynn Means, author of The Welcoming Pineapple at learn2grow.com, “The pineapple is recognized as a traditional expression of ‘welcome’ throughout The South and in areas along the Eastern Seaboard.”

Palladian Design

Andrea Palladio is considered one of the most influential figures in western architecture. He was influenced by ancient Roman architecture described in ancient writings from the early Roman Empire. The style is characterized by use of balanced, rational and geometric forms, according to an online article about Palladian architecture from study.com.

Palladio’s designs for rural Italian estates can be found in Southern plantation design and predated the use of design terms neoclassic and Georgian.

Late in the 1700s, when the style was becoming less popular in Europe, it was growing in popularity in the British colonies of North America.

According to Wikipedia, “The Palladian, Serlian, or Venetian window features largely in Palladio’s work and is almost a trademark of his early career. It consists of a central window under a semicircular arch. This window is located at the uppermost top of a column and over a small entablature (a continuous horizontal support). Under this configuration are two other lights with rectangular columns on each side.