The Clemenses spent much of the years 1878-79 in Europe, where Samuel was preparing material for his book A Tramp Abroad. Samuel and Olivia also used their stay to buy and ship home furnishings, art, and statuary for the planned redecoration of their Hartford home. On their return, as Samuel wrote to a friend, “Livy is viewing designs and instructing the artist who is making ready to fresco the Hartford house.” The work he was talking about was on the second floor, the family’s living area, and the artist was Frederick Schweppe of Olivia’s hometown of Elmira, New York.

Schweppe was born in Germany and emigrated to the United States in 1865. He worked in New York City before setting up shop in Elmira in the 1870s. He used Austrian pattern books, which showed borders and wall designs; artists of the time would sometimes combine such elements in “composite” patterns. In November 1879 Olivia wrote to her mother: “We like exceedingly the work that Mr. Schweppe put on the house…the house is exceedingly pretty and so wonderfully improved. The nursery” – which featured wallpaper designed by British artist Walter Crane – “is perfect.” Schweppe was paid $250 for the work, about $5,000 in present-day money.