a bicentennial treasury american masterpieces from the metropolitan the metropolitan museum of art...
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Director'sNote
It surprisedme to realize hat the earliestpiecesof Americanart illustrated ere are
closer n time to ChristopherColumbus han to us.The independence elebratedn
ournation'sBicentennialwas the culminationof generationsof effort in a New
Worldasfraughtwithprivation,difficulty, nddangeraswith promise.Todayour
houses are so full of comfortableEarlyAmericana-luxurious wing chairsand
weighty ookingglasses-that it iseasyto forget hat, formanyyearsof ourhistory,
glassandwallpaperndtextilesweremore uxuries hancommonplaces;hat rooms
weresmallandceilings owto containthefireplace eatthroughbitterwinters;hat
Colonialclothes arescarcebecause abricswereusedand reuseduntiltheyfellapart.Americanshad to contendwith the necessitiesof the wilderness s well as the
bounties f eventualprosperity,nda realization f the fullrangeofAmericanhistorymakeseven moreimpressivehe artisticachievements hownin this picturebook
and in A Bicentennial reasury:AmericanMasterpiecesromtheMetropolitan,n
exhibition hatwillopeninJanuary.All these worksaredrawn rom he Metropoli-tan'scollection.Begun n 1910,whenAmericanartwas ookeddownuponasapalereflection fEuropean tylesrather han acompellingandinnovative raditionn its
own right, it has since become the finest collection of Americanartin existence,
spanningalmost hreecenturiesandrangingromperiodrooms hroughdecorative
artsandfurnitureopaintings,prints,photographs,nddrawings.Because f limited
space,onlyafractionof the collection could be shownatone time. Butin the next
fewyears his will be remedied,as the Museum mbarks n the construction f the
AmericanBicentennialWing, which will combinebeautifullypacious xhibition
areaswithstudy-storageooms,conservationtudios,educationhalls,and a gardencourt.For hisimmenseundertaking ehave receivedanoutpouring fsupportrom
corporations,rom oundations, rom the City of New York,andfrommanyindi-
viduals.One person,however,deserves pecialcredit forbringing his dream nto
reality:Mrs. Charles S. Payson-trustee, benefactor, riend, whose gift of five
million dollars ormsthe heart of the project'sunding,and whose recent death
deeply addened veryonewho hadsharedherwarmth ndspontaneousnthusiasm.
Mrs. Vincent Astor, another of the Museum'smost generousand imaginativetrustees,has madepossible his Bicentennialexhibitionandpicturebook, which,like theAmericanBicentennialWing,paytribute o the proudaccomplishmentsf
thisnationanditspeople.ThomasHovingDirector
The MetropolitanMuseum of Art Bulletin Winter 1975/1976
VolumeXXXIII,Number
Publisheduarterly.opyright 1976byTheMetropolitanMuseum fArt,FifthAvenueand82 Street,NewYork,N.Y. 10028.Secondclasspostage aidat New York,N.Y.Subscriptions11.50a year.Singlecopies 2.95. Sentfree o Museummembers. ourweeks' oticerequiredorchangeofaddress. ack ssuesavailablen microfilmromUniversityMicrofilms,13 N. FirstStreet,Ann Arbor,Michigan.VolumesI-XXXVIII1905-1942) vailable s a clothbound eprint etor as individual early olumes romArnoPress, 30MadisonAvenue,New York,N.Y. 10017, r from heMuseum,Box255,GracieStation,NewYork,N.Y. 10028.PhotographsytheMetropolitanMuseum'shotographtudio.Editor f the Bulletin:Katharine toddertGilbert;AssociateEditor: oanK. Holt. Art Director: tuartSilver.Design: rwin
Glusker,withEloiseVegaandLillyHollander.
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Curators Note
On the cover: This proud American
eagle, probablymade sometime between
1800 and 1830, is said to have come from
thevicinityof Philadelphia.Wood,gilded,h. 62 in. EllaMorris ePeyster und,59.89
Frontispiece: Detail of Figure 58, The
HatchFamily by
EastmanJohnson.
Al-
frederickHatch, a prominentNew York
broker,hiswife, andnine of theirchildren
are shown here. Aside from being a re-
markablegroupportrait,the pictureis an
excellent document of the domestic in-
teriorof the well-to-do classof the 1870s.
Gift of FredericH. Hatch, 26.97
Among the firstobjectsto enter the AmericanWing were severalof the earlies
masterpiecesllustratedhere. The Ipswichchest (Figure1) cameincompanywith
the greatbanister-back rmchairFigure5) and therichlyveneeredslant-topdesk
(Figure 7). They were part of the collection of over seven hundred work
assembledbya heritage-consciousBostonian,EugeneBolles. Someof these were
lent to the MetropolitanMuseum or tsHudson-FultonCelebrationof 1909-an
exhibitionstaged
inpart
to test thequestion
of whether or not American
decorative arts deserveda place in an art museum. The resultantreviews and
public responsewere so favorable that the Bolles objects were purchasedand
presented o the AmericanWing in 1910by its firstgreatbenefactor,Mrs.Russel
Sage.From his auspiciousbeginninga sixty-five-yearprocessof learning,refining
and acquisitionby five successive curatorsand their colleagueshas led to the
formationof the mostcomprehensivecollection of Americandecorativeartsin
the nation. As a result of its foundation andduringthe progressof its develop-
ment, all other such Americancollections,bothpublicandprivate,wereinspiredto be, and the science of the studyof American decorativeartswas established.
Ahalf-century s
ccumulationofexperience
andknowledge
affords he refined
qualitativeand aestheticjudgments hat we have madeforyourpleasure oday
Individually,and then as a group,the AmericanWing staff has painstakinglselected fromoverten thousandpiecesour mosteloquentstatementsof changingtastesin Americancraftsmanship.Whether ornot these individualworksareal
to the contemporary iewer sadmiration, hey standapart n this collection and
amongthose elsewhereassuperlative xpressionsof theirtime and asa tributeto
their skillfulmakers.
BerryB. Tracy
Curator-in-ChargAmericanWing
The artisticaccomplishmentsof ourcountryfromthe seventeenth throughthe
early twentieth century are the subject of this exhibition, which honors the
Bicentennial. Impressiveas these objects are, they areonly the very tip of the
iceberg.Fromour collection of thousandsof examplesof Americanarchitecture
painting, furniture,photography,prints, sculpture,ceramics,glass, silver, and
textiles-the nation s, and the world s, most extensive assemblage of this
166
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material-members of the various departments had to select approximately one
hundred objects. It has been an exhilarating and difficult, and more than
occasionally frustrating, task to choose from among the many available works.
We had to ask the hypothetical questions curators often ask of themselves: What
is the absolute best in the collection? If I could retrieve only a few things in a
disaster, what would they be?
Everycurator haspersonal preferences,
butthey,
like collectors, tend toagree
on
what lends a certain work that specialnessthat sets it apart.Among the attributes to
consider is rarity.Justhow many masterpiecescan an artist create? Are the materials
or the subjectsrare? In what numbers have the objects survived?Certainly, age is
another element. Greatageusuallyimpliesraritybut agemay also contribute historic
distance, scholarlyrecognition, and other physical and mental patination. Condi-
tion is another vital concern. Does the object retain its physical integrity?If it had a
reasonably happy existence, and maybe a little extra care, it should not be too
differentnow fromwhen it was new. But the greatestmust be judgedon their intrinsic
quality-and if quality is there, any amount of tears, scratches, scrapes, fading,
breaks,patches, and even additions can be surmounted or be of less concern.
Theobjects
in the BicentennialTreasury
arerare;they
are old; and,amazingly,
they are for the most part in superbcondition; they areof the highest quality. But in
the final analysis, they have been selected because they are beautifully designed,
drawn, painted, carved, polished, joined, or sewn. In them, we find a wonderful
varietyof creativitywherein the artist smind, eyes, and hands have workedmagically
together to create that specialnessthat makesa masterpiece. Here ispresented a part
of the culturalheritage of the United States of which we can be proud.
John K. Howat
Curatorof American Paintings and Sculpture
Co-ordinator for the exhibition
The works illustrated in A BicentennialTreasury:
AmericanMasterpiecesrom
the
Metropolitan have been discussed by the following: American Paintings and
Sculpture:Doreen Bolger, John Caldwell, John K. Howat, LewisI. Sharp (who also
served as joint co-ordinator of the exhibition), and Natalie Spassky; American
Wing: MarilynnJohnson Bordes, FrancesM. Gruber, MorrisonH. Heckscher, R.
CraigMiller, and BerryB. Tracy;Printsand Photographs:David Kiehl, the lateJohn
McKendry,and Weston J. Naef; Twentieth Century Art: Henry Geldzahler.
The Museumowns a thirteen-starAmeri
canflag,which, accordingo tradition,wa
made by Mrs. Alexander Hamilton
(ElizabethSchuyler)after tsauthorizatio
by Congress in 1777 and then used at
HamiltonHouse, in New YorkCity, and
laterat The Grange.It is appliqued n the
back of an English flag said to have been
sewn in the Colonies by Alida Schuylefor her father, Philip Pieterse Schuylerwho in 1667 was in command of For
Orange. Anonymous gift, in memoryof
WilliamWillisReese,56.65
167
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BicentennialTreasury
mericanasterpieces
r o m
t h etropolitan
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1 This profuselyarvedchest, madein
Ipswich, Massachusetts,about 1660-
1680,reflectscraftpracticesbrought othe ColoniesbyEnglish oiners.Itsrec-tilinear form is inherent in the tradi-tionaljoinedoakpanelandframecon-
struction; the ornament of simplegeometricshapesand stylizedplantsisbasedonJacobean ernacularesignsoflate medievaland Renaissancederiva-tion. Paired eaves,with a naturalistic,three-dimensional quality rare inAmerican furniture of the period,dominatethis boldlycarvedand care-
fullybalanced omposition;while varia-tions on diversplantformsandrounded
figuresprovidea richaccompaniment.
2 A uniquely New Yorkform, this
lavishlydecorated ix-lobedbowlatteststo theskillofthecity'searly ilversmithsand the luxurious asteof itsprosperousburghers.FollowingDutch custom, itwas most likely filled with brandied
raisinsandpassed o guestswho helpedthemselveswith silverspoons.MadebyCornelius Kierstede, probably about1700-1710,he bowlcombines hehori-zontalshape,caryatid andles,stampedbaseband, ndnaturalisticlowers f thelate 17th centurywith the strong,re-
petitivebaroquerhythmsand extrava-
gantornament f theWilliamandMarystyle, which flourishedduring he firsttwo decadesof the 18thcentury.
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3 This remarkableMassachusettsold-
ingtable scomposedofelements oundon contemporarycupboards:splayedframe, shelf, heavy balusters, and
applied decoration, which began to
supplant arvingafterabout1670. De-
parting from the solidly rectilinearcharacterof 17th-centuryurniture, t
showssurprisingmovement n its form,withvigorousnterplay etweenangularframeandfoldingcircularop. Madeofoakandmaple,andvery ikelyoriginallypainted,the tablenow bearsa lateren-richmentofblackpatterning n redanda marbleizedop. Apparently he onlytableof its kind, it is one of the most
appealingexpressionsof the weightyexuberance f the 17th-centurytyle.
4 Marvelouslyotund,this silvertank-
ard,made about1705-1725by Simeon
Soumain,has unusually trongpropor-tions,even forNewYork,where ankards
traditionallyhad a broad stance. Thefullnessof the body, which is wider atthebase han it ishigh, isemphasizedythe low, overhanging lid and deep
baseband.Typicalof New Yorkduringthelate17thandearly18thcenturies rethe stampedeaf border nd meanderatthe base.A moreopulent,fullybaroquenote is soundedby the cast masksand
garlandscascadingdown the handle.The tankard's splendid decoration,robustform, and emphaticallycurvedhandlegivetheimpressionfgreatheart-iness andoverflowing bundance.
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5 Tall-back hairs,combiningscrocrest rails, curving Spanish feet, a
vase-shaped urnings,set the styleseatingin the firstquarterof the 1
century.The mostindigenouslyAmcan of thesehad banisterbacksand tive rushseats rather han the caneleatherbacksandseatsof
Englishm
els. The stiffness nherent nthestrabackof thisNew England hair scoteredby the wideseatandinviting,laxedslopeof the arms.In a precarbut perfect equilibrium,the forcswirls f the armsarepoisedon the dcate tops of the legs, which rise frscrolled eet throughsuccessivelym
elongatedvase shapes.This controinteractionbetween elements of c
trasting cale andmovementrepresthe WilliamandMary tyleat its be
6 RobertFeke's ortrait f TenchF
cis, a Philadelphiaawyer,s amongmostpowerful aintings f 18th-cenAmerica.Itssimple,boldforms, n stle gradations of brown, contr
dramaticallywith the face, which
strongly it from the right.This sowhat starkcomposition, less sophcated than contemporaryEnglishptraiture, is remarkable or its almmonochromatictreatment. Fekebor in the Colonies, but his styleshapedby English tinerantartists
mezzotints.From hese sources,heherited his decorativebaroquemanand aristocraticdealsof elegance, dnity, andformality.This portraits a
importantas one of the few signeddated picturesby Feke, whose lifbased argelyon conjectureandsur
ingworks;t placeshim in Philadelin 1746, while others show that
painted n New England.
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7 The use of large,flat boards n con-structionandhighly patternedveneersfordecorationwas ashionablyewwhenthis slant-topdeskwasmadein Massa-chusetts about 1700-1720.Exquisitelymatched,the shimmering urlveneers
are a fascinatingmaze of ripplescul-minating n two oval whorlson the top.The desk'srim inesandneat bandsand
moldingsmake a beautifullybalancedstatement n keepingwith the subduedradianceof the woods. In the kind of
delightfulantithesisfound in WilliamandMarypieces,the ratherdiminutive,straight-sidedesk standson big, bulb-ous feetpainted o look likeebony.
8 A jaunty,personabletancegivesthis
mapleNew England ablea stylishnessrare or its type. While the form,basi-
callya largestool, is like that of manyportableablesof the early1700s, t hasbeen enhanced by a scalloped skirt,found on case
furniture f the period,and Spanish feet, more common toWilliam andMarychairs.The feet arecarvedwithanunusuallytrong utward
sweep,which echoesthe smart playofthe beautifully roportionedegs. Longyearsof usefulnesshave mellowed the
top, and have also warped t slightly,adding a pleasing lilt to this table's
prancinggrace.
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9 Gracefulcurvespredominaten the
QueenAnne style,which firstappeareinAmerican ilverabout1715.Made nNew Yorkby PeterVan Dyckbetween1715and1725,thisteapothasharmonous lines that flow around the pear
shapedbody and over the domed lidThe contoursare well rounded,almos
languid,settingoff the more vivacioucurves of the spout and sweepingwooden handle. Aside from a coat oarms n a baroque artouche,no ornament disrupts he reflectivesurfacesthe silver. The metal's brilliance i
exploited n the facetsof the octagonaspoutand thecut-cardworkon the lid.
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10 A dazzling world of fantasy iscreated on this chest by japanning,a
techniquemeant to simulateOriental
lacquer hat was in high fashionabout1710-1750. The motifs were raised,gilded, and varnished,and here theystand out vividlydistinct in a relaxed,undulatingpattern, in which people,animals, versizelowers, ndtinypavil-ions happilycoexist. In keepingwiththe fancifuldecoration,and typicalofWilliam and Maryhigh chests, is thewhimsicalunderstructuref sharply a-
pered egsandwavy kirt ndstretchers.Made nMassachusettsbout1710-1725,the chest is one of the few japannedpiecesfromthisearlyperiod.
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11 This RhodeIslandchair s the most
important f allAmerican18th-centuryeasychairs.A fine exampleof the New
EnglandQueenAnne type,it retains ts
originalupholstery,and is unique in
being signed and dated by the up-holsterer,"Gardner,r.Newport1758."
Easychairswere designed orcomfort:
fully stuffed or padded, roomy, with
wingsprovidingheadrests rprotectionfrom draftsor the heat of open fires.
That theywereusually eserved orthesick or elderly s suggestedby theirap-pearance nly inportraitsfaged itters.The chair's cover is finely worked
bargelloneedlepoint n a diamondpat-tern of once bright, but now subtlymutedshades.Backswereoftencoveredwith inexpensive abric,butnot so thisone (detailatthe left).Birds, heep,anddeer inhabit a charming landscapeworked n colorfulcrewel.
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12 Bythe mid-18thcentury he richestMassachusettsasefurniturewasboldlymodeledin serpentinecurves,in bulg-ing bombe forms, or in rhythmicallyprojectingblock fronts. The upper ec-tions of highboysorsecretary eskshadflat frontswith flutedpilasters nd were
topped by broken-archedpediments.This block-front esk romSalemhas all
the best features f the style.Itspropor-tions are perfect,and its execution inthe finest mahoganyis flawless.The
crisply arved callopshellson the skirtand top capture the full geometricbeautyof theirnatural orms.The care-
fullychosen grainof the desk top anddoors ormsts owngraceful urvingpat-ter. But what makes this piece standout from tspeers sthe deeply uminousdarkred-brown atina.Sixty-fiveyearsago, when antiquefurniturewas strip-
pedas a matter of
course,the desk's
former wnerthoughthighly enoughoftherich,old colorunder hescaleof dirtto have had the finish rubbeddownbyhand rather hanscraped.By thisgoodfortune,time'suniquecontribution othe beautyof the desk remains.
13 At the peakof itsprosperity, uringthe thirdquarterof the 18th century,Newport, Rhode Island,developeditsown distinctivestyle of cabinetwork.
The trademarkf thestylewas heblockfront with shell carving. While theblock front was borrowed rom Bostonfurniture, he carved shell was the in-vention of the Townsends and God-dards, the leading cabinetmakingfamilies n Newport.This chest, whichwas madein 1765andretains he labelof John Townsend, sums up classic
Newportdesign.Verticalblocking,al-
ternately rojecting ndreceding, oun-ters the horizontalpatternof the draw-ers. The concave middle block drawsattentionto the center,while the pro-jecting shells (detail above), whose
sinuously sculpted ribs fragment re-flected light, emphasize he top. Theskirt and even the feet continue the
baroquemovementof the front. The
straight, thick cornice uncompromisinglycaps he tightly ntegrated ompo-sition of the masterfulittlechest.
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14 JeremiahPlatt died insolvent inNew Havenin 1811,but, according othe inventory,his house fairlybulgedwithfurnishings,ncluding"3redwin-dowcurtains,4 redditto, redcord andtassels," and "One large framedpicture--$1.00."Thisportrait f Platt,paintedby JohnMarein New York n1767, may be the pictureso modestly
valued.Todaywe value it highlyas thefinest of Mare's surviving portraits.Large, arefullymodeled,andsomewhataustere n color and arrangement,hepictures a forceful epresentationf thewealthymerchantsurrounded y sym-bolsof his success,opulentredcurtainsandanicelycarvedChippendalehair.
15 This remarkableide chair unites
EnglishdesignwithColonialexecution.In its ample proportions, addleseat,andscalloped kirts t is British;n con-struction nd n richnaturalisticarvingit is Philadelphian. The chair, oranother rom the sameset, appearsnCharlesWillson Peale's 770portrait fPhiladelphiamerchant LambertCad-walader;while a matching table isshownin Peale's1772portrait f Lam-bert's brotherJohn. Both must havebeenpartof John's1770parlorumish-ings, renowned as the richest in pre-Revolutionary Philadelphia. WithBritishgoods boycotted,he may have
specified hat his furniture e made lo-cally n the London ashion-an expla-nation or heirEnglish haracter.
16 One of the greatdocuments f Col-onial painting,The American Schoolwas done by MatthewPrattin 1765,when he was in Londonstudyingwithhis countrymanBenjaminWest. Sub-duedin color,hardin finish,painstak-inglydrawn,and somewhatawkwardlycomposed,it is a rareattemptby anAmerican at the informalgrouppor-
trait,or"conversationiece,"astapleof18th-century nglishpainting.The pic-ture speakseloquentlyof the youthfuleagerness f Pratt probablytandingatleft)andhiscompanions stheyponderlessons propounded by West (seatedcasually n a Chippendalechair), who
taughtvirtuallyverymajorartistof thefledglingUnited Statesuntil his death
_ g oxwomm 1111 I_ ~~~~in 1820.
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17 The cabinetmakers f pre-RevolutionaryPhiladelphia racticed sophisticatedversionof the EnglishChippen-dalestyle,the essenceof which wasthe
dynamicjuxtapositionof classical,ar-chitectural forms with romantic,naturalistic rnament.A perfectillus-trationof the style s thischeston chest,believed to be the joint work,in abou
1772, of Thomas Affleck, cabinet-maker, ndJamesReynolds, arver.Theflutedcolumns,dentilfret,andgracefubroken-scrollpediment preserve the
piece's tatelyarchitecturalharacter.ndramaticcontrast is the phoenix-likebird,which is all movementandasymmetryas it rises rom he pediment.
18 A rare orm n American ilver, hiscake basket, fashionedabout 1765 byMyerMyers fNew York,sgracedwithan
exquisitely iryelegance.Itsundulat
ingbody,afluidarrangementfserpentine curves,is piercedalternatelywith
arabesques nd quatrefoilsn a diapepattern.The design s beautifully ohe-
sive, with one areaof decorationmov-
ingintothe next: shellson therim con-tinue the gadrooning nto the piercedpanels, while wavy bands of repoussbeads xtendbeyond he panels ntothesolid silver bottom, which is mono-
grammed n a floweryscriptbefittingthisdelicaterocococreation.
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19 The German Protestantswho set-tled in close-knit communitiesaround
Philadelphian the early18thcenturybroughtwith them the folktraditions fthe Palatinate.They lovedpainted ur-niture and often decorated storagechests with bright peasantornament.Thischest,madeabout1780,illustratesthe richstylefavored n BerksCounty.Red and white tulips proliferate n adarkground,while unicors anddoves,historically ymbolsof purity, inhabitarchedwhitepanels.Manysuch motifsweremereornament,butherethey mayhave been used as symbols o enrichadowerchest, traditionallygiven to abrideby her father.
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20 One of the finestAmericanprimi-tive paintings is Lady with Her Pets,done in 1790 by RufusHathaway,anitinerant Massachusetts artist. Itexhibitsthe curiousdichotomycharac-teristicof worksof the self-taught:a
naive, all-inclusive narrativeelementcombinedwithan almostabstract seofline, color, and patternin a sophisti-cated composition. Elegantlydressed,the lady sits on a Chippendale-stylechair, surrounded y birds, butterflies,and a cat, possibly named "Canter."The reduction f draperyolds o linear,rhythmical esignsandthe inclusionofthe inscriptioneaffirmhe two-dimen-
sional, decorative quality of the work.
21 City styles had their echoes inAmerica's interlands, nd someof the
resultswerewonderfully riginal.Thischair, probablymade by MajorJohnDunlap in New Hampshirebetween1770and 1790, is an imaginative,dis-
ciplined nterpretationf the Chippen-dale style. Dunlap's haracteristic ec-orative features-fan, cutout S, and
scallopedseat rail-are confined in a
severelyrectilinearpatternof straightsupports ndstretchers.So, too, is thefancifulmedleyof flowerson the origi-nal crewelwork eat. The tension be-tween curvedand straight ines finallyexplodesntothecheerfully xaggeratedears and bold arched crestrail of thisruralmasterpiece.
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22 With an appraisinggaze, Mrs.John
Winthrop confronts the 20th-centuryviewer in this arrestingportraitpaintedby John S. Copley in 1773. The wife ofone of America's first
prominentas-
tronomers, Mrs. Winthrop shared "the
delights of intellectual companionship"with her husband, a Harvardprofessor.The compelling realism of the image isenhanced by the facilitywith which tac-tile qualities are explored: the intricatetexture of lace; the high polish of the
reflecting table top (detail below); thedull sheen of silk;and the smoothnessofthe succulent fruits. Great technicalskill and a rareabilityto portraycharac-ter distinguishthe work of our foremost
native-born Colonial portraitist.
23 During the 18th century servingteabecame an importantpartof polite hos-
pitality. In Philadelphia the most popu-lartype of tea table had a circular,tilting
top.The
topof this
supreme example,one magnificent piece of mahoganywith a scalloped edge, spins freelywhenused or tilts up forstorage.This vast areafor kettles and cups is supported by a
single shaft-the upper part a fluted
column; the lower, a ball, compressedasif by the weight above. In contrast tothis architecturaltreatment, the legs are
animal-like, with muscular knees and
sinewy ankles and claws. Such bold in-
tegration of architectural and naturalmotifs is a hallmarkof the Philadelphia
Chippendale styleof the 1760sand 70s.
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24 Thisportrait f ayoung eaman, he
twelve-year-oldAugustusBrine, was
paintedbyJohnS. Copley nEnglandn
1782, when the boy enlisted in the
Royal Navy as a midshipmanon the
Belliqueux, ommandedby his father,AdmiralJamesBrine. The Museum's
only exampleof Copley'sEnglishpic-tures, it contrastsmarkedlywith his
more candid American works (Figure22). Here theatricaleffectsprevail: nthe dramaticightingof this self-assured
figureand in the romantically bscure
backdrop f sky, rocks, boat, and an-chor. Copley abandoned he linearityand intricate exturesof his earlierpic-turesand, painting insteadin fluent,broadly rushed assages,reatedanac-
complished portrait in the Englishmanner.
25 The declineofportrait ommissions
preceding he Revolution sent GilbertStuart to London in 1775. Probablypaintedthere between 1780and 1785,this memorable ikenessof a fashion-
able, confidentyoungman, holdingabook and glancing out of a paintedframe, shows Stuart'smasteryof the
rich, facilestylefavoredby the English
school. The picture demonstratesStuart'sskillful use of an amorphousbackgroundo set off the well-definedface of the subjectand his talent for
creating vivid, luminous flesh tones,which areenhancedbythe softgreenofthe coat. The vigorousbrushwork,n-formalpose,andsophisticatedomposi-tion were other hallmarks f the stylethat madeStuartone of the leadingpor-traitpainters n England.
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26 Despiteits fragility, his goblet, or
pokal, gives an impression of
strength-an effectundoubtedlympor-tant to thispiece, presentedn 1788tostockholders rom Bremen, Germany,who invested in the Amelung
glassworkst New Bremen,Maryland.Typicalof Amelung glass s the superbengraving,the greenishcast, the in-vertedbaluster tem, and a domedfootwithplainrim. Instyle,the pokal ooksback to the baroqueand rococo ratherthan to the newlypopularneoclassicaltaste. In craftsmanship, it shows a
maturity of which the Marylandglassblowersouldbejustlyproud,and sa fittingvesselfor a toastfrom he NewWorld o the Old.
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27 Settees were unusual in Colonial
America, possiblybecausethey wereless
practical than full-sized sofas, which
were suitable for reclining. This one,with its mate the only known up-holstered Chippendale settees made in
Boston, employs Englishdecorative
motifs to enrich its graceful lines. Bos-ton makers favored English-style claw-and-ball feet with raked talons, and
asymmetrical C-scrolls and acanthusleaves carved on the knees, a motif
adapteddirectlyfrom a set of chairs im-
ported before the Revolution. The ;p
flared wings and bow-shaped back of x
this settee, however, areasuprememan-ifestation of the curvaceous New Eng-land rococo design of the 1770s.
28 Becausecostly mirrorglasswasoften
imported to the Colonies already en-cased in elaborate frames to enhance its
beauty and protect it from damage,18th-century American looking glassesare rare. This exquisite example, con-ceived as a pier glassto be placed above atable betwen two windows, was proba-bly made in New York about 1780, justas rectangular mirrors were beingsupplanted by more fashionable ovalones. Its design combines the complexcurvesand scrollsof the fully developedrococo style with a pure neoclassical
geometric form to produce a fleetingmoment of perfect visual harmony be-tween opposites.
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29 In Philadelphian 1795, two yearsafterreturningo America romabroad,GilbertStuartpaintedhisfirstportrait f
GeorgeWashingtonrom ife. The pic-ture, which was a great success andfirmlyestablished tuart's eputation thome, has become one of the best-known images in American art.Thirty-nine eplicaswerecommissionedbut few of them have the vitalityandimmediate uality fthisversion,which
suggestshat it musthavebeenpaintedat leastin partfromlife. The rich, vi-brantflesh tones, set off by the greendrapery, and the freely expressivebrushworkontrasteffectivelywith the
simplecompositionandausteredignityof the subject.
30 (above) On April30, 1789,GeorgeWashingtonookthe oathas firstpresi-dent on the balconyof CityHall, New
York. No full-scale media coverageflashed across the country; instead,monthspassedbefore his"eye-witness"printappearedn 1790.Becausemostofour knowledgeof the early Republiccomes rom iterary ocuments nd romlatervisualimages raughtwith artisticlicense, Amos Doolittle'scandidinau-
gural ecordsextraordinary.hisprint,and the Connecticut engraver's ourviews of the battlesof LexingtonandConcordof 1775, have a rarity odaythat obscures heir originalintent, to
givemodest,factualaccountsof eventsof the new nation.
31(below) The unusual romanticisfound n the cityviewsbythe Philadephia artistWilliam Birch rank them
among the masterpiecesof Americagraphicarts. In this rare view of NewYork,engravedabout1803, the imagnationis at firsttotallycapturedby thsurreal, heatricalqualityof the strik
ingly white horse grazingcalmly on
BrooklynHeights. The carefullydelineatedskylineof the then recentlyrebuiltmetropolisbecomesapparent nlafter this initial responsehas passedBirch'spainterlyuse of color,which iuncommon n Americanprintsof thiperiod,enhancesthe compositional f
fects and transcends the twodimensionalimitsof the print.
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32 A superb xampleof the neoclassi-cal taste that sweptthe United Statesafter heRevolution, his ookingglass sone of a pair made in Massachusetts
about 1790-1810.Like contemporaryglassesmorecommonly mported rom
England,t bearsmotifs haracteristicfthe work of the Scottish architectRobertAdam:patera, ans, bellflowers,urns,and beribboned heavesofwheat,with theadditionofasymbol f the new
Republic, he eagle.Rarenotonlyin itsdomesticoriginbutalso n thevarietyofskillsemployedn itsmaking-carving,gilding,egglomise,ireandcompositionwork-this glass presents Federal
craftsmanshipt its best.
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33 Dramatic contrasts in wood-
dark/light, burl/flame, inlaid/plain-give this earlyFederaldesk, of about1805, an extraordinary ichness. Ex-
traordinary,oo, isthat itbears he labelof Reuben Swift of New Bedford,Mas-sachusetts,who wasunknownuntil theMuseumacquiredthe desk in 1974.Areasnorth of New Bedford-Boston,Salem, and Portsmouth, New
Hampshire-have longbeen noted forthe finest veneeredand inlaid Federalfurniture, often featuring, as here,flame-grain birch panels, tambourslides, inlaid pilasters,and patternedstringing.Although related to North-shorework,thisdesk is an original, n-
tricate interpretation of prevailingstyles.Distinctiveelaborations re the
diaperedmarquetryn the top drawersandtheplayofpatterned eneersandof
geometric-shaped anels.Such master-ful manipulationof surfaceornament
provesSwiftacabinetmaker f imagina-tion andflair.
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34 The juicy handling of pigment,casualarrangement,nd richpalette nthe remarkable alsamAppleandVeg-etables,paintedduring he 1820s,are a
departureromJamesPeale's sual ightdrawing, ormalcomposition,and re-strained oloring.Here he exploitsthe
variegatedextures ndcontours fveg-etables nd a rarebalsam pple, tswartyskinsplit open to revealthe medicinal
contents.AlthoughPealeemployedanaustere table-top support and aneutralbackgroundypicalof still-life
paintingntheearlyRepublic,his boun-teousselectionofobjects ooksahead othe optimisticmood and scientificin-terest associatedwith this subject atmid-century.
35 Carvedornamentadds distinctioto this shield-backedhair,baseduponplate2 in Hepplewhite's abinetmakeGuide (1788). Made in Salem, Massachusetts,about 1795, it is one of a
group associatedwith the merchanEliasHasketDerbyandthe architectohis Salem mansion,SamuelMclntirewhooccasionally arved urnituremad
by local cabinetmakers.Some of the
classical motifs on the looking glas(Figure 2) appear ere:wheat,ribbonand an um carvedwith leaves.Not socommon are the grapeclusterson thefrontlegs, splats,and base of the backwhich may carryout the vintagemotion someof the architecturallementso
Derby's ouse.
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36 Ovals seem to dance across thewood and glass surfaces of this
secretary-bookcasemade in Salem,Massachusetts, about 1800-1810. Afavorite neoclassicalshape, they not
only unifythe cabinet base and book-casebutalso breakupaform hat could
appear,without suchdecoration, o beboxlikeandheavy.The boldshapingofthe rhythmicallyepeatingmullionsonthe bookcasedoorsseems to point up-
ward to the urn-capped pediment.Belowthe pedimentis one finaloval,echoing hemajordesign heme.Highlysuccessfuln its integrationof decora-tion andform,thissuperb ecretarys asornamental s it is utilitarian.
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37 A world of pastoral nnocence issuggestedby this appliquedcoverlet,probablymadebyor forPhebeWarer,who marriedHenry Cotheal of NewYorkn 1803.Brancheswithcalico andchintzflowersburst roman ur, a pat-ternderived rom he tree-of-life n In-diancottons. Exoticbirdsperchnearbyand deergambolamongdomesticani-mals.Below he um (detailbelow)aboyplayswithbow andarrow;wo girlsad-mire a bouquet;a shepherd ends hisflock;and a manpresentsa birdcage a
suitor'sgift?) to a fashionablydressedwoman. Filledwithlife andmovement,yetcuriouslyranquil,he coverlethas atimelessappeal.
38 (above) Ignoringhe conventionsofacademic painting, this primitive artist,
working n about 1825, created an in-
triguing design based on flattened
shapeswith undulating ontours.Scaleisdisregardeds enormous rees,almost
engulfing he sidesof the picture,dwarfhouses and sailingvessel. Distance is
suggestedby arranginghe variousele-mentsverticallyon the hillside. Build-
ings are seen in distortedperspective,simultaneouslyrom rontandside. Thewhole powerful,balancedcomposition
is rendered in unusual stitchlikebrushstrokes, hich add to the fascina-tion ofThe Plantation,a mostdelightfulexampleof American olkart.
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39 Sauce bearnaise,sauce a l'orangeneverfaredbetter n early19th-centurAmerica han in this superb ilverclas-sical sauceboat,one of a pair in theFrench taste made about 1812 in
Philadelphia y the FrenchemigreAn-
thonyRasch.Animalformsdrawn rom
the archaeological eoclassicismof "lestyleantique"are used successfullyashandleandspout.The vigorousines ofthe serpent,with its intricately hiseledskin, harmonize with the handsomeboat shape and eager-lookingram'shead spout, which wears a collar of
flourishing anthemia. The whole is
givena deserved iftbywinged-lion eet
typicalof the period.
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40 This couch, a powerful xampleofNew YorkCity'sRegencystylein 1810,wasmadebyDuncanPhyfe orthe mer-chant princeThomas Corell Pearsall.The curvilinear ines of the curule egsandgracefullycrolledarms,handled o
perfection by Phyfe, were based onGreco-Roman ormshe derivedfromthe 1808LondonChairmakers'ndCar-vers'Book fPrices.Curiously,oEnglishmaster xecuted hese forms o deftlyor
equaled the impeccable reeding and
carving n this choicemahoganyrame.
Therichest ouches,ashere,wereocca-sionally finished with cane panels,which were cool in summerand fittedwithcushions n winter.
41 Pure white marble, rich gleamingrosewoodveneers, judiciously placedverde-antiquedolphinsand gilt swansmakethis one of the bestcomposedandmost sumptuous f the ten pier tablesknownto havebeen made n theshopofHonore Lannuier n New York. The
originalormoluornamentsareperfectlybalanced in their placement in the
aproncenter and canted comers;andthe theme of gilt decoration s neatlyrepeatedby the rosettes n the paneledrecess of the platform.An American
interpretationof the French Empirestyle, this table, made about 1815,hasthe qualityand sophisticationof anyproducedn Paris t the time.
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42 Thomas Cole began painting the
graciously varied landscape of thenortheastern nitedStates n 1825,and
duringhis subsequent areer,his workestablished imas a founder f the Hud-son RiverSchool. The romanticCole,who wasalsoawriter ndpoet,detectedthe hand of God in the physical and-
scapeandattempted o express hat es-sencein hispaintings. n 1835,the yearbeforehe completed hispictureof the
Oxbow(onthe ConnecticutRiver,nearNorthampton, Massachusetts),Colewrote: "My soul dwells in a mortal
tenement,andfeelsthe influenceof theelements. Still I wouldnot live where
tempestsnever come, for they bring
beauty in their train." Replete with
thunderheads, glistening blue skystorm-tossed oods,andrivermeander
ing gently hrougharmlands,hisrichlpaintedpicture s a powerful vocationofCole's pecialworld.Manyconsiderhis most individualwork. Cole advocateddrawing utofdoors,and,asLoui
LegrandNoblewrote n the artist's iography:"He almost daily walked, andsketched he landscape, natchingashe
walked tschoicestdetails."Here(detaopposite)Colehasincludeda pictureo
himself,sketchingon the spot,hisfold
ing chair, umbrella, and portfoliperchedon a rockyoutcropfar abovthe Oxbow.
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45 "Thedrawingof the figure s mas-terly:the colorharmoniousandflow-
ing: the attitude perfect ease; ... thebroad lowingfoldsof the drapery, nd
theykl;l~ Kench hnthe skillful disposition of the acces-sories,constitute this picturethe most
perfect full-length portrait hatwe re-member... froman American artist."ThuswarmlywasSamuelF. B. Morse's
portrait fhisdaughter usanpraisedn1837 by a critic. Today Susan seemsalmostinundatedby the paraphernaliaof polite romantic classicism-urn,acanthusmolding, thick draperyandcushions,glowingsky.This richlycon-ceived composition was Morse'slast
majorwork,ashe gave up artin favorofhis invention,the telegraph.
43, 44 There have been few kind re-marksabout the pillarand scroll ver-sionsoftheAmericanEmpiretylesinceits insurgencen the 1830s.And whentheheavyneoclassicalnterpretationsfthe FrenchRestauration ad run theircourseby 1850, ProfessorSilliman of
Yale,reviewing he historyof furniturein connection with the CrystalPalace
exhibitionof 1853,referredo them as"ponderous nd frigidmonstrosities fthe classical tyle."EvenDuncanPhyfeis reputedto have called it "butcherfurniture," ut, ironically,no one sur-
passedhim in the executionof thisnewfashion.For his reasonwe havechosen
piecesby Phyfe'sworkshop, wo of themost satisfying ormsof this awkwardera.The simple ines andplainsurfacesof thisrosewood illarcard able,one ofa pairmadeabout 1825, are typicalofthe style, but the perfectbalanceand
careful lacement f brassnlayandgild-ingmakeit exceptionallygraceful.
While most of Phyfe'sdesignsweredrawninefor ine from heFrenchash-ion periodicalMesangere'sMeubleset
Objets eGouit,he mahogany idechairhere, made about 1830, is not. In its
subtly mouldedback frame and har-momoslyace staran uporun a
moniously placed stay rali, supportinga
carefully rawnEgyptianotussplat, t isa distinctlyPhyfecreation.
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46 Cider Making, filled with light,color, and air, beautifullydrawn and
painted, radiatesa senseof heartinessandwell-being.One of the best works
by William Sidney Mount, who
specializedn easy-going,often humor-ousscenesof ruralLongIsland, t is ac-
tuallymore than just a jolly recollec-tion of life around country iderpress.Commissioned n 1840by a New York
Whig, it celebrates William HenryHarrison'sresidential ictory.Mount,opposing he "radical" oliciesof Mar-tin VanBuren,sympathizedwith Har-rison,who had reliedon a folksy"LogCabin and Hard Cider" campaign.Here Mount points up the joysof the
"vintage"f 1840.
47 GeorgeCalebBingham'sFurTraders Descending the Missouri is permeated by a strong luminosity thaobscureshe contoursof the distant er
rain, envelopingit in a misty atmos
phereof uniform,glowing one. At thesametime this lightclarifiesoregrounelements uchasthe deadbirdandcrispldrawn igures,who areunited to theienvironment fskyandwaterbymirrolike reflections (detail above). Al
though being sweptalong by the cur
rent, the travelersappearmotionlesfrozen n a classically alanced rianglPaintedabout 1845, this is an earlexample of American luminism, ameticulous ealism oncernedwithlighandatmosphere.
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48 Albert Sands Southworth andJosiah Johnson Hawes pioneereddaguerreotypes in Boston in 1841,shortlyafter he Frenchprocesswasin-troduced. They attracted illustrious
sitters-among them Daniel Webster,ZacharyTaylor,William Longfellow,even Lola Montez-and the team be-camefamous orstoicallyclassicalim-
agesof the nation'spatricians.Occa-
sionally, heyexperimented oldly:not
only is this Boston beauty posedcoquettishly for a lady, but the
backgroundis painted russet, a wildromanticism rarely found in da-
guerreotypes.No othermediumcouldso elegantly represent he relief of thewrinkledextile, its subtle heen,or theintricatepatternof themantilla.
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49 This bust of AndrewJacksonwasfelt by Hiram Powers o be one of hisfinest works.Followingartistic ashionof the day, PowersdrapedJacksoninclassical robes, but it is hardly anidealizedportrait.Unflinchingrealismdominates the work. At first, when
modeling t, Powershesitatedto show
the aging president'soothlessmouthand wrinkled face, but he was ad-monishedby Jackson:"Makeme as I
am, Mr.Powers,and be true to nature
always.... I have no desire to look
young... as I feel old." Powerscarvedthe bust nmarblenItaly n 1837,and tis one of the fewpiecesto be done en-
tirelybyhisown handratherhanbeingcut byskilledItalian tonecutters,henthe acceptedpractice.
50 Rippling curves and naturalisticformsmark his rococo revivaletagere,madebetween1850and1857,andbear-
ingthe labelof AlexanderRoux's hop,New York."Rococo"-the word ounds
repetitiveandrolling ike thequalitiest
designates-originatedin 18th-centuryFrance,and as interpretedn New Yorkin the 1850sbecamea style in its own
right. Then a new form, the etagereoften had a pier-tablebase toppedbyshelves n tiers e'tages).Herea waterfalleffect, a cascade of C-scrolls,foliage,and cymabracketsbackedby a mirror,evokes 18th-centurygrottoes, whosewater-worn rocks (rocaille is "rock-work")wereasource orthestyle's rreg-ularmotifs.
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51 FredericChurch'spanoramicviewof theEcuadorian ndeswasa sensationfrom hetime it was irst xhibited ntheartist's tudio nNew Yorkn 1859. This
hugecanvas,about51/2by 10feet, is a
dazzling ompendiumof minutelyren-deredwildlife,vegetation,and terrain
(details left and opposite above). To
heighten the senseof reality,Heart ofthe Andes wasoriginally xhibited n adarkenedgallery,placed in a window-like frame hat was flankedby tropicalfoliageandilluminated ygas ets.Afterthe visitor had experiencedthe total
grandeurf thepainting,he wasgivena
viewingtube so that he couldexplore,
bitbybit, the unendingarray f details.
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52 Harmonious,muted tones create a
delightfullysoft atmosphere hat per-vadesJohn F. Kensett'sLake George,painted in 1869. Kensett concernedhimselfwith the moresereneaspectsof
nature, he changinghuesof waterand
sky, light, the cracks and mosses onrocks. Here the peacefulmajestyof the
dramatic,mountain-boundake sinter-
ruptedonly by an Indian in a canoe.
Although Lake George was depictedfrom almost every aspect by 19th-
centuryartists, ew, if any, could rivalthe powerand expressiveness f Ken-sett's painting. The delicate finish,panoramicview, opalescent sky, andalmost urreal erception f shimmeringquietmake it a masterpiece.
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53(uppereft) During he 1860s,Carle-ton E. Watkins revolutionized thecourseof Americanphotography.Thefirst American photographer o treat
landscapeas a serious ubject,he tookviewsof Yosemite nd northernCalifor-
nia that were as dramatic and well-receivedas thegreatandscape aintingsof Church and Bierstadt. Parallelintheir artisticvision, Watkins created
images of antediluvianwilderess, aGarden of Eden awaitingthe first in-habitants.This 1864view of Mt. Starr
King, in Califoria, pays homage toThomas StarrKing, the Boston trans-cendentalistauthor,who, deeplyinflu-enced byJohnRuskin,felt that naturein itselfcouldbe a workof art.
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54 Bow in hand, restraining is dog,the youngwarrior tealthilytrackshis
prey. This vigorous realism, praisedwhen John Quincy Adams Ward firstexhibitedThe Indian Hunter n 1862,marked he end of neoclassicism ndthe
beginningof anera n which naturalismdominated American sculpture. Butclassicism continued to influenceWard's rt:herehisobjectiveportrayalscombined with a classical, triangularcomposition,giving the 16-inch-highgroup senseofmonumentality. largeversion of The Indian Hunter was
placed n New YorkCity'sCentralParkin 1868,the firstAmerican culptureobe so honored,andit is still one of themostpopular tatues n the park.
55 Bathedin soft morning ight, Al-bertBierstadt'seaceful ncampment fShoshoneIndians s an Edenic mageofthe unsettledAmericanWest. His vis-ion of soaring now-cappedmountainsand broad ertilevalleyswasinspired ythe westernphotographsf C. E. Wat-kins and EadweardMuybridge nd re-flects the prevailingbeliefin "Manifest
Destiny"-the assumptionhat divinewill parallelednationalinterest n the
country'swestwardxpansion.Bierstadtused sketches and photographsmade
duringa tripwest to paintThe RockyMountains.Firstexhibitedin 1864, itsoon vied with Church'sHeartof theAndes(Figure 1) asAmerica's reatestlandscape ainting.
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56 Max Schmitt in a Single Scull,painted n 1871, sanincrediblyuccess-ful synthesisof Thomas Eakins'smajorinterests,anatomyandperspective.His
incisivelydrawn iguresandsettingare
organizedn a carefully ontrolled om-
position, in which the glidingmotioncharacteristicf scullingseems arrested
by a patternof horizontaland verticallines createdby boats and oars,reflec-
tions,landscape, ndclouds.This sceneon the SchuylkillRiver n Philadelphia
is illuminatedby a strong light thatuniformlylarifies etail: rom he strik-
ing portrait n the foregroundo such
vignettesas the swimmingducks and
puffing teamboatn the distance.
57 InWinslowHomer'sPrisonersromthe Front, a bedraggledbut dignifiedfriezeof Confederateoldiersacestheircaptor,a well-outfittedUnion officer.The confrontation s dramatizedy theisolation of these figures romthe dis-mounted oldiersn the middledistanceandby the desolate etting,presumablythe sceneof a skirmish rbattle.Donein 1866, only four yearsafterHomerbegan to paint in oils, this pictureis
perhaps his most sensitive study of
America's ragicnational conflict. Itshighlynarrative uality, omberpalette,andconcern or inearederivedromhisworkasan illustratorndengraver ur-ing the CivilWar.
58 Using rich, warmcolors,Eastm
Johnson brilliantlyorchestratedptraitsof the Hatchfamilyand the oplent decorof theirlibrarynto a unif
composition.Johnsonwas the most a
complished ractitionerf the informdomestic"portraitnterior,"which drived from 18th-century conversa
pieces"andenjoyedgreatvoguein taffluentperiod ollowing he CivilWThe highly finished realism of th
painting s shapedby his draughtsm
likestyle,while the casualposes uggthe influenceof photography.Commsioned in 1871by AlfrederickHatchWall Streetbroker,t was considered
Johnson o be his masterpiece.
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59 Sunlightbreakshrough hebillow-
ing cloudsof GeorgeInness'sAutumn
Oaks, lluminatinghe richred, brown,and gold foliageof the clusterof oaktrees n thecenter.These vibrant olorscombinewith free brushworkndfluid
compositiono produce pastoraland-scapeof poetic beauty.Autumn Oakswaspainted n about1875,after nness'ssecond trip to France,where he wasinfluencedby the Barbizon andscapepainters Corot, Rousseau, and
Daubigny. nness's ictures, ike theirs,do not mirror ature; llof theelementsof his canvases recarefullyelectedand
synthesizedo create a mood thatper-meates he whole.
60 MoonlightMarine s one of AlbertPinkhamRyder'smost effectiveroman-tic interpretationsf thesea,evoking tsvastness nd tspotential orboth fearfulturbulenceand profoundpeace. Heredetail s obscured ya softevening ight,
which unifies rather than articulates.Within the confinesof his foot-squarecanvas,Ryderpainted n broadmassesandfluid,sinuouscontours, o that thesilhouettesof cloud-shapes,boat, andsails create a vigorous,continuousde-
sign. Datingfromthe 1870s-1880s,he
picturehas an enamel-like urfaceandrichcoloringunusual orthisartist,who
frequently eworked is picturesover a
periodof years.
61 In Music and Good Luck,done in1888,WilliamMichaelHamettpushetrompe-l'oeil ainting o its limits,presentingobjects n a daring angeof spatial planes: he sheet musicandcallincardareshownwithedgesbent,notflat
the partlyopendoorsuggests epthbehind it; heavy items aresuspended n
strings rbalancedprecariouslynnailsHamett delights in the textures andsubdued olorsof the old violin and it
gleaming trings;n thesilver, vory,and
grenadilla iccolo;in the metalhingeshorseshoe,hasp,and lock. His technicalbrilliance ndpopular ubjectmattemadehimthe mostemulatedAmericastill-lifepainterof his generation.
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62 John HenryTwachtman'sArques-La-Bataille,done in 1885, is a subtleorchestrationof color and design: its
cool palette of delicate grays,greens,and blues is thinly paintedto remove
anytraceof the artist's and;the com-
position s defined n broadhorizontals
punctuated nly byelegantcalligraphicreeds.A viewofarivernearDieppe, t isapoetic andscapehatrejects pecificityfor evocation. This picture marksTwachtman's bandonment f the im-
pastobrushworknddarkpalettehehadlearnednMunich.The most mportantproductof his sojourn n Paris, t allieshis workwith that of the American o-
nalistJamesAbbottMcNeillWhistler.
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64Drawn in silk
threads, glitteringpaillettesandbeads,irisappearas theymightat dawn:mutedtonesof yellow,green,lavender,andgrayminglein the
waving ronds; equinsglisten ike dew.The shimmering quality and tactilerichnessof a fine textilemake this por-tiere (detail below) the epitomeof the
sumptuousness eached by high-styledecorativeartsof the 1880s.Anticipat-ing Art Nouveauin its curving orms,the portierewas createdabout1884byCandaceWheeler,America'sirstmajor
womandesigner,orAssociatedArtists,a group hat includedLouisTiffany.
63 MaryCassattplaces the imposingfigureof Mrs. RobertMooreRiddleinanambiguousetting,where oregroundand background-virtually the same
color-nearly merge. This departurefrom traditionalspatial relationshipsshows her debt to the French artists
Degas and Manet and her growingawarenessfJapanese rints n theearly1880s. The picture s enlivenedby the
blue and gold Canton tea set on thetable and the fluid brushwork f thedelicate lace near the sensitivelypor-trayed face. In Cassatt's well-constructeddesign,the sitteris framedin a seriesof rectangles,which increasein intensityas theydiminish n size.
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65 Mary Cassatt concentrated onthemesshe knewbest, creating mages
of the kind of comfortableleganceen-joyedbywomen of hersocialrank.Fas-cinatedbyJapanesewoodblock rintsofsimilarsubjects, she translatedtheminto the familiartechniques of soft-
groundanddrypoint tching.The Let-
ter, of 1891, is one of an innovativeseriesthat caused the painterCamillePissarroo marvelthat the result was"admirable,as beautiful as Japanesework,and it's donewith printer'snk."Its richnessof color, flatteningoverall
pattern, unconventional perspective,and the remarkableouch of the starkenvelopeagainstwarm leshcontributeto the monumentalityf thisprint.
66 Deceptively simple in its straightlinesandsparse rnament,hiswardrobeisactuallya studied omposition.Madeabout1880,it bears he markof Herter
Bros.,New York.The form ollows he
preceptsof CharlesEastlake,who de-
plored he excesses fmid-centuryurni-
ture, but the decoration resembles
japonesquedesignsof the English ar-chitect E. W. Godwin. Chrysanthe-mums, which seem to be flutteringdown, delineatetop and base and givemovementto the staticrectangle.The
thoughtful relating of ornament to
structure, with emphasis on blank
space,showsthe new vision of reform
furniture,of which this is the finest
example n the Japaneseaste.
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67 JamesWhistleroftenusedportraitsto investigateormalproblems f design
andcolor. Arrangement n FleshCol-our and Black: Portraitof TheodoreDuret, of about 1883, reflects his
preoccupationwith subtlecolor effects.Intoa paletteofwhite, gray,andblack,he introducedcoloronly in the flesh,pinkdomino, andstylizedbutterfly-hissignature.The dark, ull-length ig-ure on a neutralgroundhasprecedentsin Courbet'sworks;while the reductionof content to the most essential and
expressive orms,subtleasymmetricalplacementof figure,strongsilhouette,
and the monogramitself show Whis-tler'snterestnJapanese rt.
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68 Catching the flashing brushstrokesof William Merritt Chase at his best,Reverie:A Portraitof a Woman (proba-
blyMrs.Chase) is a stunning example of
an uncommon graphic technique,
monotype. Interest in monotypes was
reawakenedin the late 19th century as
artistsexperimented with the carefullyinked and wiped plates in imitation of
Rembrandt. In the course of this ex-
perimentation, etched lines were re-
placed by ink brushedon the surfaceof
the plate, allowingonly a single, unique
impression.Among the earlyexponentsof monotype, Chase had a bravurastylethat was a natural for this medium; this
large, masterfullyinked print, of about
1890, is one of the finest.69 Augustus Saint-Gaudens'sreliefsareamong he mostsensitiveportraitsfthe 19thcentury.Virtually ketches nbronzeandmarble, heyareremarkablefor depth of feeling and freshnessofexecution. One of his most movingisthis spontaneouslymodeledbronzeofMariana anRensselaer.tssurface, eli-
catelybut richlyworked,givesit a vi-
brantquality.A critic,Mrs. VanRens-selaerwrote, in 1887,a complimentaryreviewof Saint-Gaudens'standingLin-coln. A closefriendship eveloped,anda year ater Saint-Gaudens reated his
portrait.The framewasdesignedbythearchitectStanfordWhite.
70 Many of Thomas Eakins's amilyand friendswere the subjectsof the
penetrating ortraitshatwerehis maininterest ormuch of hiscareer.Onewasof his wife, Susan Macdowell,shown
aboutayearafter heirmarriagen 1884;Eakins's og,Harry,ies ather feet.Not
flatteringor aggrandizingis wife, theartistportrayser slouched nachair, na strong ightthatemphasizeshewearylookabouthereyes.Her lefthand,ren-deredwith extremeprecision,iesin her
lap atop an Orientalbook. Eakinsde-
lights nthedazzlingce-blue atinofher
dress,a foil to the surroundingwarmearthcolors.
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IRIMV
[:t :~a
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,4 ,-11
4.11W
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71 The impressionistWilliamMerrittChasebringshis fascinationoropen-airlight ndoorsn thisstudy, f about1895,of his wife sewingin theirLongIslandhome. Sunlight throughthe window
caresses he foldsof herwhite dressandpinkblouseandenlivenswoodsurfaces.
Ignoringdetail, Chase revels in the
fluidityof his pigments, n textureandcontour. His composition,arrangedna disconcertingdiagonal,relegates he
figure and furniture to the middle-
ground, eaving heforegroundareex-
ceptfora whitescrap.A virtuoso rtist,Chase executedmany superboils butfewequalFor heLittleOneinintimacy,glowing ight, and freshcomposition.
72 In 1889 Theodore Robinson
painted this striking landscape in
Givemy, the Frenchvillagewherehehad earlier met the impressionistClaudeMonet. Like this Frenchartist
he studied un-drenched rchitecturena limitedrangeof pasteltones, buthisinsistenceon solidformsandrectilineacontours mark Bird's Eye View-
Givemy as his individual statementRobinsoncrowds he center of his pic-turewith housesseen fromhigh abovetheirrooftops.The visualnterest reate
by theseshapescontrastswith the bare
foregroundand the muted distancewhere ree-boundieldsrecede o ahighhorizonine andnarrowtrip fsky.
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73 The most famousof John S. Sar-
gent's arlyportraits,MadameX (Mme.PierreGautreau)s a study n linearde-
sign. The undulatingcontoursof her
unnaturally colored flesh are em-
phasized by a stark backgroundand
plungingdecolletage;Mme. X'srather
sharpeatures rerenderedwithacrisplydrawnoutline that flowsthe lengthof
her arm to her hand, which resolutelygrasps ergown. Completed n 1884,itwas condemned orthe sitter's rovoca-tive attitudeand the artist's reoccupa-tion with formrather han his subject'sappearance; ut it has since been pro-claimedone of his finestportraits.
74 This table of rosewood, lavishlycarved and inlaid with gleamingmother-of-pearlndbrass,wasundoubt-
edlythe focalpointof the library eco-rated orWilliamH. Vanderbilt yHer-ter Brothersn the years1880-1882. nitscombinationof classicalvolutesand
palmetteswith such whimsical orna-ment as the globeencircledby starsof
the nationalbanner, tshows he kindofeclecticism ften oundn theBeauxArts
style,which fosteredhighlyindividual,free interpretationsf classicalmotifs.The table'scraftsmanships so superbthat expertsonce thoughtit could not
possiblyhave been made in America.
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75 An exuberant ift to the handlesandapleasantwell o thebodygivethis
loving cup a characterthat is bothwhimsicalandsturdy.The designers f
Tiffany& Co., who made the cup in1892or1893,mayhave been influenced
by shapesof medievalVikingwoodenvessels, which were sometimesmounted,as this one is, in silver.The
ornate urface, owever, eaturing pat-ter inlaidwithsilver,mother-of-pearl,and turquoise, s typicalof late 19th-
centuryobjects made for membersofAmerica's ffluentsociety.On a small
scale,the cupechoesthe opulentmoodof the Vanderbiltibraryable(below).
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:
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76 The pageantryof flags and themovementof crowds ill this sweepingview of St. Mark'sSquareby Maurice
Prendergast,ne of the firstAmericans
to respond o the influencesof Frenchpost-impressionism.Working n trans-lucentwatercolor, is favoritemedium,he hasreduced epresentationaletail oa fluidpattern fflattened hapes, ocus-
ing on the strongverticalsof the flag-polesrecedingnto the distance.Begin-ning in 1897, Prendergastpent two
years broad, rimarilynVenice,wherehe developed his singularwatercolor
style,seenherein one of the mostam-bitiousworkscreatedduringhis stay.
77 The Steerage ombinesaboldcom-
position,basedon geometricmechani-cal shapes, with a touchinglyhuman
subject, immigrantsn the hold of atrans-Atlantichip.AlfredStieglitzhas
spokenof how, in 1907,he conceivedhispicture n termsof designandas an
expression of his own concern forhumanbeings:"Around trawhat, thefunnel eaning eft, the stairwayeaningright... roundshapesof iron machin-
ery,a mastcutting nto thesky. . Isawa
pictureof shapesand underlying hatthe feelingI had about life." It is saidthat Picasso aw this photograph boutthe time he paintedhis cubist master-
piece Les Demoisellesd'Avignonandfoundrelevance n it to his work.
78 Edward Steichen's charismatic
platinumprintsof the FlatironBuildingreflect he concordance f the artspre-vailingat the turnofthecentury.At thistimeSteichenwasasmuchapainteras a
photographer,and he created in hisphotographs raphicequivalentsof his
paintings.The Museum'sour versionsof this subject,takenin 1905,are eachin a different ue, achievedby applyinga mixture of watercolor and light-sensitive gum arabicto the finished
print. Steichen stretched he limitsof
photography-making exceedinglyfacile use of his materials-to createanartistic statement of exquisite beautyanddelicacy hatparalleledhe aesthe-tics of American onalistpainting.
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79 Workingin his isolatedstudio atProut's eckon theruggedMainecoast,Winslow Homerpainted some of hismost dramatic marines. Northeaster,done in 1895, is one of his finest, and
displaysHomer's uperb ontrol of pic-torialelements:hispalette s limitedbut
effective;his composition,blockedoutin broad masses, is enlivened bydiagonal hythmsandupwardburstsof
spray ndfoam; he complexpatterns frocksand hevariegatedolorsof theseaarecomplementedby an unmodulated
sky.Homer's icture s a powerfultate-ment,renderedn the essentials f mas-siverock,poundingurf,and eaden ky.
80 George Bellows'scommitment to
paintonlywhat he saw s evident n Upthe Hudson, of 1908. A wide, openlandscape, illed with lightandair,it is
paintedbroadly etwith therightness f
touch that readsasclaritywhen viewedat a distance. Bellows standshalfwaybetweenhisteacher,RobertHenri,andanotherHenristudent,EdwardHopper,who carried implificationnd clarifica-tion of forms hrough ight still further
(Figure90). Verymuch home-grown,Bellows never visited Europe,unusualforan artistof hisday.Thevitalityofhis
picturesmakes him one of the most
popularAmericanpainters.
81 Within this simple,almostprosaicsubject,WinslowHomer howshis mas-
teryof watercolors.Translucentwasheshave been applied to sky and wall,wherefreshwhitepaper howsthrough
to vary he surface.Foliagenear hegateis painted in deep, saturatedcolors,creating ool shadows.This fluidappli-cation contrasts with sharper,drylybrushed ouches such as bladesof grassbetween the wall and sidewalkor thebranches ffrangipani ising na burst fintense warmthagainst he bluesky.A
Wall, Nassau,dating romHomer'sec-ondtrip here n 1898,captureshedaz-
zling ightof acloudlessCaribbean ay.
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82 Bacchante and Infant Faun epito-mizes the jubilance of the Beaux Arts
style that dominated American sculp-ture at the turn of the century. Her
spiralingbaroqueform, twinkling eyes,
joyous mouth, and richly textured sur-
faceshelp to create one of the most glee-fulimages n Americanart.The sculptor,FrederickMacMonnies, gave the statueto the architect Charles McKim, who
placed it in the librarydesigned by hisfirm in Boston's Copley Square. Afterthe Women's Christian TemperanceUnion protested against the figure's"drunken indecency," the gift was re-
jected. McKim then presentedBacchante to the Metropolitan, whoseTrusteesenthusiasticallyacceptedher.
83 Thrusting aside an American flag,Mourning Victory emergesdramaticallyfrom a block of white marble. Sculptedwith a bravuraunsurpassed n American
art, the figure combines graceful Art-Nouveau-like lines with movingly ex-
pressive content. While Victory holdshigh a triumphant laurel, her downcast
eyes and unsmiling mouth projectmelancholy. It was undoubtedly withthis ambivalent sense of pride andlamentation that James C. Melvincommissioned this memorial fromDaniel Chester French to honor histhree brothers killed during the CivilWar. This is a replica by French of thefinished monument erected in Con-
cord, Massachusetts, in 1909.
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84 Paintedabout 1912byJohnS. Sar-
gent, this watercolor epictsthe artist'ssister,at the easel,and twocompanionsin the gardens f the Generalife,ormerresidenceof the sultansnearGranada,Spain.Sargent ividlydemonstrateshe
versatility f this medium n atechniqueranging romtransparentwashes,withlittle articulation of form, to well-worked, heavily saturated areas inwhich vigorous brushstrokescreate
deep, rich shadows. He achieves bril-liant highlightsby exposingthe white
paper,and enlivensfluidsurfaceswith
chalky alligraphicines.Sargentplacedhis figuresn an oblique,close-upview,which seemsto draw he spectatorntothe cool mysterioushadows.
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86 The windowmadeby FrankLloydWrightfor the Coonley playhouse nRiverside, llinois, s a remarkablenno-vation: a non-objective design con-ceived in 1911 before non-objectivepaintingwas generallyknown. Wrightcalled it "Kinder-symphony,"or it is
based on things children love-balloons, flags, confetti. The primarycolors and pattern bring to mind theworksof the Dutch painterMondrianandhis followers.Wright elt that win-dows were more than justgapingholesand ideal for ornamenting rooms.Handsome, decorative, the Coonleywindow(onlythe centralpanelis illus-trated)has survived ts removalto be-come a successful allerypiece as well.
87 The paintingsof MarsdenHartleycomeclose to Germanexpressionismn
feeling,with a heavy,broodingviewoflife often depicted, paradoxically, n
brightcolors. Portrait f a GermanOf-ficer waspaintedin Germany n 1914,when Hartley'sart was more finished
and controlled han any other time inhis career.A forcefulabstraction,t is a
startlingly advanced and integratedwork.Thecentralform,with tsdisparateelements, swells compellinglyon the
canvas, flagsand insigniaunderliningthe officer's uthority.The inclusionofnumbers and letters anticipates theworksof StuartDavisandJasper ohns.Broadbrushingaddspowerto the al-
ready trong magery.
85 Livingplantsseem transmutedntometal and glass in this lampof about1910by TiffanyStudios. Frombronze
lilypads,stems hrustupwardo supporta canopyof brilliant, ranslucent am-boo ladenwithlotuses.Centered n yel-low andgold, the blossomsareopales-cent at the edge-ivory tinged withblueand avender-and where he lightirradiateshem,flushedwithpink,rose,and vermilion. Between the bamboostalks are wateryhues of aquamarine,turquoise, and teal. The finest ofAmericanArtNouveau,LouisTiffany'sglass interpretations f plant life wonworld-widerecognition. Perhapshisflower hadesbestconveytheoriginalityof his vision.
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-W
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90 (insidebackcover) EdwardHoppecontinues he American radition f ob-
jective painting-the matter-of-factnessof Homer and Eakins-in thebroader terms of contemporaryartWhile the rangeof his subjectss widethey depict essentially the mood oAmericanlife, from a personalview
point, and light and its definition oscene and mood. Here in The Lighthouseat Two Lights, paintedin 1929mass is defined by walls of light andshadow.The building'ssolationon the
promontory reflects the curiouslyAmerican theme of detachment andloneliness, which runs throughall o
Hopper'sworks, strikinga responsivnote in all of us from the most avant
garde o the mosttraditional.
88 PaulStrand saw in the sensuouslycurvedautomobilea Janus-likeubjectthat looked forwardand backwardnartistic ime. AfterWorldWarI, whenartists rappled iththeproblem freal-
ityversus
abstraction,Strand ook twodirections: ne wasthe search or morerelevantobjective themes; the other,the studyof shapes, orms,andtexturesin a quest for abstraction.Here, in a1917platinumphotograph,headlight,spokes,brakedrum,and electriccable
suggest realities of the automobile'sfunction n modemlife;while the sinu-ous shadowsand reflections,creatingabstract atterns n the soft, brownish-
graymonochrome,are an expression fart forart's ake.
89 The ratherutilitarianDelmonico
Building, unlike the Flatiron(Figure78), was not a noteworthysubject or
photographers or printmakers. ForCharlesSheeler,however, tsgeometric
formprovided subject ompatiblewithhis obsession orclarity,withwhich hecouldimmortalizehe dynamism f theAmericanscene. Minimizing he win-dows and other necessities or habita-tion, and usinghis favoriteaccentsofextremesunlightand shadow o definethe essential shape, Sheeler furtherabstracted t into a statement of thevisual geometry inherent in a 20th-
centuryAmericancity. No attemptismade to relatethe DelmonicoBuildingto New York'saily ife.
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The paintings, furniture,and other works illustratedon the following pages-many of which are partof the exhibitio
Armchair, Brewsterype.Massachusetts,bout1640-1660.Gift of Mrs.J. InsleyBlair,51.12.2
Court cupboard. Milford,Connecticut (?),about1690-1700.Gift of Mrs.J.WoodhullOver-
ton, in memory f Mrs.J. InsleyBlair,53.197.1
Card table. Newport, Rhode Island, about1760-1775.Friends f the AmericanWingFund,67.114.1
Armchair. Philadelphia,Pennsylvania,about1740-1760.RogersFund,25.115.36
Pewter tankard, byJohnWill.NewYork, bout1752-1774.Giftof Mrs.J. InsleyBlair,nmemoryof herhusband, . InsleyBlair,40.184.1
Edward and SarahRutter,byJoshua ohnston.About 1805. Gift of EdgarWilliam andBemice
ChryslerGarbisch,65.254.3
Painted pine archway from heVanRensselamanorhouse,Albany,NewYork. 765-1769.Gifof Mrs.WilliamVanRensselaer,nmemory fher
husband,WilliamBayard anRensselaer,8.143
Moses Viewing the Promised Land, byBen
jaminWest.1801.Gift of Mr.andMrs.JamesW
Fosburgh, y exchange,69.73
Daniel Crommelin Verplanck, by John S.
Copley.1771.Giftof BayardVerplanck,9.12
?i
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been included to give some furtheridea of the great quality and scope of the Museum's collections of American arts
I
Secretary bookcase. Baltimore, Maryland,about 1810-1811.Gift of Mrs. RussellSage andvarious therdonors,69.203
General Jean-Victor Moreau, drawing,byCharles-Balthazar-JulienevretdeSaint-Memin.1811.Giftof WilliamH. Huntington,83.2.471
Sofa. New York,about 1820. Friendsof theAmericanWingFund,65.58
The Fallsof Niagara, by EdwardHicks.1825.Giftof EdgarWilliamand Berice ChryslerGar-
bisch,62.256.3
Kitty, engraving, by George White. About1821-1823. Gift of Mrs. E.C. Chadbourne,52.585.29
George Washington, byCharlesWillsonPeale.1779.Giftof CollisP.Huntington,97.33
Painted poplar chest. LebanonCounty,Penn
sylvania,1786.RogersFund,44.109.1
Plate. Pennsylvania,about 1790-1800.Gift o
Mrs.RobertW. de Forest,33.100.125
Silver teapot, by PaulRevere,Jr.Boston,Mas
sachusetts,about 1796. Bequestof A.T. Clear
water,33.120.543
Cast-iron Shaker stove. New Lebanon,New
York, bout1820-1840.RogersFund,67.181.1
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Embroidered wool carpet (detail),by ZeruahCaswell. Castleton, Vermont, 1835. Gift ofKatharine eyes, nmemory f her ather,HomerEatonKeyes,38.157
Raffling for the Goose, by William SidneyMount.1837.Gift ofJohnD. Crimmins, 7.36
Queen Victoria, by ThomasSully. 1838. Be-
questof FrancisT.S. Darley,14.126.1
Silver flute. Signed:A.G. Badger nd Co. Giftof Dr.W.P.Northrup,23.153
Euphemia White Van Rensselaer, byGeorgePeterAlexanderHealy. 1842. Bequestof Cor-neliaCruger,23.102
The Beeches, byAsher BrownDurand.1845.
Bequest f MariaDeWittJesup, rom he collec-tion of herhusband,MorrisK. Jesup,15.30.59
The Coming Storm, by Martin JohnsonHeade.1859. Giftof theErvingWolfFoundation
(two-thirds ndividednterest),1975.160
Piano, byNunns,New York.About 1850.Gifto
GeorgeLowther,06.1312
Tete-a-tete attributed o John Henry BelterAbout 1855. Gift of Mrs. Charles ReginalLeonard, n memoryof EdgarWelch LeonardRobertJarvisLeonard,and CharlesReginalLeonard, 7.130.7
The White Captive, marble,by ErastusDowPalmer.1859. Giftof HamiltonFish,94.9.3
s~~~~~~n
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Banjo. Gift of H. McCord,89.4.2677
Compote by ChristianDorflinger.GreenpointGlassWorks,Brooklyn,New York,about 1861.Giftof Mrs.KathrynHait DorflingerManchee,1972.232.1
The Boulder and the Flume in Franconia
Notch, New Hampshire, by Ralph AlbertBlakelock.1878. Gift of Mr. andMrs.HughJ.Grant,1974.212
Portrait of the Artist, gouache,by MaryCas-satt. 1878. Bequest of Edith H. Proskauer,1975.319.1
Ralph Waldo Emerson, bronze, by DanielChester French.1879. Gift of Daniel Chester
French,07.101
Side chair. New York,about 1880. Purchase,The SylmarisCollection, Gift of GeorgeCoe
Graves,1975.277
Whistler, monotype, by CharlesA. Cornin1880. The ElishaWhittelseyFund, 60.611.134
Clock, by Tiffany& Co. 1882. Gift of MrsWilliamM. Kingsland, 6.1206
The Fitting, drypointandsoft-ground tchingby MaryCassatt. 1891. Gift of PaulJ. Sachs16.2.2
A Bachelor's Drawer, byJohnHaberle.18901894. Purchase,HenryR. LuceGift, 1970.19
4
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Ernesta with Nurse, by Cecilia Beaux.1894.MariaDeWittJesupFund,65.49
The Red Bridge, byJulianAldenWeir. 1895.Giftof Mrs.JohnA. Rutherfurd, 4.141
Mandolin, by Angelo Mannello, New York.About1900. Giftof the Familyof AngeloMan-
nello, 1972.111.2
Ewer, plateau."Martele"ilverbyGorhamMfg.Co., Providence,RhodeIsland.About1901.Giftof HughJ. Grant,1974.214.26
Amor Caritas, gilded bronze, by AugustusSaint-Gaudens. 898(thisversioncastin 1918).RogersFund,19.124
The Wyndham Sisters, by John S. Sargent.1900. Purchase,CatharineLorillardWolfe Col-
lection,27.67
The Gulf Stream, by WinslowHomer. 1899.
Purchase,CatharineLorillardWolfeCollection,06.1234
The Thinker: Portrait f LouisN. Kenton,byThomas Eakins.1900. John StewartKennedFund,17.172
Rainy Night, CharingCrossShops,etching,byJosephPennell.1903.Harris risbaneDickFund17.3.505
Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Newton Phelps Stokes,byJohnS. Sargent.1897.Bequest f EdithMinturnPhelpsStokes,38.104
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Across the Room, by Edmund C. Tarbell.About 1905. Bequestof Adelaide Milton deGroot,67.187.141
Table, designedby FrankLloydWright.About1912.Purchase,ncome rom he EmilyC. Chad-bourneBequest,1972.60.3
Coney Island, by JosephStella. About 1915.
GeorgeA. HearnFund,63.69
Athletic Contest, byMaxWeber.1915.GeorgeA. HeamFund,67.112
Dancer and Gazelles, bronze,by Paul Man-
ship.1916.FrancisLathropBequestFund,59.54
Copper lamp, probably y DirkVanErp.San
Francisco,California,about 1915-1925.RogersFund,1974.326
The Church at Gloucester, by Childe Has-sam.1918.ArthurH. Hear Fund,25.206
WomanWalking,chromewithblackonyxbase
by Gaston Lachaise.AlfredStieglitzCollection49.70.223
Portrait of Ralph Dusenberry, by ArthurG.Dove.1924.AlfredStieglitzCollection,49.70.36
I Saw the Figure 5 in Gold, byCharlesHenrDemuth. 1928. Alfred Stieglitz Collection,49.59.1
243
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Credits for Figures 1.90
1Oak,1.49/8 in. GiftofMrs.RussellSage,10.125.685 2 Silver,diam. 10in. Inscribed QVforTheunisandVroutjeQuick.SamuelD. LeeFund,38.63 3
Oakandmaple,w. 361/4n. Giftof Mrs.J. InsleyBlair, 1.12.1 4 Silver,h. 7/8 in. Gift of MissAnnieClarkson, 7.85.1 5 Oakandmaple,h. 48 in. Giftof
Mrs.RussellSage,10.125.228 6 Oil on canvas,49 x 39 in. MariaDeWittJesupFund,34.153 7 Olivewoodandwalnutveneers;walnut,poplar,pine,and
oak;h. 40 in. Gift ofMrs.RussellSage,10.125.75 8 Mapleandoak,w. 31/2 in. Gift of Mrs.ScrevenLorillard,2.195.4 9 Silver,h. 7?4 n. Engraved ith
the arms f Myndert chuyler fAlbany.RogersFund,47.7 10 Mapleandpine,h. 62?2 n. Purchase,osephPulitzer equest,40.37.3 11Walnut,maple
andwool,h. 463/ in.Gift ofMrs.J. InsleyBlair, 0.228.3 12Mahogany ndpine,h. 101 n. Gift of Mrs.RussellSage,10.125.81 13Mahogany ndpoplarh. 34/2 in. RogersFund,27.57.1 14 Oil on canvas, 48/2 x 38V2 n. Victor Wilbour MemorialFund,55.55 15 Mahogany,h. 37 in. Purchas
Sansbury-MillsndRogersFunds;EmilyC. ChadbourneGift;VirginiaGroomes,Gift in memory f MaryW. Groomes;Mr. and Mrs. Marshall . Blankar
Gift;JohnBierwirth ndRobertG. GoeletGifts;Giftsof GeorgeCoe Graves,The SylmarisCollection,and Mrs.RussellSage,by exchange; nd Fundsrom
VariousDonors,1974.325 16 Oil on canvas,36 x 501/4n. Giftof SamuelP.Avery,97.29.3 17 Mahogany ndpine,h. 963/4n. Purchase, riendsf the
AmericanWingandRogersFunds;.Aron& Co., Inc.Gift;VirginiaGroomes,Giftinmemory fMaryW. Groomes;Mr.andMrs.FrederickM. Danzigernd
HermannMerkinGifts,1975.91 18 Silver,1. 141/2n. Inscribed SCfor Samueland SusanComell. MorrisK.JesupFund,54.167 19 Pine andpoplar,1.
521/2n. RogersFund,23.16 20 Oil on canvas,344 x 32 in. GiftofEdgarWilliamandBemiceChryslerGarbisch, 3.201.1 21 Cherry,h. 447/sn. Gift of
Mrs. . InsleyBlair, 3.149.1 22 Oil on canvas,352 x283/ in. MorrisK.JesupFund,31.109 23 Mahogany, . 313/ in. RogersFund,25.115.31 24Oilon
canvas,50x 40 in. Bequest fRichardDeWolfeBrixey, 3.86.4 25 Oilon canvas,282 x 23?2 n. Bequest fMaryStillmanHarkness, 0.145.37 26 Glass
h. with cover1 1/4n. Engraved ith the arms fBremen,Germany, nd nscription.RogersFund,28.52 27 Mahogany ndmaple,1. 582 in. TheSylmar
Collection,Gift ofGeorgeCoeGraves,30.120.59 28 Mahogany ndglass,h. 45 in. Sansbury-Millsund,52.86 29 Oil on canvas,30Y4 25?4 n. RogerFund,07.160 30 Engraving, fteradrawing yPeterLacour,162 x 123/ in. The EdwardW. C. Arold CollectionofNew YorkPrints,Maps,andPicture
54.90.743 31 EngravingySamuelSeymour, fterapaintingbyWilliamBirch,1811/16x 237/8n.The EdwardW. C. Arold CollectionofNew York rintsMaps,andPictures, 4.90.612 32 Pine,glass,andbrass,h. 50Y2 n. Sansbury-Millsund,56.46.1 33 Mahogany ndbirch,w. 46 in. Bequest fCecileL
Mayer subjecto two interveningifeestates),62.171.6 34 Oil on canvas,20/4 x 26/2 in. MariaDeWittJesupFund,39.52 35 Mahogany,maple,ash
pine,andebony,h. 377/8n. Friends f theAmericanWingFund,62.16 36 Mahogany ndsatinwood, . 96 in. Purchase,GiftofMrs.RussellSage,Bequest f
EthelYocum,Bequest fCharlotteE.Hoadley,RogersFund,byexchange,1971.9 37 Cotton, 104x 90 in. Gift of CatharineE.Cotheal,38.59 38 Oil on
wood, 19Y8 29Y2n. Gift ofEdgarWilliamand Berice ChryslerGarbisch, 3.201.3 39 Silver,1.11 3/16in. FletcherFund,59.152.1 40 Mahogany, .
843/4n. Giftof C. RuxtonLove,60.4.1 41 Mahogany, osewood, therwoods, marble,ormolu,andglass,h. 35 in. Friends f the AmericanWingFund
68.43 42 Oil on canvas,511/2 76 in. Giftof Mrs.RussellSage,08.228 43 Rosewood ndormolu,h. 31/2 in. Edgar . KaufmannCharitable oundatio
Fund,68.94.2 44 Mahogany, . 34 in. EdgarJ.Kaufmann haritable oundation und,68.202.1 45 Oil on canvas,733/ x 575/8n. Bequest fHerbertL.
Pratt,45.62.1 46 Oil on canvas,27 x 34?8in. Purchase,CharlesAllen MunnBequest,66.126 47 Oil on canvas,29 x 36Y2 n. MorrisK. JesupFund
33.61 48 Daguerreotypeithhand-tintedbackground,5/8 55/8 n. Giftof I. N. PhelpsStokesandOthers,37.14.4 49 Marble,h. 34Y2n. Giftof Mrs
FrancesV. Nash, 94.14 50 Mahogany,h. 84 in. Sansbury-Millsund, 1971.219,220 51 Oil on canvas,66Y8 119Y4n. Bequestof Mrs.DavidDows
09.95 52 Oil oncanvas,44/8 x 663/8n. Bequest f MariaDeWittJesup,15.30.61 53 Albumenphotograph, 05/8 157/8n. DavidHunterMcAlpinFund
1970.540.1 54 Bronze,h. 16 n. MorrisK.JesupFund,1973.257 55 Oil on canvas,73Y4 1203/4n. RogersFund,07.123 56 Oilon canvas,32/4 x 46Y
in. Purchase,AlfredN. PunnettFundand Giftof GeorgeD. Pratt,34.92 57 Oil on canvas,24 x 38 in. Gift of Mrs.FrankB. Porter, 2.207 58 Oil on
canvas,48 x 733/8n. Gift of FredericH. Hatch,26.97 59 Oil on canvas,218 x 30/4 in. Gift of GeorgeI. Seney,87.8.8 60 Oil on wood, 113/x 12in.
SamuelD. LeeFund,34.55 61 Oil on canvas,40 x 30 in. Purchase,CatharineLorillardWolfeCollection,63.85 62 Oil on canvas,60x 787/8n. MorrisK.
JesupFund,68.52 63 Oil on canvas,29 x 24 in. Giftof MaryCassatt,23.101 64 Silk, 1. 97 in. Gift of theFamily fMrs.CandaceWheeler throughMrs
BoudinotKeith),28.34.1 65 Drypoint, oft-groundtching,andaquatint,13/8 x8 15/16in.GiftofPaulJ.Sachs,16.2.9 66 Ebonized nd nlaidcherry, .
781/2n. Gift of Kenneth0. Smith,69.140 67 Oil oncanvas,76Y8 353/ in. Purchase,CatharineLorillardWolfeCollection,13.20 68 Monotype,19Y2
153/ n. Purchase, ouisV. Bell,WilliamE.Dodge,andFletcherFunds;Murray afskyGift;andFunds romVariousDonors,1974.544 69 Bronze, . 20Y4n.
Gift ofMrs.SchuylerVanRensselaer,7.104 70 Oil oncanvas,30 x 23 in. FletcherFund,23.139 71 Oil on canvas,40Y8 35 in. AmeliaB. Lazarusund
13.90 72 Oil on canvas,26 x 32Y4 n. Giftof GeorgeA. Heam, 10.64.9 73 Oil on canvas,82Y8 43Y4n. ArthurHoppockHeamFund,16.53 74
Rosewood nlaid with brassandmother-of-pearl,. 52 in. The RussellSageFund,1972.47 75 Woodinlaidwith mother-of-pearl,. 9 in. Gift of Jack
Steinberg,n memory f Mrs.ReginaPerlmutterteinberg,1973.170 76 Watercolor n paper,16Y8 15 in. Giftof the Estateof Mrs.EdwardRobinson
52.126.6 77 Chloridephotograph,
7/16x 35/8n. AlfredStieglitzCollection,
49.55.5 78Photograph, umprint
overplatinum;
187/s 15in. Alfred
StieglitzCollection,3.43.39 79 Oil oncanvas,343/sx504 in. GiftofGeorgeA.Hearn,10.64.5 80 Oiloncanvas,357/sx48Y8n. GiftofHughReisinge11.17 81 Watercolor npaper, 43/x 21?2 n. AmeliaB.Lazarusund,10.228.9 82 Bronze, . 83 in. Giftof CharlesFollenMcKim, 7.19 83 Marble, .
146 n. GiftofJamesC. Melvin,15.75 84 Pencilandwatercolornpaper,143/4 177/8n. Purchase,osephPulitzer equest,15.142.8 85 Bronze nd eade
glass,h. 145/8n. Giftof HughJ. Grant,1974.214.15 86 Leaded lass,approx.84 x 26 in. Purchase,EdwardC. Moore,Jr.,Gift andEdgar . Kaufman
Charitable oundation und,67.231.2 87 Oilon canvas,684 x 413/8n. AlfredStieglitzCollection,49.70.42 88 Platinum hotograph, 215/16x 105/16
in. AlfredStieglitzCollection,49.55.318 89 Lithograph,3/ x 63/ in. JohnB. Turner und,68.728 90 Oilon canvas,292 x 43Y4n. HugoKastor und
62.95
244
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Figure 0, TheLighthouse t TwoLightsbyEdwardHopper.HugoKastorFund,62.95