The Decorative Arts Trust - Fostering appreciation for the decorative arts

Trust Tour: Ralph Harvard and the Nicholson House

Join us for a private virtual Trust Tour of the 18th-century Abel and Mary Nicholson House in Salem, NJ

Critical Operations Support Fund

Contribute to the Decorative Arts Trust to ensure our survival through these uncertain times and allow us to continue to serve our friends, emerging scholars, and partner institutions

Learn More

Membership with the Decorative Arts Trust

Your support allows us to achieve our mission of promoting the study and appreciation of the decorative arts

Join or Renew Today

Collaboration, Partnership, and Support

Help us continue our mission to promote and foster the appreciation and study of the decorative arts

Make a Donation

Merchandise Now Available

Our online merchandise store has totebags, umbrellas, and more

Shop Now

LATEST NEWS

View

Oct 28

Open

“This first portrait of Washington, painted before he had to worry about his national reputation or national memory, is an image that promotes indigenous dispossession and foretells of his later actions against the indigenous nationals who prevented expansion by white settlers.” ⁠
-Janine Yorimoto Boldt, PhD ⁠
⁠
In her October 22 Trust Talk with Daniel Ackermann, Janine Boldt used colonial portraits as material evidence to investigate cross-culture encounters and the development of social and racial relations. In the first portrait of George Washington painted at Mt. Vernon by Charles Wilson Peale (1772), she uses a close reading of the landscape background as a gateway to interpret the painting as a depiction of Washington as ‘Caunotaucarius’ or the town taker, a name that was given to Washington by a Seneca leader after his brutal campaign against them during the Seven Years War. ⁠
⁠
Instead of interpreting colonial portraits as family documents or commodities, inclusivity is central to Janine’s research as she builds scholarship that considers how diverse peoples have influenced these works and American art. ⁠
⁠
Watch the Trust Talk recording on our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/00XIcDj-oz0⁠
⁠
Learn more in this blog post: https://decorativeartstrust.org/colonial-portraits-boldt-ackermann-post/⁠
⁠
@Janine_Marie31 ⁠
@MESDAgram⁠
#TrustVirtual ⁠
#StudySouth ⁠
#DecorativeArts⁠
#MaterialCulture⁠
#ArtHistory⁠
#Paintings⁠
#Art⁠
#History ⁠
#AmericanArt⁠
#ColonialPortraits⁠
#Portraits⁠
#Research

View

Oct 26

Open

The baroque brickwork featured on the Nicholson House is a rare survival. The year of construction, 1722, is boldly inlaid in sparkling headers above 45 diamond patterns. Despite its Quaker origins, the Nicholson House was a grand and highly decorated dwelling for its time. Such brickwork called for skilled bricklayers who had to plan the pattern layout in advance with care and concentration. John Mason and William Petty carried out this work for the Nicholson House and inscribed their initials, as well as those of the owners, in the brick by the front door. ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Join us for a virtual Trust Tour at 3:00 pm on November 10 as Ralph Harvard reveals the many tales of his historic home currently undergoing preservation. This incredible property and Ralph’s racoon fur hat are not to be missed. ⁠
⁠⠀
Registration Fee: Pay What You Can. Register at decorativeartstrust.org/nicholson-house-trust-tour. ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
@TheRalphHarvard⁠⠀
#TrustVirtual ⁠⠀
#DecorativeArts⁠⠀
#MaterialCulture⁠⠀
#18thCentury⁠⠀
#Architecture⁠⠀
#Interiors ⁠⠀
#Research⁠⠀
#Brickwork⁠⠀
#HistoricHome⁠⠀
#History ⁠⠀
#HistoricNewJersey⁠⠀
#NewJersey⁠⠀
#NJ

View

Oct 23

Open

‘Kodama’ is a Japanese word that refers to the spirit of wood. Central to the Japanese aesthetic is a respect for the materials and a respect for natural forms. These principles were mirrored in the philosophy behind the Modernist design movement.

Participants in the Decorative Arts Trust’s October 17 Philadelphia Gardens in Fall program explored the relationship between Modernism and Japanese design during a visit to Shofuso House. Shofuso House is a 17th-century-style Japanese house built in Japan in the mid-20th century as a gift to American citizens. Originally exhibited in the courtyard at MoMA, the structure has a history of facilitating the relationship between Modernism and Japanese aesthetics. During our gardens program, we enjoyed a tour of the exhibition, ‘Shofuso and Modernism: Mid-Century Collaboration between Japan and Philadelphia,’ from the curators William Whitaker and Yuka Yokoyama.

Explore the exhibition and Shofuso house in this documentary: https://www.shofusoandmodernism.com/.

Read more about this invigorating in-person event on our blog: https://decorativeartstrust.org/philadelphia-gardens-bartrams-shofuso-post.

@Shofuso
@TheMuseumOfModernArt
#TravelsWithTheTrust
#DecorativeArts
#MaterialCulture
#Art
#Modernism
#Nakashima
#Architecture
#Design
#ArtHistory
#History
#ShofusoAndModernism
#JapanPhilly2020
#Philadelphia
#MoMA

View

Oct 21

Open

Wharton Esherick, George Nakashima, Jacob Maentel. These are just a few of the notable names to come out of Pennsylvania’s storied history of artistry and craftsmanship. On October 28, Freeman’s Auction will celebrate the state’s legacy with its signature Pennsylvania Sale, this year in the form of an online-only auction. In a new blog, Vice Presidents Lynda Cain and Tim Andreadis spoke with the Trust on continuing the Pennsylvania tradition in the face of a pandemic, and what opportunities lie ahead for collectors of decorative arts and design: https://decorativeartstrust.org/freemans-auction/.⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Image 1: Wharton Esherick, “Hammer Handle” Chair for Hedgerow Theatre, 1938, Paoli PA. Hickory, oak, painted canvas belting. The Hedgerow Theatre Collection. ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Image 2: George Nakashima, “Conoid” Bench, 1976, New Hope, PA. American black walnut, hickory. ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Image 3: Attributed to Jacob Maentel, An Important Family Portrait: Mary Ann and John Michael Kitzmiller and Children, Littlestown, Adams County, PA. Watercolor and ink on paper. ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
@FreemansAuction⁠⠀
@TarynUpMyHeart14⁠⠀
#FreemansAuction ⁠⠀
#DecorativeArts ⁠⠀
#Design ⁠⠀
#Pennsylvania ⁠⠀
#AmericanFurniture ⁠⠀
#GeorgeNakashima ⁠⠀
#WhartonEsherick ⁠⠀
#HedgerowTheatre ⁠⠀
#Chippendale ⁠⠀
#FolkArt

View

Oct 20

Open

How do we quantify the popularity of a president without pollsters and statisticians? Material evidence, like this delicate watercolor miniature of George Washington, painted by James Peale and enshrined in a small gold case with a lock of Washington’s hair in the back locket, created after the death of George Washington, may not give us a numerical figure, but they do indicate the saint-like status that America’s first president created. Objects like this one tell us as much about a feeling as an event. ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Share those feelings in our next Trust Tour where we share a behind the scenes tour of the soon-to-close exhibition, ‘A Collector’s Vision: Highlights from the Dietrich American Foundation.’ During this virtual tour at 12:30 pm ET on October 27, Curator Deborah Rebuck and Richard Dietrich III will share the terrific installation as well as the story of one of the greatest Americana collections in the country. ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Register here: https://decorativeartstrust.org/dietrich-tour/⁠⠀
⁠⠀
@RichardDietrichIII ⁠⠀
@PhilaMuseum ⁠⠀
#TrustVirtual⁠⠀
#DecorativeArts⁠⠀
#MaterialCulture⁠⠀
#Hairwork⁠⠀
#PhiladelphiaHistory⁠⠀
#Miniatures ⁠⠀
#PortraitMiniatures ⁠⠀
#Collections⁠⠀
#Antiques ⁠⠀
#GeorgeWashington⁠⠀
#JamesPeale⁠⠀
#Locket⁠⠀
#EighteenthCentury⁠⠀
#History⁠⠀
#Art⁠⠀
#ArtHistory⁠⠀
#Americana⁠⠀
#Philadelphia⁠⠀
⁠⠀

View

Oct 16

Open

Peek into the world’s largest collection of historical pigments! In the fascinating 'A History of Color: An Audio Tour of the Forbes Pigment Collection' online resource, Narayan Khandekar, senior conservation scientist and director of the Straus Center for Conservation and Technical Studies at the Harvard Art Museums, and Alison Cariens, the Straus Center’s conservation coordinator, the stories behind some of history’s most fascinating colors. The Forbes Pigment Collection at the Harvard Art Museums began at the turn of the 20th century and today contains more than 2,500 pigments. ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Experience the online audio tour here: https://www.harvardartmuseums.org/tour/a-history-of-color-an-audio-tour-of-the-forbes-pigment-collection ⁠
⁠⠀
@HarvardArtMuseums⁠⠀
#DecorativeArts⁠⠀
#MaterialCulture⁠⠀
#Pigment⁠⠀
#Paint⁠⠀
#Museum⁠⠀
#MuseumFromHome⁠⠀
#Conservation

View

Oct 14

Open

📆 October 31 is the deadline to apply for a Dean F. Failey Grant. The Decorative Arts Trust will underwrite grants totaling $25,000 this fall in support of noteworthy research, exhibition, publication, and object-based conservation projects through the Dean F. Failey Fund, named in honor of the Trust’s late Governor. Areas of interest include new scholarship in decorative arts, material culture, craftsmanship, and historic preservation. ⁠
⁠
More information: https://decorativeartstrust.org/failey-grant/ ⁠
⁠
Pictured: Alexandra Ward, a past recipient of a Decorative Arts Trust Summer Research Grant, introduces a sequence of didactic displays that were developed to contextualize the Leslie P. and George H. Hume American Furniture Study Center, partially funded through a Dean F. Failey Grant from the Trust. ⁠
⁠
#DecorativeArts⁠
#MaterialCulture⁠
#Grants⁠
#Funding⁠
#HistoricPreservation⁠
#Craftsmanship⁠
#Research⁠
#Exhibition⁠
#Publication⁠
#Conservation⁠
#Museum⁠
#ArtHistory⁠
#History

View

Oct 12

Open

The National Trust in the UK recently completed a study of colonialism and slavery in relation to the houses in their care. This 'Interim Report on the Connections between Colonialism and Properties now in the Care of the National Trust, Including Links with Historic Slavery' details the connections 93 historic places have with colonialism and historic slavery, including the global slave trades, goods and products of enslaved labor, abolition and protest, and the East India Company. The report has been designed as a catalyst for further research and future editions are already planned. ⁠
⁠
Pictured: A view of the 'Clive Museum' and Tipu Sultan's palanquin at Powis Castle, Powys, Wales (courtesy of the National Trust/Paul Highnam). In the 18th century, under Robert Clive (1725-74), the East India Company used its wealth and armies to forcibly invade and conquer the Indian subcontinent to exploit the rich natural resources held there. As well as creating the British Empire in India, this ensured that Clive became vastly wealthy, and in 1768 he spent around £100,000 remodelling the Claremont estate in Surrey. Today, Claremont gardens are cared for by the National Trust. Robert's son, Edward Clive (1754–1839) as Governor of Madras, bears responsibility for the defeat and death of Tipu Sultan (1750–99), the ruler of Mysore. Both Robert and Edward Clive’s colonial legacy can be seen today in a collection known as the ‘Clive Museum’ at Powis Castle. Edward Clive’s son, also called Edward, inherited Powis when his maternal uncle, the Earl of Powis, died. The collection of Indian objects include Tipu Sultan’s magnificent state tent and a gold and jewelled tiger’s head finial from his throne. ⁠
⁠
Read the study here: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/addressing-the-histories-of-slavery-and-colonialism-at-the-national-trust.⁠
⁠
@NationalTrust ⁠
@NTPowisCastle ⁠
#PowisCastle⁠
#DecorativeArts⁠
#MaterialCulture ⁠
#Colonialism⁠
#Slavery⁠
#History⁠
#ArtHistory⁠
#Research⁠
#Study

View

Oct 9

Open

Do you know how to identify this sofa as made in Philadelphia from this photo alone? Answer in the comments and watch our latest Trust Tour to find out for yourself. ⁠
⁠
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpGPqH9QjFk⁠
⁠
#TrustVirtual ⁠
#Dogs⁠
#DecorativeArts⁠
#MaterialCulture⁠
#Furniture⁠
#Sofa⁠
#Antiques ⁠
#Philadelphia

View

Oct 8

Open

"Lucy Parke Byrd stands outdoors and wears a yellow wrap dress with blue ribbon at her breast. Her right hand is lifted and pointing to her right. A young enslaved male attendant wearing a blue Ottoman-inspired suit with silver trim and a red belt stands just behind her to her left. He offers her a gold-embroidered, red textile with his left hand. A coiled basket, likely made by Southeastern Indians, rests on a stone to her right. A white cloth hangs out of it.” - Janine Yorimoto Boldt, PhD
⁠⠀
Find out what details, like these, found in Virginia Portraits, can reveal in our upcoming Trust Talk. Join us on Thursday, October 22 at 7:00 pm EST to hear from Janine Yorimoto Boldt, PhD, from the American Philosophical Society as she unpacks two portraits and shares information about their subjects’ complicated lives, the development of Virginia society, and the impact that diverse peoples had on early American art. Janine will be joined in conversation with Daniel K. Ackermann, PhD, Interim Chief Curator, Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts. This is sure to be a fascinating conversation you won’t want to miss. ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
➡️ Register at https://decorativeartstrust.org/trust-talk-paintings/.⁠⠀
⁠⠀
🖼️ Detail of: Unknown artist, ‘Lucy Parke Byrd,’ 1716. Virginia Museum of History & Culture. ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
@Janine_Marie31 ⁠⠀
@MESDAgram⁠⠀
@AmPhilSociety⁠⠀
#StudySouth⁠⠀
#DecorativeArts⁠⠀
#MaterialCulture⁠⠀
#ArtHistory⁠⠀
#Art⁠⠀
#History⁠⠀
#Research

View

Oct 6

Open

"The framing of our inquiries and the direction of our focus can shed new light on well-known objects associated with well-known makers.”⁠
⁠
This tall case clock by William Faris is the only extant object with a signed label featuring John Shaw and Archibald Chisholm. At the time of the clock's construction, Shaw and Chisholm enslaved 8 and 7 individuals, respectively. This reliance on enslaved craftspeople was typical of successful artisans in colonial Annapolis. Learn about the contribution of enslaved labor in the production of material goods, like this clock, in the recording and blog post about the September 29 Trust Talk, ‘Who Built the City on the Severn? Slavery and Craft in Early Annapolis’ with Bethany McGlyn and Tiffany Momon. ⁠
⁠
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=te0Nd7LE_J0⁠
⁠
Blog post: https://decorativeartstrust.org/annapolis-trust-talk/⁠
⁠
📷 Workshops of John Shaw, Archibald Chisholm, and William Faris, Tall case clock, 1772-1776, Annapolis, MD. Mahogany, mahogany veneer, pine, silver, brass, paint. Historic Annapolis, Inc., 2004.08. ⁠
⁠
@BethanyMcGlyn_⁠
@TMomonHP⁠
@BlackCraftsPeopleDA⁠
@HistoricAnnapolis⁠
@WinterthurMuse⁠
#TrustVirtual ⁠
#DecorativeArts⁠
#MaterialCulture⁠
#BlackHistory⁠
#Annapolis

View

Oct 5

Open

When Jay Krehbiel became CEO at Hindman Auctions in October 2019, there was no way to predict what the year ahead would hold. He has seen the best of times and worst of times, but Hindman’s strong sell-through rates and busy schedule serve as a testament to the resilience of the market. In advance of their Fine Furniture, Decorative Arts and Silver sale and his one year anniversary at the helm, Krehbiel reflects on the Herculean efforts of Hindman to serve their clients: https://decorativeartstrust.org/hindman/.⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Images 1 & 2: Ten French Painted Canvas Panels of Various Ports in France. 18th Century. Largest panel 73 ½ x 81 ¼ in. Property from a Robert Metzger-designed interior, Maryland.⁠
⁠⠀
Image 3: A Pair of Chinese Chippendale Giltwood and Reverse-Painted Glass Mirrors. 18th Century. 36 x 13 in. Property from the Estate of Joseph E. Suiter, Columbus, Ohio. ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Image 4: An Italian Neoclassical Green-Painted and Parcel Gilt Marble-Top Console Table. Late 18th Century. 31 ¼ x 46 ¾ x 23 ¼ in. Property Sold to Benefit the Acquisition Fund of The San Diego Museum of Art. ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
@HindmanAuctions⁠⠀
@TarynUpMyHeart14⁠⠀
#DecorativeArts ⁠⠀
#HindmanAuctions ⁠⠀
#AuctionHouse ⁠⠀
#Chicago ⁠⠀
#18thCentury ⁠⠀
#Silver ⁠⠀
#Furniture⁠⠀
#Antiques

View

Sep 30

Open

🗓️ Event Reminder! Join us at 4:00 pm on Saturday, October 3, for a private virtual Trust Tour of Curt Chinnici’s 1860 Philadelphia Victorian! Hear the tales earned from over 30-years of collecting as Curt shares some of his favorite objects that make his Fishtown rowhouse a remarkable home. ⁠
⁠
Register at https://decorativeartstrust.org/chinnici-trust-tour/ today, and we will ""see"" you online on Saturday! ⁠
⁠
📷 Dining room photo by Michael Bryant, courtesy of The Philadelphia Inquirer. ⁠
⁠
#TrustVirtual ⁠
#DecorativeArts⁠
#MaterialCulture⁠
#Antiques⁠
#Furniture⁠
#AntiqueFurniture ⁠
#Design⁠
#InteriorDesign⁠
#Architecture⁠
#Victorian⁠
#Philadelphia⁠
#Fishtown

View

Sep 28

Open

View

Sep 24

Open

If you like Herter Brothers furniture as much as this guy, then you will want to check out our upcoming Trust Tour! Enjoy the true love of collecting with our October 3 Trust Tour featuring an exclusive visit to Trust member Curt Chinnici’s 1860 Philadelphia Victorian. Curt purchased the Fishtown rowhouse in 1995, many years before that neighborhood became fashionable. He and his husband, Troy Bianchi, revitalized the house with incredible care, and their attention to soft furnishings and period lighting created rich and beautifully designed interiors full of splendid objects. Curt and Troy’s collection focuses on the late classical and early revival styles of the 1820s to 1840s but also includes this impressive Herter Brothers bedroom suite. ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Trust Tours is a monthly virtual program that gives viewers the opportunity to go behind the scenes and experience incredible collections live. Curators, collectors, and lovers of decorative arts share favorite objects through 40-minute tours hosted on Zoom.⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Register at https://decorativeartstrust.org/chinnici-trust-tour/. ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
@DogsOfInstagram ⁠⠀
#TrustVirtual ⁠⠀
#DecorativeArts⁠⠀
#MaterialCulture⁠⠀
#Antiques⁠⠀
#Furniture⁠⠀
#AntiqueFurniture⁠⠀
#HerterBrothers ⁠⠀
#Architecture⁠⠀
#Victorian⁠⠀
#Philadelphia⁠⠀
#Fishtown

View

Sep 23

Open

Mary Raines is a longtime Decorative Arts Trust member and serves on our Board and is the Chair of the Membership and Marketing Committee. Why does she love the Trust?⁠⠀
⁠⠀
"My first Decorative Arts Trust symposium was sometime in the 1990s. I didn’t know anyone attending, but I felt warmly welcomed, and I was hooked! Over time, I have participated in many symposia across the country and overseas. As one Trust trip ends, I look forward to the next!"⁠⠀
📷 Nostell Priory during the Yorkshire Study Trip Abroad in 2016 ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
"The shared interests in material culture among all of the Trust participants creates an instant bond and sense of camaraderie. Every trip is an adventure full of surprises." ⁠⠀
📷 Elbe River boat cruise during the Dresden, Leipzig & Berlin Study Trip Abroad in 2015 ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
"My primary interest is American Silver, and I have seen some spectacular pieces, including an incredible collection at the Maryland State House in Annapolis." ⁠⠀
📷 Silver display at the Maryland State House during the Annapolis Symposium in 2018 ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
"When the Trust visited Savannah a few years ago, I had a 'behind the scenes' look at the work and preparations that make the programs outstanding. It was great to show off my town to a group of appreciative visitors from all over the country." ⁠⠀
📷 Owens-Thomas House during the Savannah Symposium in 2017 ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
"As fun and educational as the trips are, the Trust’s work to assist and promote new scholars and professionals in the field is even more exciting. I love that the Trust does this, and we all benefit from the fresh research and insights." ⁠⠀
📷 Summer Research Grant recipient Christine Garnier at the W. M. Keck Museum ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
"It’s easy to get hooked on the Trust. That’s why I love it!" ⁠⠀
📷 The Anatomical Theater in the Gustavianum Museum during the Sweden & Denmark Study Trip Abroad in 2018 ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
🌟 If you love the arts, history, and travel and would like to join the Decorative Arts Trust community, consider becoming a member at https://decorativeartstrust.org/join/.

View

Sep 21

Open

The fall is better in person. Join us outside and offline as we explore Philadelphia’s 300-year-old horticultural legacy on October 17.⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Our day begins in Bartram’s Garden, John Bartram’s botanical collection that has served as a microcosmic representation of the world since 1728. Site curator Joel Fry leads us through the magnificent gardens and shares the history of the site. ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
For lunch we enjoy custom farm-to-table box lunches from Helm, before heading to the 17th-century-style Japanese house in Fairmount Park, Shofuso House and Garden. We experience the gardens originally designed by Tansai Sano, and curator William Whitaker onsite to provide a tour of his recently opened exhibition, ‘Shofuso and Modernism: Mid-Century Collaboration between Japan and Philadelphia.’⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Space is limited. Register today! https://decorativeartstrust.org/philadelphia-gardens-2020/ ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
@BartramsGarden⁠⠀
@Shofuso⁠⠀
@HelmPhilly⁠⠀
#TravelsWithTheTrust ⁠⠀
#DecorativeArts⁠⠀
#MaterialCulture⁠⠀
#Garden⁠⠀
#Architecture⁠⠀
#History⁠⠀
#ArtHistory⁠⠀
#ArtTour⁠⠀
#philadelphia

View

Sep 17

Open

#TBT: Sitting in Republic Square on the site of a palace for the kingdom of Bohemia, the Obecni Dum (Municipal House) is the best example of Art Nouveau architecture in Prague, which the Trust visited in 2018. Designed by Osvald Polivka and Antonin Balsanek, it opened in 1912 and contains several restaurants, an exhibition space, a concert hall, and a fully tiled beer hall in the basement. Both the interior and exterior are covered in allegorical mosaics and sculptures celebrating the city and its residents, making it a symbolic choice for the public reading of the Czechoslovak Declaration of Independence on October 18, 1918. The building and its collection are impeccably restored, and the interior décor, executed by a team of renowned artists including Alfons Mucha, Jan Preisler, and Max Svabinsky, remains largely intact. Mucha’s work for the Lord Mayor’s Hall is particularly impressive. This circular salon celebrates the heroic past of the Czech people and the unity of the Slav nations. The Slavic Concord on the circular ceiling is supported by eight pendentives on which civic virtues are personified by figures from Czech history. This room embodies the notion of the gesamtkunstwerk, or total work of art, unifying all components into a holistic, beautifully designed entity, including stained glass, textiles, and hardware. ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
More about this trip: https://decorativeartstrust.org/czeching-out-pragues-art-nouveau-masterpieces/⁠⠀
⁠⠀
#TravelsWithTheTrust ⁠⠀
#DecorativeArts⁠⠀
#MaterialCulture⁠⠀
#Prague⁠⠀
#ObecniDum⁠⠀
#ArtNouveau⁠⠀
#Architecture⁠⠀
#Design⁠⠀
#Art⁠⠀
#ArtHistory⁠⠀
#Travel

View

Sep 16

Open

Join us on September 29 at 7:00 pm for ‘Who Built the City on the Severn? Slavery and Craft in Early Annapolis,’ a Trust Talk virtual program featuring Bethany J. McGlyn in conversation with Tiffany Momon, co-founder of the Black Craftspeople Digital Archive. They will discuss Bethany’s research that centers on the essential role of enslaved artisans in the creation of iconic structures and objects in colonial Annapolis. Despite working for and with the city’s most famous white craftsmen—most notably Charles Willson Peale, William Buckland, John Shaw, and William Faris—enslaved artisans are often left out of studies of craft in early Annapolis. ⁠
⁠
Join us as we share new research and methods that aim to bring the work of enslaved artisans into the story of American decorative arts. Register at https://decorativeartstrust.org/trust-talk-annapolis/. ⁠
⁠
@bethanymcglyn_⁠
@tmomonhp⁠
@blackcraftspeopleda⁠
#DecorativeArts⁠
#MaterialCulture⁠
#BlackHistory⁠
#ArtHistory⁠
#Art⁠
#History⁠
#Research ⁠
#Annapolis⁠
#Maryland

View

Sep 10

Open

This high-chest missed you too. Join us on Zoom on September 15 at 3:00 pm for a farewell tour of the current installation of the American decorative art galleries at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Curator Alexandra Kirtley will lead us through the galleries currently closed for renovation and share some of the collection’s highlights. The 30-minute tour will be held live, and Alexandra will answer questions at the end of the program. ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
👉 Register at https://decorativeartstrust.org/pma-trust-tour/. ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
📷 David Kinsey and Samuel Appleton, High Chest of Drawers, 1758–1765, Philadelphia, PA. Mahogany, oak, white cedar, and yellow pine, with original brass. Purchased with the Membership Fund, PMA 1923-58-1. ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
@AlexandraAKirtley ⁠⠀
@PhilaMuseum⁠⠀
#TrustVirtual⁠⠀
#DecorativeArts ⁠⠀
#MaterialCulture ⁠⠀
#MuseumFromHome ⁠⠀
#VirtualTour⁠⠀
#Furniture⁠⠀
#AmericanFurniture⁠⠀
#ArtHistory⁠⠀
#Art⁠⠀
#Curator⁠⠀
#Philadelphia

View

Sep 9

Open

Thank you to everyone who participated in 'Decorative Arts and Addressing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion,' the first Critical Conversation in the Trust’s new virtual series. ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Blog post from moderator Elizabeth Humphrey: https://decorativeartstrust.org/elizabeth-humphrey-critical-conversation/ ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Program recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_7IcRGAIms ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Key quotes: ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
“It’s important that we pay attention because people want us to pay attention.” - Joanne Hyppolite, NMAAHC ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
“It’s not just the responsibility of people of color to do this kind of research. It’s a responsibility for all of us.” - Nonie Gadsden, MFA Boston ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
"I think about it in four different ways, and I call it the four As...Action, Acceptance, Awareness, and Acknowledgement." - Alyce Perry Englund, The Met ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
“We need to bring more voices into the decorative arts field. We have a great opportunity to mine more deeply all of the different narratives from these objects, but we need more people doing it.” - Dennis Carr, The Huntington ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
@elish.c ⁠⠀
#DecorativeArts⁠⠀
#MaterialCulture⁠⠀
#Museums⁠⠀
#Diversity⁠⠀
#Equity⁠⠀
#Inclusion⁠⠀
#Curators⁠⠀
#Collections⁠⠀
#Docents⁠⠀
#ArtHistory⁠⠀
#Art⁠⠀
#Culture

View

Sep 4

Open

View

Sep 3

Open

❓ What do a sea cucumber, a six-foot scale model of the U.S.S. Constitution, a taxidermy penguin, and a sign painted by a French artist have in common? Find out more in this blog post from Katharine Fitzgerald (@ladyfitz18) from @TheTrustees of Reservations. (Hint: It has something to do with the Decorative Arts Trust's Book Chat for Patron members and above on Monday evening!) ⁠
⁠
👉 https://decorativeartstrust.org/salem-collecting-katharine-fitzgerald/ ⁠
⁠
#DecorativeArts⁠
#MuseumFromHome⁠
#Salem⁠
#History⁠
#ArtHistory⁠
#MaritimeHistory ⁠
#books

View

Aug 27

Open

We are pleased to announce that this program is filling quickly! Please register soon for ‘Decorative Arts and Addressing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion’ on September 2.⁠
⁠
The first program in our Critical Conversations virtual lecture series, this program addresses how museums are changing their collection and interpretation practices as a response to civil rights movements for people of color such as Black Lives Matter. Panelists Dennis Carr from the Huntington, Alyce Perry Englund from The Met, Nonie Gadsden from the MFA Boston and Joanne Hyppolite, PhD from NMAAHC will be led in discussion by moderator Elizabeth Humphrey, Curatorial Assistant the Bowdoin College Museum of Art. Additional information including optional readings will be provided with registration. If you register, we will email you a link to the program recording shortly after the event. ⁠
⁠
👉 Register at https://decorativeartstrust.org/critical-conversations-1/ ⁠
⁠
#DecorativeArts⁠
#MaterialCulture⁠
#CriticalConversations⁠
#TrustVirtual

View

Aug 24

Open

Stay safe with these new Decorative Arts Trust face masks, now available on our online store! The fabric is a reproduction of a William Morris Arts and Crafts pattern. Created by Eliza West, a recent participant in the Trust's Emerging Scholar Program and recent Lois F. McNeil Fellow in the University of Delaware's Winterthur Program in American Material Culture, these masks will get you through challenging times with comfort and ease. The adjustable, fabric-encased nose-wire is especially helpful for a good fit and fog-free eyeglasses! ⁠
⁠
Limited supply—order today: https://decorativeartstrust.z2systems.com/np/clients/decorativeartstrust/giftstore.jsp⁠
⁠
P.S. We also sell totebags, umbrellas, notecards, and more online! ⁠
⁠
@whipstitch802⁠
#FaceMask⁠
#Fabric⁠
#WilliamMorris⁠
#ArtsAndCrafts⁠
#DecorativeArts⁠
#Nonprofit

View

Aug 21

Open

When Iris Moon joined the European Sculpture and Decorative Arts department at the @MetMuseum in 2017, she jumped into work on the renovation of the British Galleries, a massive project that incorporated almost seven hundred works of art spanning four hundred years of history. As The Met prepares to reopen to the public, Moon spoke with the Decorative Arts Trust to share insight into her past and present research, favorite aspects of the new British Galleries, and efforts to expand narratives of European decorative arts and the voices who share them. ⁠
⁠
🔗 Blog post: https://decorativeartstrust.org/iris-moon/⁠
⁠
Image: Installation view of the Chelsea porcelain case, the British Galleries, The Metropolitan Museum of Art. ⁠
⁠
@met_esda ⁠
#DecorativeArts ⁠
#MuseumFromHome ⁠
#BritishDecorativeArts ⁠
#FrenchDecorativeArts ⁠
#Ceramics ⁠
#Porcelain ⁠
#MetMuseum ⁠
#MetBritishGalleries

View

Aug 13

Open

What would pots say if they could talk? ⁠
⁠
On August 26, at 7:00 pm, join Daniel Sousa, Assistant Curator at Historic Deerfield, in conversation with Curatorial Department Director Amanda Lange as they unravel the rebellious and revolutionary stories behind the messages and symbols found on English and American ceramics in the museum’s collection. ⁠
⁠
From tales of England’s Jacobite Rebellion to stories of America’s fight for Independence, these vessels have the unique ability to provide powerful insights and illustrations on some of history’s most noteworthy uprisings.⁠
⁠
The Zoom link for this virtual program will be emailed to you after you register. Registration fee: Pay What You Can. ⁠
⁠
👉 Register now: https://decorativeartstrust.org/historic-deerfield-trust-talk/. (Link also in bio.) ⁠
⁠
@HistoricDeerfield ⁠
🌐 #TrustVirtual ⁠
#DanSousa⁠
#AmandaLange⁠
#DecorativeArts⁠
#MaterialCulture⁠
#Ceramics⁠
#Glazes⁠
#BritishCeramics⁠
#Revolutionary⁠
#RevoltionaryWar ⁠
#Art⁠
#History⁠
#ArtHistory⁠
#Curator⁠
#Museum⁠
#MuseumFromHome

View

Aug 5

Open

Enjoy Rebecca Migdal’s lecture recording 'Modern in the Mountains: Mid-Century Design in the Berkshires.' In this presentation, she describes trends in architecture and furniture design in New England and includes examples from the H. Lee Hirsche House, Albert L. Keep House, and many more. ⁠
⁠
Migdal, an independent museum consultant based in the Boston region, presented the Marie Zimmermann Emerging Scholar Lecture at the Decorative Arts Trust Fall 2019 Symposium Inspired by the Berkshires: Autumn in Western Massachusetts. ⁠
⁠
🔗 https://decorativeartstrust.org/mid-century-design-berkshires/⁠
⁠
📷 The Fred Jaffee Residence, 1958 (renovated c. 2016), in Richmond, MA, by architects A. Clifford "Tip" Dorsel and Stephen Gerard Dietmann. ⁠
⁠
@MuseumMercenary⁠
#TrustEmergingScholars⁠
#DecorativeArts⁠
#MaterialCulture⁠
#MidCenturyModernism⁠
#Furniture⁠
#Architecture⁠
#House⁠
#ArtHistory⁠
#TheBerkshires⁠
#Massachusetts⁠
#MA⁠
#NewEngland

View

Aug 3

Open

Now on the website: Select articles from the summer issue of 'The Magazine of The Decorative Arts Trust'! This issue features stories about Summer Research Grant recipients, the DAR Museum, Fort Ticonderoga, Historic Deerfield, the Moffatt-Ladd House, the New Orleans Museum of Art, Newport mansions, and more. ⁠
⁠
🔗 https://decorativeartstrust.org/summer-2020-magazine-articles/⁠
⁠
If the stories in this issue inspire you, please consider becoming a member of the Decorative Arts Trust or donating to our Critical Operations Support Fund so we can continue developing quality decorative arts content!⁠
⁠
🌟 https://decorativeartstrust.org/join⁠
⁠
🎁 Link in bio: https://decorativeartstrust.org/operations-fund

View

Jul 30

Open

In honor of Old Salem Museums & Gardens new campaign, The Historic Summer, we are dedicating this Throwback Thursday entry to our 2016 exploration of the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA), the focal point of our spring symposium in Winston-Salem. The program was timed in celebration of the recent overhaul of the museum’s galleries. To assert that our MESDA colleagues pulled out all the stops would be a gross understatement. The capstone of our time at the museum was an afternoon sequence of all-access tours that covered the full spectrum of the extraordinary collection on view there. Facilitated by MESDA’s incredible staff and a handful of esteemed guests, Trust members enjoyed the opportunity to select from a list of focus tours, ranging from metalwork to miniatures to masterworks. Even devotees of Southern material culture came away with new insights, a testament to the exciting research and acquisitions generated by MESDA’s talented curatorial team. Please consider your support of this exceptional organization’s ongoing initiatives in education, research, collections, and restoration. ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
🔗 https://www.oldsalem.org/historicsummer/⁠⠀
⁠⠀
@OldSalemInc⁠⠀
@MESDAgram ⁠⠀
#TheHistoricSummer⁠⠀
#TBT⁠⠀
#DecorativeArts⁠⠀
#MaterialCulture⁠⠀
#History⁠⠀
#ArtHistory⁠⠀
#Quilt⁠⠀
#Furniture⁠⠀
#Pottery⁠⠀
#Museum⁠⠀
#MuseumFromHome⁠⠀
#Exhibition

IN THE FIELD

Exploring the Charles and Ray Eames House

EXHIBITIONS

GRANTS AND SCHOLARSHIPS EMERGING SCHOLARS PROGRAM AND PRIZE

CALENDAR OF EVENTS UPCOMING TRIPS, LECTURES, AND PROGRAMS

ONLINE LEARNING NEW RESEARCH FROM THE FIELD, EXHIBITIONS, BOOK REVIEWS, AND PUZZLES

BLOG CURRENT REPORTS AND HAPPENINGS

Trust Tour: Ralph Harvard and the Nicholson House

Critical Operations Support Fund

Membership with the Decorative Arts Trust

Collaboration, Partnership, and Support

Merchandise Now Available

SIGN UP FOR E-NEWS

Thank you for subscribing!

SIGN UP FOR E-NEWS

You have Successfully Subscribed!